Pacing: Barry Howlett-trained mare greets the judges in thrilling finish

Barry Howlett’s mare Three Rumours flew home late to claim Tuesday night’s Nexus Pace (2100m) at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park.

The five-year-old, who recently recorded two impressive wins at Gloucester Park, scored by a half neck from North Boyanup talent Bettors Destroya, while Woodlea Ragnar ran third.

In a spirited trip, reinsman Chris Voak had all the answers piloting Woodlea Ragnar, who held a comfortable buffer as the field got the bell.

However, Emily Suvaljko, who days earlier guided Justin Prentice-trained Mighty Ronaldo in the Retravision Fremantle Pacing Cup, took up the challenge with his stablemate, Bettors Destroya.

Heading into the home straight, after sitting one out and one back for lengthy stages, Suvaljko was able to benefit from multiple runners tapering off with less than 400m to run — and with the space newly afforded to her, sent Bettors Destroya on to the pegs and primed for a final surge in the sprint line.

In the straight, a race in three emerged, as Three Rumours motored down the outside to greet the judges in gutsy fashion.

Three Rumours’ stablemate Call Me Heaven also got into the winners’ circle earlier in the afternoon, after she outlasted Capel-based favourite Disco Dynamo.

The focus of South West pacing will be at Busselton’s Churchill Park on Friday night for the BFS Busselton Cup (2680m), with Jason Woodworth’s Hi Tommy — who has won three of his last four starts — already a favourite with punters.