Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Serpentine trainer Dylan Egerton-Green holds a strong hand with three runners in the Trotsynd Register Your Interest Pace for fillies and mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and he has given punters a good lead by choosing to drive Dame Valour ahead of stablemates Our Lady Jen and Rebline.
Dame Valour is favourably drawn on the inside of the back line, with Egerton-Green saying: “She has had a few problems with her feet and has had a few weeks off from racing. Fingers crossed, we have her back on track, and she should go good.”
Five-year-old Dame Valour has shown plenty of promise and her 23 starts have produced seven wins, six seconds and two thirds.
Our Lady Jen, a winner at nine of her 44 starts, will start from the coveted No. 1 barrier and will be driven by Aiden De Campo. “She was unlucky when sixth behind Our Sandy Shore over 1684m at Pinjarra last Monday week,” said Egerton-Green.
A week earlier Our Lady Jen raced in the one-out, one-back position before finishing solidly to win from Our Sandy Shore over 2185m at Pinjarra.
Rebline, a winner at eight of her 50 starts, will begin from barrier four, with Jack Callaghan in the sulky. She raced three back on the pegs when she was blocked for a clear run in the final stages and finished a close-up fifth behind The Beaudster over 2242m at Narrogin on Tuesday of last week.
“She couldn’t get out at Narrogin and was absolutely bolting at the finish,” said Egerton-Green. “Hopefully, she will get a nice run on Friday night.”
Four-year-old Peaceful, trained and driven by Jocelyn Young, will be a short-priced favourite who will need to overcome the disadvantage of starting from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line in the 2130m event.
Peaceful has been placed at her past three appearances in stronger mares’ company, and she looks capable of returning to winning form.
Maddison Brown has chosen to drive Our Sandy Shore ahead of Xceptional Arma for her father, Banjup trainer Colin Brown, who has engaged Gary Hall Jnr to handle Xceptional Arma, the only three-year-old filly in the vent.
Xceptional Arma, who will begin from the No. 6 barrier, has a splendid record of 12 wins, eight seconds and four thirds from 35 starts.
Egerton-Green, who will have eight stable runners in action on Friday night, considers one of his best prospects to be six-year-old Otis, who will start from barrier five in the 2130m Trotsynd Group 1 Winners Pace.
Otis covered a lot of extra ground before finishing eighth behind Sorridere over 2130m last Friday night.
“He should be dominant from barrier five, in front or in the breeze, and should fight out the finish,” said Egerton-Green.