Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Ace trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo is advising punters to disregard The Miki Taker’s ninth placing behind The Code Breaker last Friday night when assessing the five-year-old’s prospects in the Sport FM Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Miki Taker will start from the No. 1 barrier, with his stablemate Dominus Factum at barrier two. “Both pacers are racing very well, and I’ll drive The Miki Taker, who was unlucky last week,” said De Campo.
The Miki Taker began from the back line, and he dashed forward soon after the start, but was trapped three wide and had to be restrained to the rear.
“I’ll try to lead with The Miki Taker, but I’m not sure he has enough gate speed to beat out Dominus Factum, who could cross to the front,” he said. “However, I want to lead, and I reckon The Miki Taker is up to them. He just needs the right run.”
Trent Wheeler will drive Dominus Factum, who ran on from seventh on the pegs at the bell to finish fifth behind The Code Breaker last week. Two starts earlier Dominus Factum started out wide from barrier seven and led for the first 250m before trailing the pacemaker Rockandrollartist and finishing strongly to be second to Rockmyster after a final 800m of 56.4sec.
Rockmyster (Dylan Egerton-Green) will start from the No. 3 barrier in Friday night’s 2130m event, and he is sure to be prominent.
Rolling Fire, an impressive, fast-finishing winner over Acharne Girl and Lusaka over 2130m last Friday week, is capable of overcoming the disadvantage of an awkward draw at barrier five.
“I was happy with his last-start win,” said driver Emily Suvaljko. “He is versatile. He can lead and he can breeze. But he is much better, sat-up. It looks like there is a fair bit of speed inside of us, so I’d say we won’t be getting involved early. We’ve just got to be following the right ones home, and the horse who gets the luck will win.”
Lusaka (barrier four) is in splendid form, and the Greg and Skye Bond-trained four-year-old cannot be underestimated. He caught the eye when he surged home from eighth at the bell to finish a close last-start third behind Rolling Fire.
The Bond-trained Jett Star notched his 20TH win from 47 starts when he had a tough run in the breeze before getting to the front 220m from home and winning by a neck from Lil Happy Fella over 2130m last Friday week. And he gets a good chance to improve his record when he begins from the No. 1 barrier in the $25,000 Variety Club Pace over 1730m.
Jett Star’s chief rival is sure to be the e Campo-trained Magnus Victor, who is favourably drawn at barrier No. 2.
“This is a good race for Magnus Victor,” said De Campo. “His recent runs have been super (thee wins and four seconds from eight starts in his current preparation) and he is a strong chance on Friday night.”