Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
There will be a rare occurrence at Gloucester Park on Friday night when talented full-brothers Steel The Show and Jett Star clash in the Smooth FM Free-For-All, a $31,000 event over 2536m.
And there is an extremely strong chance that the New Zealand-bred pacers who are prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, will provide a quinella result.
Outstanding driver Deni Roberts, fresh from four winners from the Bond stable last Friday night, had the choice of drives, and, not surprisingly, she has opted to handle the seven-year-old Steel The Show, with Stuart McDonald engaged to drive six-year-old Jett Star for the first time.
For Roberts to pick Steel The Show it was a no-brainer, but she certainly would have had some misgivings about relinquishing the drive behind Jett Star, who she has driven to three wins at Gloucester Park from his past four starts to take her record in the sulky behind the horse to 27 drives for ten wins, seven seconds and one third.
Roberts has handled Steel The Show in all of his 25 starts in Western Australia for eight wins, four seconds and three thirds.
Steel The Show, placed behind Diego and Wildwest at his past two starts, has raced in much stronger company than Jett Star throughout his career. Underlining his quality is the fact that he finished fourth behind Betterzippit, Spirit Of St Louis and Jumpingjackmac in the Nullarbor in April 2023 and was fifth behind Magnificent Storm in the WA Pacing Cup last November.
On Friday night Steel The Show will start from the outside in the small field of six, with Jett Star at barrier No. 5.
The Bond stable and Roberts also have strong winning prospects with Street Hawk in the Nova’s Fresh Country Handicap and Lusaka in the Smooth Perth On Digital Radio Handicap.
Street Hawk, the sole backmarker off 20m, looks outstanding in the 2503m stand in which Chris Voak’s Trouble Supreme, a frontmarker, appears his chief rival.
Street Hawk is not foolproof in standing-start events, but he has a good record, having contested six stands for two wins and three seconds. At his latest appearance he began from 20m and finished a nose second to Twobob Cracker at Gloucester Park last Friday week, and at his previous outing he began from 20m and won the 2560m York Cup at Northam when he finished powerfully to easily beat Feeling Aces. In April last year Street Hawk finished second to Hector in the Easter Cup at Gloucester Park.
Four-year-old Lusaka is in outstanding form, and he looks set to fight out the finish of the seventh event, in which he will start from the outside in a strong field of seven runners.
Lusaka notched his 14TH win from 28 starts when he sprinted home brilliantly from the rear at the bell to defeat Machs Bettor at a 1.55.6 rate over 2130m.
Among his rivals this week is Montana D J, who also impressed last Friday night with an easy victory at a 1.54.9 rate over 1730m when he charged home from seventh at the bell.
“I have decided to race him out of his class this week to ensure drawing the No. 1 barrier,” said his trainer Michael Young. “He has good gate speed, and the plan will be to lead. And I think he is good enough to win.”
Young also is expecting strong performances from Lamandier in race two and Chillin in race eight.
Lamandier set the pace when he finished a head second to My Ultimate Baxter over 1730m last Friday night. He will be suited from the No. 2 barrier in the 2130m Nova Boy’s Pace.
Chillin will also appreciate the favourable No. 2 barrier in the Perth’s Kate Mac For Breakfast Pace over 1730m. He fought on solidly from sixth at the bell to finish an encouraging fourth behind Rattlin Lilly over 2130m last Friday night.
Whataretheodds will start from the No. 1 barrier in the opening event, and he should get punters away to a flying start by leading all the way for reinsman Aiden De Campo. Whataretheodds, trained by Ryan Bell, has resumed after a spell in fine style with second placings behind Velocipede and Codename Marcus.