Baby Boomers would remember the hit 1960s TV series Peter Gunn plus its iconic theme by Henry Mancini and their namesake scored a win to remember in the Statewide Turf Services Maiden (1200m) at Pinjarra on Thursday.
The four-legged Peter Gunn lost 8 lengths out of the stalls before storming down the outside to run down Peters Investments homebred Wheely (Trapeze Artist). He was racing first-up since a couple of initial-prep placings last year and clocked a sizzling 32.60s in the final 600m for owner-breeder Wally Daly and trainers Sean and Jake Casey.
Stewards reported “Peter Gunn stood flat-footed at the start and shifted outwards abruptly shortly after, losing considerable ground. Trainer was advised a warning was placed on the gelding due to its starting manner.”
“That was amazing,” a stunned Sean Casey said as Kesh Dhurun brought the winner back to scale. “Especially after I heard Darren (McAullay) call ‘Hold all tickets’ after he blew the start. Once we get his barrier manners right who knows what he can achieve.
Peter Gunn (outer) wins at Belmont: Photo / Western Racepix
“He’s well-bred and weighs 560kg but isn’t particularly well-conformed and has had his share of aches and pains. He will have a couple of weeks off now and we will see where we go from there.”
Well-bred is an understatement. He’s by Yarradale Stud sire Shooting To Win and is the fourth winner from Femmette (Murtajill). Her current 2yo Beatty (Gingerbread Man) is a stablemate of Peter Gunn and he was last seen winning the Crystal Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Ascot.
Her yearling is also a colt by fellow Yarradale resident Gingerbread Man who remains one of Wally Daly’s favourite sires.
Femmette is one of 9 winners from second-dam Refemme (Surtee) who won the LR Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) in 2004 and the best of her progeny to date has been $455,000 earner Charleton Eddie (Shooting To Win). Daly had purchased third-dam Guinevere (Agincourt) for $16,000 at an Inglis Sydney Yearling Sale in 1997.
Kesh Dhurun does all the work on Peter Gunn behind the scenes and was suitably impressed with his return following a seven-month spell. “That was a remarkable. He had been trialling nicely and warmed up extra well down to the start. I thought we would be in the three-wide line with cover from the wide draw before he stood in the barrier.
“I didn’t panic and we tacked on at the 700m. He was travelling and there was plenty left in the tank when he finished them off in the straight.”
