Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr is planning to set a fast pace with the polemarker Heavenly Gipsy in a bid to win the $31,000 Vale Chris Garrard Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night when veteran superstar Magnificent Storm will resume racing after a 16-week absence.
Heavenly Gipsy, trained by Michael Young and the only mare in the race, warmed up for this week’s event in fine style with a brilliant all-the-way victory in a 2130m Free-For-All last Friday night when she rated 1.55.6.
“She should lead with me not looking over my shoulder, and she is capable of breaking 1.55, providing the track is not rain-affected,” said Hall.
Seven-year-old Heavenly Gipsy, who rated 1.55.1 when she led and won over 2130m four starts ago, is the least successful runner in Friday night’s race with earnings of $130,589, whereas eight-year-old Magnificent Storm has won at 37 of his 60 starts for stakes of $1,140,772.
Magnificent Storm, prepared by Ray Williams, will be handled for the first time in a race by Deni Roberts, who has been chosen to replace Aiden De Campo, who is away on an 11-day holiday in New Zealand and Fiji.
Roberts will be only the fourth person to drive Magnificent Storm. De Campo has driven Magnificent Storm 14 times for ten wins.
“I have never sat behind Magnificent Storm, and I’m very excited to have that opportunity on Friday night,” said Roberts. “He is a quality horse who I’ve come up against many times in races.”
Roberts certainly has seen a great deal of Magnificent Storm, having driven against him 33 times in races, and finishing in front of him only six times.
Magnificent Storm has raced first-up nine times for five wins. His most recent first-up efforts have resulted in a seventh, a second and a third placing.
It is significant that Hall has opted to drive Heavenly Gipsy ahead of the talented five-year-old Skylou, who is trained by his father Gary Hall Snr. Stuart McDonald will drive Skylou, who will begin from barrier five. Skylou began off the 50m mark and impressed in running home strongly from tenth at the bell to finish a half-length second to Dawson over 2503m last Friday night.
With Emily Suvaljko away in Brisbane Henley Brook owner-trainer Kevin Keys has engaged Ryan Bell to drive Alcopony, the sole runner on the back line.
Bell is one of 16 drivers to have handled Alcopony in a race. His only time in the sulky behind Alcopony was in a race for two-year-olds at Northam on June 26, 2021, when the pacer won by seven lengths from Mister Piccolo.
“They took me off after that race, and it makes me feeling good to be driving him again,” said Bell. “Alcopony is one of the unluckiest horses going around. But when he gets the luck, he usually capitalises on it.”