Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
The stage is set for another exciting duel between Delightful Peg and Copy Cat Queen when the star mares clash in the $100,000 Barbagallo Norms Daughter Classic over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
They performed superbly in a preview of the classic last Friday night when Delightful Peg took advantage of the No. 1 barrier by leading and holding on to defeat a gallant Copy Cat Queen by two metres, rating a fast 1.53.6 after sizzling final 400m sections of 27.2sec. and 27.4sec.
Delightful Peg, trained by Gary Hall Snr and driven by Gary Hall Jnr, is favourably drawn at barrier three on the front line while Copy Cat Queen, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, will start from the No. 2 barrier on the back line.
Copy Cat Queen was magnificent in defeat last week when she charged forward early from the outside barrier and raced in the breeze, with Delightful Peg dictating terms.
“Both mares were awesome last week,” said Hall Jnr. “This week it helps Delightful Peg with Copy Cat Queen on the back line. Delightful Peg should lead and she gets a chance to win a decent race.”
De Campo is equally confident, saying: “I couldn’t be happier with Copy Cat Queen. She is right in the zone at the moment. If you had asked me what draw I would like, eleven (No. 2 on the back line) is probably it, just to settle in the moving line.
“If there is a genuine tempo, she will be right in it at the finish. She was super last start, almost career best. Sit-sprinting is how she is driven best.”
Michael Young, who prepared Eighteen Carat (2022) and Penny Black (2025) for their wins in the Norms Daughter Classic, is hoping that Penny Black will repeat her success of last year when she won from Aardiebytheseaside.
Penny Black, to be driven by Emily Suvaljko, faces a tough assignment from out wide at barrier seven. She notched her 19TH victory last Friday week when she revealed typical strength from the outside barrier and raced three wide for the first 600m before racing in the breeze and getting to the front 90m from the post and winning by a metre from the fast-finishing Up And Alive.
“It looks tough to beat Delightful Peg, but Penny Black has had no problems racing against all the other good mares,” said Young, who also prepares Beetastic, who will start from the No. 1 barrier with Shannon Suvaljko in the sulky.
Quality mares Aardiebytheseaside and Little Darling will have admirers, with Aardiebytheseaside, to be driven by Deni Roberts for trainers Greg and Skye Bond, at No. 5, and Little Darling, to be driven by Jocelyn Young for trainer Cameron Ross, on the inside of the back line drawn to get a soft passage.