Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Lightly-raced six-year-old mare Dame Valour was a $17 chance from barrier seven in a 2130m event last Friday night when she impressed by finishing with a powerful burst from tenth at the bell to finish second, a half-length behind Chilli Punter.
It was a performance which suggested that she will pay to follow, and she get her chance to notch her ninth win from 30 starts when she begins from the No. 7 barrier on the $21,000 Taste of WA in the Beau Rivage Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Sweet Lou mare, who is trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, has also recorded nine second placings and two thirds. She is versatile, having won after leading and also when raced with a sit.
In an open field Dame Valour’s chief opposition is expected to come from The Beach Master, Hold The Ammo, Control The Room and Heez Good As Gold.
The Beach Master, to be driven by Chris Voak for trainer Giles Inwood, is awkwardly drawn at barrier six. He raced three back on the pegs in fifth position and battled on gamely when fourth behind Paroquet over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night this week. That followed a sound third behind Franco Motu three weeks earlier.
Hold The Ammo and Control The Room are promising three-year-olds, with the Katja Warwick-trained Hold the Ammo running home solidly to win at Pinjarra and Narrogin in June, and the Ryan Bell-trained Control The Room reappearing after working hard and winning over 2100m at Bunbury on May 24.
Dame Valour is one of several excellent winning prospects for De Campo, who is looking forward to driving star pacer Magnificent Storm in the $31,000 $9 Pints in Steelos or JPs Free-For-All over 1730m.
Magnificent Storm resumed after a four-month absence when he began from the outside barrier (No. 9) in a 2130m event last Friday week. He settled in ninth place and moved to the breeze with 1300m to travel when an excellent third behind the speedy frontrunner Heavenly Gipsy.
He will start from the outside barrier this week but should prove too smart for his nine rivals, who include quality pacers Mighty Ronaldo (barrier eight) and Im The Black Flash, the solitary runner on the back line.
An interesting runner in the race is seven-year-old Tiger Royal, who will start from barrier six and will be driven by his trainer Ryan Bell. The New Zealand-bred gelding will be having his first start since he finished strongly to win in a three-way photo finish from The Miki Taker and Lusaka in the 2936m Fremantle Cup Consolation on May 2.
Tiger Royal warmed up for his return to racing with a runaway win in a 2185m six-horse trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week. He dashed to the front after 400m and went on to beat Purest Copper by ten lengths, rating 1.59.4 with final 400m sections of 27.9sec. and 27.5sec.