MAT Rue enjoys any winner he can drive for Dubbo trainer Barry Lew, but when he steered Karloo Jonno to victory at the Bathurst Paceway on Wednesday night it had extra meaning.
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Five-year-old gelding Karloo Jonno is not only trained and owned by Barry Lew and his wife Ronda, but they bred him as well.
His mother is Karloo Ronnie, a mare who’s progeny have brought plenty of success to the Lews. In fact each of her foals that have made it to a paceway have gone on to win.
“It means a lot to Barry and I to get a win with another one from that mare,” Rue said.
Karloo Titan was Karloo Ronnie’s first foal and he rates as her most successful thus far with 23 wins and 26 placings from 100 starts.
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While Rue did not get the chance to steer him before he retired at the end of 2010, the George Plains reinsman has enjoyed plenty of success with another of Karloo Ronni’s progeny in Karloo Damajor.
Rue has driven him in all but seven of his 34 runs thus far and been in the gig for 10 of his 13 wins.
It is a similar story when it comes to Karloo Jonno, with Rue having driven him in all but three of his 16 starts thus far for Lew.
On Wednesday night at Bathurst, Rue rated Karloo Jonno perfectly in an all-the-way win in the Stu Valentine for Bloodstock Ins Pace (1,730 metres) at the Bathurst Paceway.
After crossing from barrier four and getting away with 59.5 seconds first half, Rue upped the tempo down the back straight. Karloo Jonno ($1.28 favourite) then sprinted away from his rivals to win by 11.2m in a 1:56.5 mile rate.
It was his third career victory and first from six starts this season, but Rue said he is improving, with his previous start at Dubbo impressive as well.
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“He’s been going well, the best run of the lot was the other day [last Sunday] at Dubbo. He did a lot of work but he boxed on well for third,” Rue said.
“He got some easy fractions there tonight and he was able to finish off pretty good.
“There’s been a lot of work and late nights go into running him here [Bathurst] … but it all paid off tonight.”
