Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
“I’m dodging when I should be diving, and vice-versa with Carabao,” said star reinsman Chris Voak when assessing the five-year-old’s prospects in the final event, the 2130m Nova 93.7 Pace, at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I’d like to take luck out of the equation, and I give Carabao a good winning chance. He just needs the right racing luck. If he doesn’t get to the front, I’ll probably take the sit behind Vintage Blu.”
Carabao did not contest the early lead (from barrier two) last Friday night, and he was shuffled back to sixth before Voak sent him forward with a three-wide burst approaching the bell. He fought on gamely to finish fourth behind Hillview Bondi.
A week earlier Carabao trailed the pacemaker Cheer the Major and was blocked for a clear run in the closing stages when an unlucky fourth behind that pacer.
Carabao’s toughest opponents this week are expected to be Ideal Tomado (barrier six) and Lil Happy Fella (seven). Ideal Tomado, trained by Michael Young, will be driven by Maddison Brown, who replaces Gary Hall Jnr who will handle General Jolt, a six-year-old he trains.
Brown will be seeking to maintain her one hundred per cent record with Ideal Tomado, a smart gelding she has driven twice for easy all-the-way victories at Pinjarra in December.
Hall has driven General Jolt for two Gloucester Park wins from his past three starts.
Serpentine trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green will be looking to complete a hat-trick of wins with Lil Happy Fella, who is capable of overcoming a wide draw at barrier seven in the field of eight.
“There should be a good bit of speed on, and with a bit of luck I can see Lil Happy Fella hitting the line strongly,” said Egerton-Green.
Voak also is upbeat about the chances of veteran pacer Carrera Mach in the Freshest Hits and Throwbacks on Nova Pace in which the eight-year-old is favourably drawn at barrier two in the field of eleven. Carrera Mach trailed the frontrunning Mea Culpa when a sound third behind that pacer last Friday night.
“This is a winnable race for Carrera Mach,” said Voak. “I think we will have a red-hot go at trying to cross and lead. If he leads, he will run a strong race.”