Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Waverider provided a pertinent preview for the $100,000 APG Sales Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he zipped to the front soon after the start before the event was declared a no-race after Greatgreat Boulder choked down and crashed to the track in the first lap.
“It was unfortunate what happened,” said Waverider’s driver Kyle Symington.
“Waverider felt super and we got to the front after about 250 metres, and he was travelling really well. The plan will be the same this week — to use his gate speed again. We came out pretty comfortably last week, and then I flicked him up a couple of times. There is definitely more gate speed there, if needed.”
The runners in this rich listed classic will begin from the same barriers as they had for last Friday’s event, and Waverider retains the favourable No. 3 barrier.
He revealed excellent gate speed from barrier four in his qualifying heat when he set the pace and won in fine style from Thelittle Master, rating 1.58 over the 1730m after a flying final 400m of 27.5sec.
Waverider’s main dangers this week loom large as the other heat winners Blaze Away (barrier four) and Soho Skyfall (barrier seven). Blaze Away rated 1.57 when he raced in the one-out, one-back position and finished with a dazzling late burst to beat Ten To The Dozen, while Soho Skyfall was most impressive in rating 1.56.2 in winning his heat from Greatgreat Boulder after racing without cover.
Gary Hall Jnr was most impressed with Blaze Away’s heat victory and he is confident that the Sweet Lou gelding will fight out the finish. Blaze Away is trained by Justin Prentice, who prepared the Hall-driven Valedictorian for his victory in the Sales Classic for two-year-old colts and gelding last year.
Prentice also trained and drove Major Martini when he won this classic in 2019. Hall’s other successes in this event were with Blissfull Boy (2010), Black Aquila (2011) and Allmightyjoelouis (2016).
Kim Prentice, who trains Soho Skyfall, trained and drove Fake Embrace when he won this event in 2004, and he drove the Noel Keiley-trained Aikido Whitby when he was successful in 2006. Soho Skyfall will be driven by Mitch Miller.
Chris Lewis, who has won this event with The Vigilante (1995), Saab (1997), Talladega (1999), On Line Brut (2000), Wirrpunda (2001), Lombo Wave Link (2005) and Mister Jadore (2013), will be in the sulky behind the Jemma Hayman-trained Off The Charts, a winner at two of his three starts who will begin from the No. 5 barrier.
Capel trainer Aiden De Campo, who prepared and drove Floewriter for his win in this event two years ago, has two runners in the final, Grevis (barrier No. 1) and Menemsha (barrier No. 2 on the back line). He will drive Grevis, and he has engaged Trent Wheeler to handle Menemsha, who led and won over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week.
Leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond have three runners — Thenu Came Along (Colin Brown), Ten To The Dozen (Deni Roberts) and Thelittle Master (Dylan Egerton-Green).