Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Shane Young is happy with super mare Wonderful To Fly’s progress and he is contemplating making a bid for the early lead and setting the pace in the TABtouch Supports Gloucester Park Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Wonderful To Fly will start from the No. 4 barrier in the 2130m event in which she will clash with nine geldings, including stylish last-start winner Star Casino and smart performers Solesseo Matuca, Chivalry and Rockmyster.
“If Wonderful To Fly can lead she will be hard to beat,” said Young. “She is quick enough out and I’m contemplating making a bid for the front. If she goes at her best, she is capable of competing against horses like Star Casino and Solesseo Matuca.
“Long-range plans are for her to run in the feature events for mares later in the year. She had a good spell before resuming racing last Friday night, and, hopefully, she has improved on her first-up effort.”
Wonderful To Fly was restrained to the rear from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line last Friday night. She settled down ten lengths behind the pacemaker Little Darling and was still last in the field of ten at the 600m before she went forward, out five and six wide, to finish a creditable sixth behind Little Darling.
She dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.18sec. and 28.7sec. the fastest last quarters recorded in the race.
Wonderful To Fly has already amassed $742,744 from her 30 wins, ten seconds and five thirds from 56 starts. She has set the pace in 21 of her victories.
Star Casino, trained by Ray Williams, reappeared after a spell when he raced three wide for the first 200m and then in the breeze for the next 500m before gaining a perfect trail in the one-out, one-back position. He dashed to the front 120m from the post and held on to win narrowly from the fast-finishing Flying Rumour.
That was five-year-old Star Casino’s tenth win from 48 starts and he appears set for a successful campaign.
Solesseo Matuca, trained and driven by Gary Hall Jnr, is in excellent form and he kept up the good work last Friday fortnight when he began out wide at barrier eight and raced without cover before taking the lead in the home straight and fighting on to finish second to Whose The Dad, with a final 800m of 56.8sec.