Trotting: Double victories for Prentice

Boyanup reinsman Kim Prentice was in fine form in the sulky at Gloucester Park last Friday night when he notched up a double win on the program.

Prentice took out the feature event with Aussie Reactor in the $25,000 Seven News Pace and then scored with Alzona in the 7 Mate Pace.

Aussie Reactor indicated he would be more than competitive in this Friday’s $125,000 Australian Pacing Championship when he worked hard without cover for most of the way before holding on to defeat Can Return Fire and the fast finishing Scram Jet.

The decision to go forward paid dividends after Prentice initially intended on going back at the start.

‘‘I planned to go back but when I saw Chris (Lewis) going back from gate seven with Can Return Fire I thought I’d go forward,’’ Prentice said.

‘‘I didn’t really see a breeze horse there and it worked out well with a horse (Denzel Washington) going up and then breaking on the first bend.’’

Prentice said he had some anxious moments before Aussie Reactor, produced in fine fettle by Hazelmere trainer Gary Hall sen., chalked up his 17th victory from only 40 starts to boost his earnings to $219,104 for owners Tony Giglietta and Brent Tottman.

‘‘He had me a bit confused at the 400m,’’ he said.

‘‘He was bolting down the back and I thought he was going to win easily.

‘‘But once he got his head in front of the leader he spat everything out and I’ve gone from feeling magnificent to nothing. But he got back on the bit and he’s done the job.’’

Alzona warmed up for the APC when he sustained a three-wide burst in the middle stages to score over a gallant Hirli Birli Lombo and Pacific Black.

Prentice said Alzona had performed in fine style explaining the horse had to expend plenty of energy when he charged forward in the second lap.

‘‘We had to burn up there three wide and the horse has done a great job,’’ Prentice said.

‘‘I didn’t really want to have Bondy’s horses (Greg Bond’s Motu Treasure and Money Twitch) on my back carting them up and that’s partly why I tried to cut the ribbons at the 500m to get them off my back.’’