Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Lavra Joe’s whirlwind finishing burst to run a close fourth behind Jumpingjackmac in the Bunbury Cup last Saturday delighted star reinsman Kyle Harper, who is looking forward to a strong effort in the $50,000 group 3 Governor’s Cup over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The stylish six-year-old, trained by Ray Jones, began from barrier four on the back line and he settled down in last position in the field of twelve. He was 11TH at the bell and with 250m to travel he was tenth before he unleashed a scintillating sprint, out wide, to finish less than a length behind the winner after dashing over the final 400m in 26.5sec.
“Ray has done a tremendous job to get Lavra Joe back to his brilliant best,” said Harper. “Lavra Joe was outstanding in the Bunbury Cup and he can definitely win on Friday night. It’s just a matter of how the race is run.
“He has a sticky draw at barrier five, but he can probably win from three different ways. But so can three, four, five, six or seven other horses. It’s a very strong field and it’s anyone’s race. Lavra Joe was really impressive last Saturday, and he has strings to his bow. We’ll have to assess things and work out what we’ll do, depending on what unfolds.”
Jumpingjackmac’s prospects on Friday night diminished when he drew the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line, with reinsman Stuart McDonald predicting he would employ different tactics to those that proved successful in the Bunbury Cup.
In the Bunbury Cup Jumpingjackmac started out wide at barrier seven and McDonald dashed him forward soon after the start to move to the breeze and then gained the one-out, one-back sit before finishing fast to win from Pinny Tiger, Swingband and Lavra Joe.
“It’s not the ideal draw this week,” said McDonald. “But he’s used to being out there. I’ll probably drive him as a sit-sprinter. I probably won’t be able to get forward like we did in the Bunbury Cup, considering the horses with good speed drawn inside of us. I’m hoping there will be plenty of speed, enabling Jumpingjackmac to get into the race late as a sit-sprinter.”
Jumpingjackmac is trained by Gary Hall Snr, who has won the Governor’s Cup with Chicago Bull (2018), Wildwest (2021) and Diego (2023).
Diego, driven by Maddison Brown, won the Cup last year when he defeated Sangue Reale, Minstrel and Lavra Joe, with Jumpingjackmac finishing ninth.
Diego, to be driven for the first time by Trent Wheeler, faces a stern test from out wide at barrier eight at his second appearance after a spell.
Hall Jnr has been engaged to drive smart last-start winner Ideal Agent from the No. 2 barrier on the back line. Ideal Agent is prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who will also be represented by other top-flight last-start winners Minstrel (barrier six) and Tenzing Bromac (barrier four).
Minstrel, to be driven by Deni Roberts, is in devastating form with five wins and an extremely close second placing at his past six starts. He made most of the running when he scored an easy win over Alcopony and Pinny Tiger in the Pinjarra Cup five Mondays ago.
Tenzing Bromac had a tough run before winning from Tricky Miki last Friday week. He will be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green.
Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice also holds a strong hand in Friday night’s Cup, in which Mighty Ronaldo (Emily Suvaljko) will start from the prized No. 1 barrier, and Tricky Miki (Maddison Brown) is handily drawn at barrier No. 3.
Swingband, who is racing in splendid form for trainer Ryan Bell and reinsman Kyle Symington, has drawn awkwardly at barrier seven. He led from the No. 1 barrier when beaten into third place in the Bunbury Cup.
“I was happy with his run,” said Symington. “And I think he is a lot better with a sit. He was travelling well when I pulled the blinds at the top of the straight, and it switched him off a bit. I think Ryan will remove the pull-down blinds this week.”
Valentines Brook, who raced three back on the pegs and was blocked for a clear passage when an unlucky eighth in the Bunbury Cup, is handily drawn at barrier two. He is trained by Jocelyn Young and will be driven for the first time by Aiden De Campo, who was successful in the 2020 Governor’s Cup with Handsandwheels.