Ken Casellas | Race Replay
Ace driver Deni Roberts described Justcallmemiki’s first-up fourth placing last Friday week as ‘simply awesome’ and she is looking forward to the brilliant five-year-old producing a similar performance when he begins from the outside barrier in the field of eight in the $31,000 Trotsynd, Join The Fun Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Justcallmemiki, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, began from the outside barrier (No. 9) when he raced in last position in the field of ten before charging home to finish fourth behind the dashing pacemaker Rockandrollartist at his first appearance for 14 weeks.
Justcallmemiki surged home and was pushed five wide with 220m to travel. “He got home in 27.5sec. and 26.5sec. and couldn’t go any faster,” said an upbeat Roberts.
That was an excellent effort at the New Zealand-bred gelding’s first outing since he worked hard in the breeze before wilting to finish last behind Magnificent Storm in the Group 3 Navy Cup on December 5. A month earlier Justcallmemiki gave a sample of his class when he finished a nose second to Waverider in the Group 1 Golden Nugget over 2536m.
Justcallmemiki has won at eleven of his 27 starts, and one of his main rivals on Friday night is likely to be his stablemate, five-year-old Tualou, who has won nine times from 25 starts. Tualou will be driven by Kyle Symington.
“Tualou is going really well, and his first-up run was eye-catching,” said Roberts. That run was four weeks ago when the Sweet Lou gelding ran on powerfully from tenth at the bell to finish fourth behind Franco Encore, who rated 1.54.3 over the 1730m trip.
Roberts has driven Tualou at seven of his eight victories in WA, and Symington is looking forward to handling the pacer for the first time. He has recently returned after about five months working for trainer Noel Daley at his New Jersey stables, and he is now a member of the staff at Team Bond’s Forrestdale training establishment.
The 24-year-old Symington, who has driven 335 winners in WA, landed about 20 winners in America, driving mainly at the Meadowlands and Yonkers. The best horse he handled was Stay Grounded, who won four time at the Meadowlands track, with a best time of 1.50 over a mile.
An interesting runner in Friday night’s race is Alta Tribute, to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr for his father Gary Hall Snr, who prepares the gelding at his Serpentine property. Alta Tribute, who will be resuming after an absence of 16 weeks, has had 22 starts for eight wins and seven placings. He raced in the breeze when an excellent third behind Waverider and Justcallmemiki in the Golden Nugget early last November.
The youngest runner in the race is four-year-old Como El Viento, who is favourably drawn at barrier two for trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo. Como El Viento has raced 31 times for nine wins, ten seconds and four thirds. He faces a good test when he rises significantly in class.
“I’m happy that this rise in class has enabled him to get a good draw, and this will enable me to drive him a different way,” said De Campo. “I think he has the ability to match the others in the field. You don’t know until you throw him in the deep end how he will perform. He is not impossible.”
Roberts has a good book of drives on Friday night, and she said that her best winning prospects were Justcallmemiki and Troubador, who will start from the outside of the back line in the 2130m TABtouch Punters Club Pace over 2130m in which his chief rivals are expected to be Sugar Shake and Vinita Rose, who will start from the two widest positions on the front line.
Four-year-old Troubadour reappeared after a spell in fine style when he raced wide early and then set the pace with final quarters of 28.6sec. 27.9sec. on his way to a five-length victory over Sister Cherie over 2130m on Tuesday of last week.