Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr is looking forward to resuming as Wildwest’s driver when the eight-year-old contests the $31,000 Cowden Insurance Solutions Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Hall will be in the sulky behind Wildwest for the first time for six months, since the Raging Bull gelding finished fourth behind Magnificent Storm in the Village Kid Sprint on December 8.
Wildwest has impressed at his past two starts, finishing strongly, out five wide, from ninth at the bell to be fourth behind Finvarra last Friday week, and then enjoying a perfect passage, one-out and one-back, before sprinting home fast to be a neck second to Finvarra last Friday night.
Wildwest will start from the No. 2 barrier in Friday night’s field of six runners. He possesses good gate speed, but Hall is not over-confident that he will win the start.
“He would be a moral if he led but he might not be able to cross Galactic Star (barrier one) and Hampton Banner (barrier three) is also a fast beginner,” said Hall. “I would like to lead but if not, we should be close enough in the small field to have a chance of winning.
“Wildwest is pretty fast and can sprint home. It’s a matter of getting the right run.” Wildwest has shown good gate speed to set the pace and win at seven of his 14 victories in Western Australia.
Steel The Show, to be driven by Deni Roberts for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, is racing in fine form, and the seven-year-old who will begin from the No. 5 barrier, has the ability to beat Wildwest and his in-form stablemate Diego.
Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr, who prepares Wildwest, has excellent prospects of winning the Cowden The Insurance Brokers Pace with Youre So Fine, who will be driven by Hall Jnr from barrier four.
Youre So Fine is ready to show his best form after strong efforts at his first two runs since resuming from a spell. He raced without cover when a first-up fifth behind star stablemate Jumpingjackmac, and then impressed last Friday night when he was tenth at the bell before running home powerfully to finish fourth behind The Code Breaker.
“He has been working back into form and this looks his race,” said Hall Jnr.
Hall is also confident of victory when he drives the Nathan Turvey-trained Three Rumours in the Prindiville Classic Pace over 2130m. The six-year-old mare showed a glimpse of her best form last Friday week when she raced three wide for the first lap and then in the breeze before fighting on to finish fourth behind Queeninthecorner.