Valour on the Road to winter glory after taking Belmont hit-out

Ageless gelding Valour Road proved there’s still life in his battle-hardened legs, easing clear with victory at Monday’s Belmont trials to frank the decision of trainer Simon Miller to keep him in training. The 38-start veteran began well and immediately lobbed into second place, trailing leader Indie Ruler by a length before he began to edge closer with 800m remaining. While Indie Ruler still travelled well when turning at the 400m, Valour Road was now breathing down the leader’s neck and moved to challenge. Valour Road soon took over and though Indie Ruler fought gallantly, jockey Chris Parnham shook the reins at Valour Road with 200m to go and the nine-year-old responded to quickly put two lengths between himself and the rest. Trainer Simon Miller said the chestnut continued to defy his rising age and wave down any doubts about his racing future. “He trialled good and the time was quick,” Miller said. “He’ll head to the Idyllic Prince (1300m) on the 24th of August and, if he’s still got the zest, we’ll head to the summer carnival and the Gold Rush (December 14) over 1400m. “If he trialled poorly, we were at the crossroads but he won well. “We’ll just keep him ticking over ‘til the Idyllic Prince, which he won last year off a long break.” Valour Road entered last year’s Idyllic Prince Stakes over a 455-day spell but still surged past Nerodio and Phanta to claim the Listed feature. The gutsy gelding has won $1.77 million in prizemoney and has landed Group contests from ages two through to eight. Later, Miller had unraced three-year-old Amaroo Star charge through from last to claim the sixth heat of the morning for jockey Holly Watson, who continues her riding return from injury. The gelding scythed through the pack to win running away and under limited pressure from his hoop. “He’s a nice progressive type who will run through the grades,” Miller said. + In-form jockey Lucy Fiore said the sky is the limit for untapped Saturday winner Glasgow Lass after the filly romped home to win the opening race on the weekend. “She did it really easy,” Fiore told TABradio. “Thankfully the leader didn’t corner that well and she just took the run straight away. “It all opened up and she just zoomed through on the bridle. “As she improves up against better horses, we’ll only see better.” + TABtouch and Perth Racing have again partnered for a further five-year partnership, which will include sponsorship of races like The Pinnacles, Perth Cup and The Quokka. TABtouch has now been the principal sponsor of Perth Racing’s Ascot Racecourse and Belmont Park Racecourse for over 10 years and has contributed $850 million to WA racing over the past five years.