Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Lion Queen put up a strong performance in the WA Oaks two starts ago to race in the breeze, take the lead 380m from home and finish third behind Madam Publisher and Atlantic Gem before she took the lead after 500m and set the pace when a winner by a nose from Soho Honey Rider over 1730m last Friday week.
On the surface it wasn’t a particularly impressive performance. But she was at a disadvantage over the final 600m when she hung out badly.
Trainer Mike Reed predicted that Lion Queen would give a better performance when she starts from barrier two on the back line in the 2130m Sky Racing Pace for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She was hanging out badly at her latest start,” explained Reed. “I’ve now changed her bit and let her hopples out a hole. Since those changes she has been going straight in her trackwork. Barrier two on the back line is not a bad draw, and she will go good.”
Aiden De Campo, Kim Prentice and Colin Brown each has two runners in the race, with De Campo choosing to drive Copy Cat Queen from the No. 4 barrier, and engaging Trent Wheeler for last-start winner Miss Hepburn from out wide at barrier eight.
“Copy Cat Queen (a winner at six of her 21 starts) is probably the better of the two from the draw,” said De Campo. Both are each-way chances with racing luck.”
Prentice will be represented by Soho Honey Rider (Mitch Miller) and Soho Vesper Lind (Gary Hall Jnr), while Maddison Brown will drive Xceptional Arma from barrier nine for her father Colin, who has engaged Deni Roberts to handle stablemate Relatively Arma from the inside of the back line.
Xceptional Arma has impressed greatly, with her 36 starts producing 12 wins, eight seconds and four thirds. She is a strong filly who is capable of working hard in her races and is certainly capable of winning despite the outside draw.
Kyle Symington will drive the polemarker Chilli Punter for Oakford trainer Jemma Hayman. He was in the sulky at Pinjarra on Monday of last week when Chilli Punter began badly in a stand over 2116m before finishing strongly from fourth at the bell to win from Trouble Supreme and Doctor Steve.
Chilli Punter has won at five of his 21 starts, including victories over 1684m and 2185m at Pinjarra when he set the pace.
“I’ll also be looking to set the pace with Acuto from barrier one in race two (Follow @Skyracingau On X Pace),” said Symington, who has been chosen to represent Western Australia at the Australasian Young Drivers Championship in New South Wales in December, with heats at Menangle, Bathurst, Penrith and Newcastle.
“Acuto grows a leg in front, and I’ll be looking to lead on Friday night.” Nine-year-old Acuto, trained by Chris Phatouros, was driven by Gary Hall Jnr when he began from the back line in a filed of eight in a 2150m trial at Byford last Sunday and raced in the one-out, one-back position before stating a three-wide move 600m from home and going on to win, unextended, by just under a length from the pacemaker Navy Street, rating 1.58.6.
Acuto’s toughest rival appears likely to be newcomer Tommy Waterhouse, who will make his WA debut for trainer Gary Hall Snr from the inside of the back line.
Tommy Waterhouse will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, who was pleased with the six-year-old’s trial win in a field of two over 2185m at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week. Tommy Waterhouse set the pace and beat Have Ago Joe by 41 metres, rating 1.57.2 after final 400m sections of 28.8sec. and 27.8sec.
“He went super time in the trial and is a nice horse,” said Hall Jnr. “It’s not an ideal draw on the inside of the back line, and he will need some luck.”