Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Six-year-old gelding Hotly Pursued is blessed with sparkling gate speed and it is that important attribute which is sure to make him hard to beat when he contests the $31,000 Western Australian of the Year, Dr Jim Giumelli Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Hotly Pursued, to be driven by Kylah Madden for trainer Murray Lindau, is awkwardly drawn at barrier six, but he should overcome that disadvantage by storming to the early lead and then dictating terms in front.
He resumed racing after an 81-day absence last Friday night when he was fastest to begin from out wide at the No. 7 barrier but was unable to cross to the front and was forced to work in the breeze outside the pacemaker Spyglass, who sped over the final 400m sections in 27.4sec. and 28.2sec. and won in a tight four-way photo, rating 1.54.5 over 1730m.
Hotly Pursued fought on determinedly to finish fifth, just a fraction over one length behind the winner. He is a noted frontrunner who has led at ten of his 13 wins.
Gary Hall Jnr has given punters a lead by choosing to drive Youre So Fine ahead of Master Publisher and Gully Gum. He drove Youre So Fine when the seven-year-old led from the No. 1 barrier and won from Gee Heza Sport and Justcallmemiki, rating 1.54 over 1730m last Friday night.
Youre So Fine will start out wide at barrier eight, with Hall saying that the gelding’s task was not an impossible one. “Hopefully, he will be not too far from them (the leaders), and with no back line helping his cause.”
Youre So Fine is trained by Gary Hall Snr, who also prepares Master Publisher, who will begin from the No.1 barrier with Stuart McDonald in the sulky. The New Zealand-bred nine-year-old is on the comeback trail after an injury-enforced 17-month absence.
Hall Jnr drove Gully Gum for Bunbury trainer Bob Mellsop when the six-year-old led from barrier four and held on to win narrowly in a three-way photo finish from Quinton and Hold The Ammo over 2130m last Friday night.
Gully Gum faces a rise in class this week when he will be handled by Kyle Symington from barrier four.
Menemsha (barrier five), Justcallmemiki (nine), Petes Honour (three) and Alcopony (two) all have each-way claims, with Menemsha, to be driven by Joey Suvaljko for trainer Aiden De Campo, sure to have admirers, following the five-year-old’s fast-finishing second to Youre So Fine two starts ago, a week after winning in fine style from Justcallmemiki and Hugotastic.
Petes Honour, trained by Jemma Hayman, impressed last Friday night when he was ninth at the bell before charging home late, out five wide, to finish a close third behind Spyglass and Alcopony, who trailed the pacemaker and flashed home along the inside.