Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Outstanding reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green has enjoyed a remarkable association with Ideal Agent, having driven him five times for four wins, and he is confident the New Zealand-bred five-year-old will press his claims for a start in the $300,000 Retravision Fremantle Cup next month by running a mighty race in the $30,000 Celebrate NYE at Gloucester Park Pace at pacing’s headquarters on Friday night.
Egerton-Green was reunited with the Greg and Skye Bond-trained stallion last Friday week when he started from the outside barrier in a field of nine in a 2536m Free-For-All and Egerton-Green was delighted with his performance.
Ideal Agent raced three wide early and then had a tough run in the breeze while Hampton Banner was setting a fast pace. Ideal Agent took a narrow lead on the home turn and wilted slightly to finish fourth behind Ragazzo Mach, with the final quarters being run in 27.6sec. and 28.1sec.
“He got a bit keen when racing in the breeze,” explained Egerton-Green. “From the inside of the back line this week he will be following a helmet, and that will suit him. And I think he could be a little sniper. He is lovely to drive, and I expect him to run a really good race.”
Egerton-Green had not driven Ideal Agent at his previous eleven starts. But before that, he had driven the horse four times for four wins, including the group 2 Easter Cup over 2902m in April this year when he started from 20m and easily beat Two Bob Cracker and Gee Smith in a moderate field.
One of Ideal Agent’s chief rivals in Friday night’s 2536m event is expected to be his talented stablemate Minstrel, who will be handled by star reinsman Ryan Warwick, and will start from barrier two on the back line.
Minstrel revealed his class when he won the group 1 Golden Nugget from Magnificent Storm and Patronus Star in February 2021, and then he set the pace and won the 2536m Fremantle Cup last January when he won by a nose from stablemate Patronus Star.
Minstrel resumed racing after a two-month absence when he started at $61 from the outside barrier (No. 9) in a 2130m Free-For-All last Friday night. He settled down at the rear and impressed when he sustained a strong three-wide burst from seventh at the bell to be a close-up fourth (out four wide) behind the pacemaker Diego, who gave his rivals little chance by dashing over the final 800m in 54.3sec.
He is on track to be a leading contender in the Fremantle Cup (January 13) and WA Pacing Cup (January 27), and he looks set to fight out the finish this week.
The Bond stable will have two other runners in Friday night’s race in veterans Vampiro and Galactic Star. Vampiro will be driven by Colin Brown and will start from barrier three on the front line. Galactic Star (Deni Roberts) will begin from barrier six.
Eight-year-old Vampiro will be making his first appearance since finishing last behind Minstrel in the Fremantle Cup last January. He is the winner of 29 races and $686,001 and is capable of a solid first-up effort.
Nine-year-old Galactic Star reappeared after an absence of eight and a half months when he started from barrier seven in a race over 2536m last Friday week when he caught the eye, finishing strongly from ninth and last at the bell to be fifth behind Ragazzo Mach.
Another veteran in ten-year-old Vultan Tin also will be resuming after a spell. He has been off the scene since racing without cover and finishing fifth in a field of six behind Lavra Joe in the 2130m Porter Memorial on September 9.
Vultan Tin, an equine millionaire, who is prepared by Coolup trainer Dan Costello, will be driven by Mitch Miller. He is a bold frontrunner, ideally suited from the No. 1 barrier. He warmed up for this race in fine style with a runaway win in a 2185m Pinjarra trial three Wednesdays ago when he rated 1.56.9 after final quarters of 27.8sec. and 28.1sec.
Vultan Tin is a dual Narrogin Cup winner who won the WA Pacing Cup in December 2020 (beating Chicago Bull and Mighty Conqueror) and was successful in the Pinjarra Cup in March 2021, beating Miracle Moose and Mighty Conqueror.
Gary Hall Jnr has given punters a lead by choosing to handle the inexperienced five-year-old Prince Of Pleasure ahead of the richly-talented four-year-old Mighty Ronaldo. Prince Of Pleasure, trained by Gary Hall Snr, will start from the outside barrier (No. 3) on the back line, while Emily Suvaljko will drive the Justin Prentice-trained Mighty Ronaldo from out wide at barrier eight.
Prince Of Pleasure has raced only 18 times for eight wins and three seconds. He raced three back on the pegs before getting off the inside at the bell and running home strongly to take the lead in the final 60m before finishing a neck second to Ragazzo Mach.