Never Ending set to resume in style
Exciting young pacer Never Ending is the least experienced runner in the group 3 $50,000 SEFS Preux Chevalier Four-Year-Old Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he should tick an important box by winning for the first time over 2536m.
The Justin Prentice-trained Never Ending will be having his first start for 20 weeks when he begins from the No. 6 barrier, and he should carry too many guns for his six rivals in what is an important stepping stone leading into the $1,250,000 Nullarbor slot race in four week’s time.
He enjoyed a relaxing pipe opener for Friday night’s classic when Gary Hall jnr gave him a comfortable trip in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week.
Never Ending was not bustled out from barrier five in the trial in which Diego set the pace with slow opening 400m sections of 31.9sec. and 30.2sec. before the final quarters were run in 27.4sec. and 27sec., with Mister Smartee winning by a head from Diego, rating 1.56.9.
The trial was run in Indian file, with Never Ending in fifth position. He was last on the home turn before running home solidly, without being extended, to finish fifth in the field of six.
Never Ending’s only appearance in a 2536m event was in the WA Derby on November 3 when he settled in fifth position, took the lead 1200m from home and finished second to Skylou, who rated 1.56.3.
Never Ending, who won three group 1 events in the space of seven weeks as a two-year-old, is comparatively inexperienced, having had 14 starts for twelve wins, one second and one third placing for stakes of $441,440.
One of his chief rivals this week will be the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Lusaka, who will be racing first-up for 16 weeks. Lusaka, who has won at eleven of his 19 starts, warmed up for the Preux Chevalier Classic with an easy trial win over 2185m at Pinjarra on March 6. He rated a modest 2.0.8, with final quarters of 28.4sec. and 28.9sec.
Lusaka, to be driven by Deni Roberts, has drawn barrier three and is sure to be prominent.
All is Well, to be handled by Chris Lewis from the No. 2 barrier for trainer Katja Warwick, is an experienced campaigner who has had 37 starts for 12 wins and ten placings. He has won twice from six starts as a four-year-old.
Hotly Pursued, to be driven by Kyle Harper for trainer Murray Lindau, is in excellent form, having won at four of his five starts this season. He possesses very good gate speed and is capable of making a spirited bid for the early lead.
Steel The Show on trial for Easter Cup
Contesting a standing-start event will be no novelty for the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Steel The Show, who will reappear after an 18-week absence when he begins from 10m in the WA Foton Diesel At Catalano Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
A good performance from Steel The Show, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, would enhance his prospects in the $50,000 group 3 Easter Cup, a stand over 2503m the following Friday.
Steel The Show is vastly experienced in stands, having contested 26 stands for three wins, seven seconds and three thirds. One of his best performances was when he began off the 30-metre mark and ran home strongly to finish second to Youre So Fine in the 3309m Marathon Handicap at Gloucester Park last August, four months after finishing fourth behind Betterzippit in the Nullarbor slot race.
He will be driven on Friday night by Deni Roberts, who has handled the Bettors Delight gelding in all of his 16 WA starts for seven wins and three placings. He will start off 10m and his main rivals are likely to be in-form standing-start runners Lucca and Ardens Horizon.
Lucca, trained and driven by Bill Hayes, will start from the front line in his final appearance before the Easter Cup. He began off the 10m mark last Friday week when he was sixth in the middle stages before sustaining a strong three-wide burst to win easily from Fly To Fame.
Byford trainer-reinsman Callan Suvaljko has Ardens Horizon racing in wonderful style in stands and mobiles. The New Zealand-bred five-year-old’s latest appearance in a stand was three starts ago when he set the pace and won convincingly from Lucca and Navy Street. He will start off 10m, alongside of Steel The Show.
Steel the Show has enjoyed a spell since he led and won by a half-head from star stablemate Minstrel in a 2536m mobile event on November 17.
The Kim Prentice-trained Hector resumed after a spell a month ago when he disappointed in fading to a distant ninth behind Navy Street after racing without cover. He will start from barrier two on the front line and is capable of considerable improvement. He raced in fourth position and finished last in a six-horse trial won by Mister Smartee at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week.
Hector gave a sample of his class when he dashed to an early lead, set the pace and won a 2503m stand from Street Hawk and Taking the Miki in April last year.
Mister Linton impresses
Four-year-old Mister Linton is the youngest runner in the Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night --- and with a record of 14 starts, he is easily the most inexperienced pacer in the field.
He will be driven by Shannon Suvaljko for trainer Mike Reed and will start from the inside of the back line in the 2130m event.
He resumed after a seven-month absence last Friday night when he began from the No. 4 barrier and after settling down in the one-out, one-back position he was shuffled back to seventh at the bell. He then caught the eye when he surged home, out four wide with a powerful late burst to finish second to the pacemaker Tubbs Farquhar.
