WITH a fast Bathurst trial win to his name there was plenty of expectation on Lester Hewitt's Lochiel to impress on debut, and he lived up to it by taking out the Parkes Leagues Club Golden Bar Pace (2,040 metres).
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Against a strong field in the $15,000 juvenile feature event Lochiel ($5, John O'Shea) caught a second wind to see off a charge in the final 100 metres from race favourite Joonior Brown ($2.40, Amanda Turnbull).
Lochiel found the lead early from gate two but looked distracted at times along the front and back straights of the track.
However, there was nothing worrying about the way he finished off his race.
A soft opening half followed by a 28-second third quarter was enough to leave the rest of the field in Lochiel's wake - except for the favourite.
Just as Joonior Brown looked set to sweep past Hewitt's runner Lochiel put his head down and found another gear, winning by two metres in a 2:01.1 mile rate.
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Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
