Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred pacer Lovera did not race, but she has proved to be an outstanding brood mare, having produced group 1 two-year-old filly winners Artemis Belle and Eagle Rox.
And now her latest filly foal Ruby Lovera has bright prospects of upholding a wonderful family tradition by winning the $215,000 group 1 Allwood Stud Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Artemis Belle, trained and driven by Aldo Cortopassi, led all the way and won the group 1 Sales Classic by two lengths from Mazeltov in April 2010, and trainer Kim Prentice drove Eagle Rox to an easy all-the-way victory over stablemate Bettor Dreams in the group 1 Diamond Classic in June 2012.
Ruby Lovera, trained by Justin Prentice and part-owned by nine members of the syndicate which races champion four-year-old Never Ending, has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier, with champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr giving the Sweet Lou filly an excellent winning chance.
“She has the gate speed to lead, and without talking to Justin, I’d say we will be trying to lead, and then take it from there,” said Hall. “She is a real chance in an even field.”
Ruby Lovera has won at two of her seven starts, including her victory two starts ago when she raced three back on the pegs before finishing strongly to beat the pacemaker Bettagetonpip by a half-neck.
She then scraped into the final of the Westbred Classic on Tuesday of last week when she raced without cover in a qualifying heat for much of the way and lost valuable ground when she was inconvenienced approaching the home turn and then recovering to fight on and finish a well-beaten fourth behind the frontrunner Bettagetonpip.
Looming large as Ruby Lovera’s toughest rival is Iseeubaby, trained in Bunbury by John Graham and driven by Emily Suvaljko.
Iseeubaby, who will start from the No. 5 barrier in the 2130m classic, was most impressive in winning a qualifying heat, rating 1.57.7 — which was faster than rates recorded by the other heat winners Bettagetonpip (1.59.7) and Copper Head Lady (1.58).
Iseeubaby began from barrier five and raced in the breeze before Suvaljko sent her to the front at the bell. The final three quarters were run in 28.9sec., 28.6sec. and 28.9sec. and Iseeubaby careered away from her rivals and won by five lengths from Shes All Go.
“She has gate speed, but I didn’t use it in the heat,” said Suvaljko. “She is a very nice filly.”
Ryan Bell trains Copper Head Lady, who will be driven by Aiden De Campo from a somewhat awkward draw at barrier six. She began speedily from barrier five and set the pace when she won by a length from Reinette in a qualifying heat.
“She was really switched on and felt the best she ever has,” said De Campo.
Reinette, driven by Trent Wheeler for Coolup trainer Frank Nafranec, trailed Copper Head Lady throughout and fought on solidly. “She should fight out the finish on Friday night,” declared Wheeler.
The Ryan Bell-trained Bettagetonpip goes into the final with the best record (nine starts for five wins, three seconds and $85,224 in prizemoney) but faces a stern test from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line. She will be driven by Kyle Symington, who returned to Perth this week after a three-month holiday in America.
Bettagetonpip and Copper Head Lady will be joined in the final by stablemate Wicked Lover, who gained a start when Delulu was scratched. Wicked Lover, who will start from barrier eight, has been placed once from six starts. She will be driven by Ryan Warwick.