Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred pacer Hugotastic began his Australian career in grand form last year when he won at his first four starts in WA, but he needs to shake off the unwanted reputation as a non-winner after notching one second and three third placings from nine starts as a six-year-old.
The Sweet Lou gelding, trained by Michael Young, gets a good chance to break through for an overdue win when he starts from barrier five in the $31,000 The Bridge Bar Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He put the writing on the wall last Friday night with an eye-catching performance to finish a close third behind Menemsha and Justcallmemiki. He was not bustled early from barrier six and settled down in eleventh place and was tenth three wide with a trail at the bell before being switched five wide with 300m to travel and flashing home.
Hugotastic’s best performance this season was in the Bunbury Cup five starts ago when he trailed the frontrunning Magnificent Storm and finished a half-length second to the champion pacer.
Hugotastic’s main rivals are expected to be Belly Up, Menemsha, Chase Me and Bettors Pride, with trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo saying: “It will be harder for Menemsha than last week when he enjoyed the one-out, one-back trail because he will be further back in the field this week. However, it is an even field, and I can’t see why Menemsha can’t win again.”
Belly Up warmed up for this week’s assignment in fine style when he was seventh at the bell and sustained a strong three-wide burst to finish fourth behind Chivalry last Friday night.
“It is a strong field but Belly Up is racing well and I didn’t drive him well last week,” said the four-year-old’s driver Deni Roberts. “I probably will sit back with him on Friday night.” Belly Up showed his sit-sprint ability at his previous start when he was tenth at the bell and was saved up until the final 300m and charged home to snatch a nose victory over Bettor Arcade.
Chase Me, to be driven by Stuart McDonald for trainer Gary Hall Snr, will have admirers after drawing favourably at barrier No. 2. He raced five back on the pegs and was hampered for room in the late stages when eighth behind Menemsha last Friday night. A week earlier he ran on from fourth at the bell to finish second to Heres Herbie.
Bettors Pride continues to race keenly for trainer Kevin Keys and reinsman Shannon Suvaljko, and he cannot be left out of calculations. He should gain a soft passage after starting from the inside of the back line.
He began from the outside of the front-line last Friday night when he was tenth (three wide) at the bell and went five wide on the home turn before charging home to finish third behind Golden Lode and Runkle Crunch.