Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Ira Poole failed to overcome awkward barriers at his past two starts and finished at the rear when favourite.
But he gets his chance to make amends by setting the pace and winning the $30,000 Im Themightyquinn Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is just a flea bag when he’s not in front,” said reinsman Gary Hall Jnr. “When in front he is a nice horse, and from barrier one this week it will be a case of all eggs in one basket, leading and hopefully winning.”
Three starts ago, in weaker company, Ira Poole, prepared by Gary Hall Snr, rated a smart 1.54.8 over 2130m when he led from barrier three and won by more than five lengths from Haywire.
The Mike Reed-trained Our Shelley Beach (barrier two) is a proven frontrunner. But he is unlikely to be fast enough to deprive Ira Poole of the lead.
One of the main dangers to Ira Poole could well be four-year-old Franco Mecca, who is racing keenly for trainer Matt Scott. His past five starts have produced two wins (both when he has started from the No. 1 barrier and set the pace in 2242m events at Narrogin), seconds at Bunbury and Northam and a sound fifth behind Hotly Pursued in a $50,000 Group 3 feature event at Gloucester Park.
In-form reinsman Chris Voak said that Franco Mecca was not much of a leader but added: “I really like the horse and his sit-sprint capacity. Sat up, he’s a sound place chance.”
Hall Jnr trains Solesseo Matuca, who will be attempting his first win in WA after being beaten at his first five starts in the State, three times as favourite.
Solesseo Matuca gets a good chance to break through for an overdue win when he starts from the No. 2 barrier in the 2130m Bridge Bar Pace on Friday night.
He led from the No. 1 barrier before wilting late and finishing a close second to The Miki Taker over 2130m last Friday night. The Kim Prentice-trained Soho Santorini (Mitch Miller) has a significant advantage this week, starting from the coveted No. 1 barrier, and he looks certain to lead.
However, that is not particularly daunting for Hall, who said: “I think Solesseo Matuca will go better, sat up, and I think he is good enough to win.”
Hall has good prospects in the $21,000 Team Bond Pace over 2130m, a race for mares in which he will drive the WA-bred five-year-old Make Your Mark from the No. 1 barrier.
Make Your Mark, trained by Nathan Turvey, is racing keenly, with her past five starts producing four seconds and an all-the-way win over 2130m at Gloucester Park two starts ago.
“She is racing well, and all her recent runs have been good,” said Turvey. “At Pinjarra on Monday of last week she raced in the breeze and took the leader on when second to Hunt The Magic. Turn The Page looks the hardest to beat.”
Turn The Page, to be driven by Deni Roberts for trainers Greg and Skye Bond, will begin out wide at barrier seven at her first appearance for 19 weeks. She has won at seven of her twelve starts and should be prominent, first-up.