Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred gelding Mister Smartee has had only eleven starts for nine wins, but he is being set for the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on November 8.
He will begin his campaign after a 20-week absence, when he starts from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line in the $30,000 Kersley Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“The draw is not ideal, but he is working really good,” said reinsman Gary Hall Jnr, who has chosen to drive the gelding in preference to his talented stablemate and fellow-four-year-old Skylou, who will also be resuming after a spell, and is sure to be popular with punters after drawing ideally at barrier two.
“Skylou is probably the better drive because of the draws,” said Hall. “But I have decided to stick with Mister Smartee, and Stuart McDonald will handle Skylou.”
Trainer Gary Hall Snr said that Skylou would be hard to beat. “We would like him to lead, and he grows a leg in front,” he said. “Mister Smartee and Skylou are both Pacing Cup candidates. Mister Smartee is tougher.”
Mister Smartee has enjoyed a spell since he raced wide early and then in the breeze before winning the group 3 Four and Five-Year-Old Championship on May 3.
Skylou, winner of the WA Derby last November when he beat Never Ending and Im The Black Flash, will be having his first start on Friday night since he made most of the running and won a 2503m stand from Carana on May 17.
Four starts before that Skylou set the pace and won the group 3 Easter Cup, a 2503m stand.
Skylou and Mister Smartee are unlikely to hold all the aces on Friday night when they will clash with several in-form pacers, including the up-and-coming star Louie Dior, Star Casino, Soho Firestone and Rockmyster.
Louie Dior, to be driven by Ryan Bell for trainer Annie Belton, won for the eighth time from twelve starts when he dashed to an early lead and was not extended in winning over 2130m last Friday week. He is the solitary runner on the back line and should enjoy a favourable run.
The Follow @Skyracingau On Instagram Handicap should develop into an exciting duel between the Hall-trained Im The Black Flash and trainer-reinsman Chris Voak’s promising four-year-old Rock Artist.
Rock Artist is in superb form and will start from barrier two on the front line in the 2503m stand, with Im The Black Flash the solitary backmarker off 20m in the field of seven.
Im the Black Flash has shown a liking for stands, with his three appearances in stands resulting in an excellent second to Skylou in the Easter Cup in March this year, followed by wins at his next two appearances.
“Friday’s event looks like a two-horse race,” said Voak. “Rock Artist was unlucky last week when third behind Me Flash and Soho Firestone in a 1730m sprint,” said Voak.
Rock Artist trailed the pacemaker Me Flash all the way and was hopelessly blocked for a clear run. That followed placings behind Carana and Skylord at his two previous starts. He is a noted frontrunner, and Voak is sure to attempt an all-the-way win this week.
Hall Jnr agreed that Rock Artist would be hard to beat, but he said that the small field should improve the prospects of Im The Black Flash, whose trackwork had been most encouraging leading into his first-up run on Friday night.
Hall also gives Solesseo Matuca a good winning chance when the five-year-old starts from the outside barrier in the field of nine in the 2130m TABtouch Share My Bet Pace.
The gelding has worked hard in the breeze in several recent starts, and this week Hall is considering driving Solesseo Matuca with a sit.
“Loucid Dreams looks the leader, with Hillview Bondi in the breeze, and I might get the opportunity to sit Solesseo Matuca up and come home with one run,” Hall said. “And that would give my horse a good winning chance.”