Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Whether a strong perception that Soho Dow Jones lacks the necessary gate speed to take advantage of the No. 1 barrier in the $30,000 Pure Steel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night is correct will be answered when the 2130m event gets under way.
There is little doubt that Mitch Miller be anxious to hold the lead and set the pace with Soho Dow Jones, but he is expected to receive spirited opposition early from fast beginners Illawong Mustang (barrier two) and Goodfellaz (barrier five).
Soho Dow Jones, an impressive all-the-way winner in a 2503m standing-start event last Friday night, revealed good gate speed at his previous start when he led from barrier two and scored a runaway victory against modest opposition in a 2130m mobile event.
Illawong Mustang, trained by Dylan Egerton-Green and to be driven for the first time by Emily Suvaljko, revealed excellent gate speed when he led and won over 1730m, beating subsequent winner High Price, last Friday week.
Egerton-Green, who has driven Illawong Mustang 52 times, including at the gelding’s past 26 starts, has decided to handle stablemate Lil Happy Fella, who has won at two of his past four starts.
The lightly-raced Goodfellaz (eight wins and seven placings from 18 starts) is in fine form, and it is significant that he has begun speedily and won five times. He was the $1.65 favourite when he began from the back line and ran home strongly from tenth at the bell to finish a close third behind Benji over 1684m at Pinjarra three Mondays ago.
Capel trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo is looking for an improved performance from smart four-year-old Rock On Top, who was disappointing last Friday night at his second outing after a spell following a first-up Narrogin win. He raced wide early and then enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position before wilting to finish sixth behind Rockmyster.
Rock On Top, a winner at eight of his 32 starts, will begin from the outside of the back line. “I thought he should have run second or third last week,” said De Campo. “He pulled up a bit big, and his work this morning (Tuesday) was good, so, hopefully, he can bounce back.”
The Craig Abercromby-trained Gregarmy faces a tough task from out wide at barrier eight. But he is a tough pacer who impressed on Tuesday of last week when, at his third outing after a spell, he raced wide early and then in the breeze before winning from Cowboys N Bandits over 2130m.
Cheer The Major, to be driven by Kyle Harper for trainer Gary Elson, has sound each-way prospects from the inside of the back line. The seven-year-old is racing with great heart, with Gloucester Park placings behind Tiger Royal, Whos The Dad and Rockmyster at his past three outings.