Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
WA-bred five-year-old Goodfellaz drops significantly in class when he begins out wide from barrier seven in the 1730m Countryman Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The gelding to be driven by Chris Lewis for his wife Debra (who bred and trains the pacer) should prove too classy for his eight rivals. He over-raced in the breeze when a fading sixth behind Chal Patch last Friday night.
Two starts earlier Goodfellaz raced in fifth and last position before fighting on to finish a well-beaten third behind star pacer Minstrel. This week he should prove the master of veteran performers, eight-year-old The Kraken (barrier one) and nine-year-old Regal Cheval (barrier five).
The Kraken worked hard in the breeze before fading late and finishing fifth behind Post Game over 1730m. He will be driven by Mitch Miller, who said: “He has run some good races lately without winning. He appears to have lost his gate speed a bit.”
The Kraken’s most recent win was when he started from barrier one and was driven by Miller to victory over Jaspervellabeach on July 22, 2022.
Regal Cheval is now trained by Gary Hall Jnr, and he had his first start for three months when he began from barrier one and set the pace before finishing a half-length second to Soho Santorini over 1177m at Pinjarra on Thursday of last week.
He has been out of the winning list since he led and beat Euphoria over 2536m at Gloucester Park on June 10, 2022.
Hall has several sound each-way prospects on Friday night, with his best winning prospects being Jawsoflincoln, Rubins Plight and Three Rumours.
Jawsoflincoln should fight out the finish of the Nights Of Thunder, Rubins Plight will be fancied from the No. 1 barrier in the 1730m Streamer.com.au Pace, and the Nathan Turvey-trainer mare Three Rumours should maintain her outstanding form when she starts from the No. 4 barrier in the $27,000 7Plus Pace over 2130m.
Three Rumours followed three excellent seconds with a powerful victory over Rumour Has It and Beyond The Sea last Friday week when she sustained a strong three-wide burst from the rear.
“It’s a cracking field of mares,” said Hall. “Three Rumours is in super form and will be hard to beat.”
Trainer-driver Jocelyn Young has Steno racing keenly, and there should be a keen battle for the early lead. Steno has led from barriers six and four at her past two outings for easy victories.