BRIGHTON trainer Christian Salter has always had a high regard for his three-year-old pacer Ark West and in Hobart on Sunday night the gelding lived up to those expectations by scoring an impressive win in the Tote Sport Radio Pace over 2090m at Tattersall’s Park.
Ark West notched two wins and a minor placing at his first three starts this season but he fell at his fourth outing that led to a below par performance in Hobart on November 30.
But a week of clever mind manipulation and a subtle change the horse’s training regime led to the gelding outgunning a couple of smart ones in race favourite Zurbaran and very promising I’m A Freak.
Ark West and Karalta McLeod are the only two Tasmanian three-year-olds with three wins their credit and both are being aimed at the 3YO Championship in Launceston on December 20 and then to the Tasmanian Guineas in Hobart on December 27 which is the final night of the V75 Tasmanian Summer Harness Carnival.
Salter said it has been a battle to get Ark West’s head right after the race fall but was pleased with how the gelding had responded to the challenges since that mishap.
Listen to what trainer-driver Christian Salter had to say about Ark West after his win – click here .