Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
It’s a significant drop in class, contesting a $21,000 event, the 2130m Hoist Torque Australia Pace against modest opposition at Gloucester Park on Friday night, after running in the group 1 $150,000 Breeders Challenge at Menangle last October.
That’s the situation for four-year-old Spitfire, who will be racing first-up for four months for trainer-driver Jocelyn Young. He looks very hard to beat despite drawing out wide at barrier eight on the front line at his West Australian debut.
Spitfire, who has had 23 starts for six wins, five placings and $46,620, last appeared when he began from the No. 1 barrier and was beaten for early speed and raced three back o the pegs before being hampered for room in the late stages when sixth behind Double Lou in the Breeders Challenge for three-year-old colts and geldings on October 25.
“He had six weeks off after arriving in WA, and he has been working in good style leading into Friday’s race,” said Young. “It’s a tricky draw, but it is not an overly strong field, and he is capable of fighting out the finish.”
Toughest for Spitfire to beat is likely to be Dourado, who will begin from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line. Six-year-old Dourado is racing keenly for trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo, with his five starts this year producing two wins (at Pinjarra and Narrogin), a third and a fifth in stands at Gloucester Park and a last-start second in the 2560m Northam Cup last Saturday night.
Dourado broke into a gallop soon after the start of the Northam Cup and dropped back to last in the field of eleven before Joey Suvaljko sent him forward with a fast three-wide burst in the middle stages to move to the breeze. He eventually took a narrow lead with about 120m to travel and finished a nose second to Our Vinnie, who flew home, out six wide, to snatch victory.
Among the opposition for Spitfire and Dourado is seven-year-old Cee Dee Three, who will start from the No. 7 barrier at his first outing for six months. He has raced only 17 times for four wins and seven placings and will be driven by Kyle Harper for trainer Shane Tognolini.
“I have quite a bit of time for this horse even though his recent trial wasn’t overly impressive,” said Harper. “But I’m optimistic about his chances, and if he puts his best foot forward, he should be a good chance.”
Harper faces a busy night with drives in seven of the nine events, and he is looking forward to reuniting with Dawson, who will start from the outside barrier in a field of nine in the 2130m HTA Setting New Standards In Hoisting Pace.
Five-year-old Dawson has raced 39 times for ten wins and 12 placings, and his recent form for trainer Ray Jones has been excellent, with a win and a second at Busselton followed by an unlucky fourth behind Eclipse Line in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Dawson made a fast move, out three wide, in an unsuccessful bid for the lead towards the end of the first lap before being restrained back to last in the field of ten — and then surging home to finish an eye-catching fourth.
Harper has driven Dawson twice — for a second to Copy Cat Queen in a Golden Nugget preview last October, and a seventh placing behind Waverider in the Nugget final the following week.