Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran pacer Galactic Star boasts a remarkable record. He has started from the coveted No. 1 barrier seven times in mobile events at Gloucester Park, has never been beaten for early speed and has recorded six wins and a head second placing.
He will start from the No. 1 barrier in the $50,000 Hoist Solutions August Cup over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night and his recent form as a ten-year-old suggests that he should fight out the finish.
Galactic Star, to be driven by Mitch Miller for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, led from barrier one three starts ago when he set the pace and won from The Mustang and Prince Of Pleasure over 2536m. Three starts before that he began from barrier one over 2536m when he led and beat The Code Breaker and The Mustang.
The only time he has not led all the way from barrier one was when he showed the way in the first lap before relinquishing the lead to Mighty Conqueror and then finishing fast to beat that pacer over 2536m on November 5, 2021.
His only defeat from barrier one was on March 27, 2020 when he set the pace over 2536m and was beaten in the final stride by a head by Shockwave.
Galactic Star is one of four runners from the powerful Bond camp in Friday night’s August Cup, a group 3 event that has been won by the Bond stable with Mister Odds On in 2009 and by Vampiro in 2019 and 2021.
The other Bond runners — Tenzing Bromac (Deni Roberts), Patronus Star (Dylan Egerton-Green) and Himself (Kyle Symington) — all have winning prospects. Tenzing Bromac and Himself are last-start winners and Patronus Star is racing keenly, with his recent efforts including seconds to Mighty Conqueror and Prince Of Pleasure.
Tenzing Bromac, a winner at 15 of his 27 starts, is favourably drawn at barrier three and was a smart winner over Mighty Ronaldo and The Mustang over 2536m last Friday week when he dashed to the front 650m after the start and sprinted over the final quarters in 28.4sec. and 27.4sec. He had a tough run in the breeze when a close second to Watching Our Coin over 2130m the previous week.
Patronus Star has won only once from his past 16 starts but he can never be underestimated. His recent efforts have been most encouraging. Himself won for the 14TH time from 32 starts when he led from barrier one and fought on grimly to beat The Mustang by a head over 2130m last Friday night.
One of Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice’s earliest successes in a group feature event was when as a 19-year-old he drove the Ray Grantham-trained Village Hero to victory over Trial By Jury and Tealsby Karita in the 2007 August Cup.
Village Hero began from the No. 2 barrier, and Prentice is hoping that barrier two will prove to be a lucky omen for Mighty Ronaldo on Friday night.
Mighty Ronaldo, to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, resumed after a four-month absence when he finished second to Tenzing Bromac in a field of six over 2536m two Fridays ago. He raced four back on the pegs in the Indian file affair before Hall sent him forward with a fast move 580m from home.
Mighty Ronaldo got on to terms with Tenzing Bromac with 220m to travel and the sulky wheels became locked briefly on the home turn before Tenzing Bromac finished the stronger and won by a length.
Hall will be seeking his fifth success in the August Cup, following wins with Im Themightyquinn (2010), Uppy Son (2013), Northview Punter (2014) and Chicago Bull (2018 and 2020).