Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Star reinsman Ryan Warwick looks set to land his one hundredth winner for the season by driving Glenledi Chief to victory in the 1730m Westral Meshlock Security Doors And Screens Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This will be a new experience for the five-year-old Glenledi Chief, a standing-start specialist who will be contesting a 1730m mobile event for the first time in his West Australian career of 24 starts which have produced eleven wins and seven placings. Ten of those wins for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond have been in stands.
Glenledi Chief is favourably drawn at barrier two and Warwick is sure to be anxious to take full advantage of the draw by attempting to get to an early lead and ten dictating terms in front. He showed his ability over a sprint trip when hew began from barrier four and raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before finishing powerfully to win over 1609m in 1.54 as a three-year-old at Nelson in January 2020.
His chief rivals appear to be Blitzembye (barrier five) and Beat City and Eldaytona, who will begin from the back line.
Blitzembye disappointed when he was a fading tenth behind Lavra Joe in the Group 2 Four-Year-Old Championship over 2130m last Friday night, a week after he raced three back on the pegs before finishing strongly to win easily from Mirragon and Master Publisher at a 1.57.2 rate over 2130m.
The Michael Young-trained Beat City is a model of consistency, and he is sure to appreciate a drop in class after racing in the one-out, one-back position before finishing solidly to be second to Papinik over 213m last Friday night. He was a fast-finishing third behind Ideal Agent and Fanci A Dance the previous week.
The Bonds and Warwick will be looking for a good first-up performance from Midnight Assassin in the Westral Quality Since 1973 Trot when the six-year-old starts from 10m in the 2503m standing-start event.
Midnight Assassin is a standing-start specialist who has won eight stands and one mobile event in his 41-start career. He is unbeaten at his three starts in Western Australia, scoring in two Gloucester Park stands and one mobile event at Pinjarra in August and September 2021. He has recovered from damaged suspensory ligament.
Also returning to racing is eight-year-old Ace Commander, who will start from the front line for trainer Jemma Hayman and will be driven by Chris Lewis. Ace Commander is a capable standing-start performer who has won at eight of his 42 starts. He warmed up for his first outing since early in May this year with a sound effort when a distant second to smart three-year-old pacer Soho Dow Jones in a standing-start trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week.
Ace Commander has the ability, and a handicap advantage over the brilliant trotter Tricky Ric, who will start from the 30m mark after having won at his past six starts. “At least Tricky Ric has got race fitness on his side,” said reinsman Gary Hall Jnr.
In-form reinsman Aiden De Campo will be popular with punters and will be busy with drives in eight of the ten events. Stamford will have many admirers when he starts from barrier two in the third event, and De Campo gives his final two drives Rockstar Rebel (race eight) and Dontwakemeup (race nine) strong winning chances.
“Rockstar Rebel rarely runs a bad race,” said De Campo. “A middle of the line draw (barrier six) is not ideal over 1730m, but the horse is racing really well. I’ve got to play it by ear and see where we get to.
“Dontwakemeup is a progressive type, and from barrier one she’s a good each-way chance. It’s not the strongest two-year-old fillies race you will ever see in town.”