Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Unbeaten colt Chugach will begin from the No. 4 barrier in the $50,000 Champagne Classic over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night which gives him a distinct advantage over brilliant fillies Wishing Belle (barrier five) and Miss Red Velvet (six).
“Chugach is improving every time he goes around, and he has the advantage on the two fillies,” said driver Deni Roberts. “We will try to come out of the gate and lead.”
Chugach, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, began from the outside barrier in a field of four at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week when he was restrained to last before moving to the breeze approaching the bell and going on to take the lead 250m from home and winning by just over a half-length from Ikes Got The Mike, rating 2min. over 1730m.
At his previous appearance, on debut over 1684m at Pinjarra, he surged home from the rear to beat Miss Red Velvet, with final quarters of 27.6sec. and 29.3sec.
Wishing Belle, to be driven by Trent Wheeler for trainer Aiden De Campo, has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of starting from the No. 5 barrier. She gave a bold frontrunning display from barrier one to win the Gold Bracelet by two lengths from a gallant Miss Red Velvet last Friday night, setting a race record with a 1.56.3 rate over 1730m.
De Campo predicted a strong performance from Wishing Belle and said that stablemate Copper Fine, an Always B Miki colt, was capable of a solid effort on debut. Copper Fine will be driven by Joey Suvaljko from the No. 3 barrier.
“Copper Fine is a big, loping kind of horse,” said De Campo. “There’s not much between him and Wishing Belle on the track. If he was able to find the front, I expect him to take beating, but if doesn’t get to the front he will be more of a place chance, and Wishing Belle becomes more of a winning chance.
“Copper Fine trialled against three-year-olds at Byford last Saturday (when he was restrained from barrier six and fought on to finish fourth behind It Is Crunch Time).” It was a promising effort after he broke into a gallop when in front in the home straight in a Pinjarra trial three days earlier.
Trent Wheeler, who will drive Wishing Belle, said: “It’s not the perfect draw, particularly with Chugach drawn inside of us. It will be interesting to see how the race pans out.”
Ryan Bell, who trains Miss Red Velvet, said that his filly would need luck from the outside barrier. “I’d say that Chugach will run straight to the front and the two fillies will have to do it the hard way. This will be a good test for Miss Red Velvet.”
Miss Red Velvet will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr who said: “She has drawn outside the two to beat which makes it tough, but if they get into a war, it will give us a chance.”