Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New South Wales-bred square gaiter Hold That Gold has resumed after a spell in wonderful form for Bunbury trainer Bob Mellsop and the five-year-old has bright prospects of sending punters home on a winning note by proving too speedy for his seven rivals in the final event, the 2503m Vale Bill Duffy Trot at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Hold That Gold will start from the outside (barrier four) on the front line in the standing-start event in which Deni Roberts will be anxious to get the gelding away to a smooth start.
Hold That Gold reappeared after a spell when he began from the 30m mark in a 2631m stand at Pinjarra on June 24. He enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position before finishing solidly to win from Dreambigaimhigh.
He then again began off 30m at Pinjarra a week later and ran home strongly from the rear to finish second to Majestic Marion. His next two starts were in mobile events at Pinjarra and Gloucester Park in which he impressed with solid victories.
Hold That Gold ran on from fourth at the bell to beat Sellune over 2185m at Pinjarra before he won easily from Dreambigaimhigh and Sellune over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Monday afternoon this week after racing wide early and then in the breeze.
Polemarker Nickys Son warmed up for this week’s event in good style when he covered a good deal of extra ground before dashing away to win by four lengths from Dreambigaimhigh over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Monday of last week.
Stay Focused (10m) and Line The Starzzz (20m) are racing keenly and will have admirers. Stay Focused raced without cover before fighting on strongly to finish a neck second to Uptown Lad in a 2503m stand on Monday of last week. That followed Gloucester Park wins from the breeze at his two previous starts, beating Dark Secret over 2536m and then winning by more than four lengths from Uptown Lad in a 2503m stand.
Roberts will also be looking forward to driving the brilliant mare Aardiebytheseaside in the TABradio.com.au Pace in which the New Zealand-bred four-year-old should have little trouble in extending her winning sequence to five.
Aardiebytheseaside, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, will start from the No. 2 barrier and looks set to lead and prove too strong for her seven rivals, with Three Rumours capable of overcoming the disadvantage of the outside barrier and finishing second to the hot favourite.