On Friday night Mister Linton will start immediately behind the polemarker Seeknyoushallfind, a 12-year-old who has a losing sequence of 77. The most recent time he has set the pace was when Deni Roberts drove him from barrier three at Kellerberrin 104 starts ago, on September 30, 2018, when he finished a well-beaten third behind Rousey.
Mindful of this Suvaljko is likely to attempt to get Mister Linton off the pegs soon after the start instead of following Seeknyoushallfind, a veteran of 222 starts who will be handled by Roberts.
Roberts drove Seeknyoushallfind on Tuesday of last week when he began from the No. 1 barrier and was beaten for early speed by Disco Under Fire, who surged straight to the front from barrier No. 3. Seeknyoushallfind trailed Disco Under Fire and battled on to finish third behind him after final quarters of 29.1sec. and 28.5sec.
Mister Linton has won at two of his 14 starts and looks hard to beat, with his most serious rival likely to be the David Simmonds-trained five-year-old Luke Attack, who will be handled by Gary Hall jnr from the No. 4 barrier. Luke Attack has good gate speed and he led from barrier one when finishing a head second to Richie Reactor over 2130m at Gloucester Park four starts ago.
Three starts before that Luke Attack led from barrier one and won from Bealawyer and Sweet Lucifer, rating 1.57.5 over 2130m, with final quarters of 27.9sec. and 28.7sec.
The Reed-Suvaljko combination is sure to be popular with punters. Apart from Mister Linton, Reed and Suvaljko will combine forces with Hoppys Way (barrier one; race three), Blitzembye (barrier three; race four), Bee Jays Boy (barrier five; race seven), Cabsav (barrier five; race eight) and Water Lou (barrier one; race ten).
Water Lou, a winner at ten of her 14 starts, will be a hot favourite in the Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales Pace, even against the quality filly Xceptional Arma, whose easy last-start victory over Lenora Jane and Copy Cat Queen improved her record to eleven wins and five placings from 20 starts.
Xceptional Arma, trained by Colin Brown and to be driven by Maddison Brown, will begin from the No. 3 barrier, with Water Lou having a significant advantage, starting from the No. 1 barrier.
Water Lou had a tough run in the breeze outside Xceptional Arma before winning the $50,000 Sales Classic for three-year-old fillies three Fridays ago. Outsider The Swindler finished second, with Xceptional Arma wilting to third.
Hoppys Way is a smart frontrunner who should make a bold bid for a first-up victory from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m SEFS You Name It, We Fund It Pace.
Hampton Banner’s good trial
Speedy pacer Hampton Banner is ready to produce a strong performance in the $31,000 SEFSsolutions.com.au Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night following an impressive effort in a trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week.
The New Zealand-bred seven-year-old, trained by Debra Lewis, dashed to the front soon after the start of the 2116m standing-start trial and withstood an early challenge from Im The Black Flash before setting the pace and winning by a half-length from Skylou, the winner of the WA Derby last November. The final quarters were run in 28.7sec. and 27.9sec.
Chris Lewis is sure to take full advantage of the prized No. 1 barrier on Friday night in a bid for an all-the-way victory for the Bettors Delight gelding, who is sure to be improved by his two runs since resuming from a lengthy spell.
Hampton Banner led from barrier four before wilting to finish eighth behind Lavra Joe and Swingband in a 2130m Free-For-All last Friday week in which the final three quarters were run in 28.3sec., 27.9sec. and 28.2sec.
His battle with Tenzing Bromac, Tricky Miki, Ima Fivestar General, Blitzembye and others should provide plenty of action.
Tenzing Bromac, to be driven by Deni Roberts for trainers Greg and Skye Bond, will be making his first appearance since he had a tough run in the breeze before wilting to sixth behind Magnificent Storm in the WA Pacing Cup in November. His form before that was excellent, with a victory over Pinny Tiger and placings behind Mighty Ronaldo, Jumpingjackmac and Diego.
Tenzing Bromac faces a stern test from the outside barrier in the field of eight. But he has the ability to overcome that significant disadvantage.
The Justin Prentice-trained Tricky Miki will start from barrier No. 6 with Maddison Brown in the sulky. The brilliant five-year-old won the group 1 Golden Nugget in December before having a let-up and resuming with a narrow win over the outstanding Minstrel in the group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup two starts ago, on February 16. He then had a tough run, out three wide and then in the breeze before fading to seventh behind Minstrel in the Pinjarra Cup three Mondays ago.
The Mike Reed-trained Blitzembe will be having his first start for three months. He gave a sample of his ability in December with placings in consecutive weeks behind the brilliant Magnificent Storm. Shannon Suvaljko will be in the sulky when he begins from the No. 3 barrier.