Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
WA-bred six-year-old Cold Hard Cash has managed just two wins from his past 46 starts but his trainer Brad Lynn is confident he will fight out the finish of the Support Movember Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He is a veteran of 96 starts who has been unplaced at his past four starts in which he was a tote outsider at $41 and $81 three times.
Lynn suggests that punters overlook the gelding’s numerical form, explaining: “He is working very well and has been badly held up at his past two starts (when fifth behind Heres Herbie last Friday week and seventh behind Franco Motu last week).”
Cold Hard Cash will be driven by Lynn’s 25-year-old son Toby, who is in top form in the sulky, winning with Lion Queen last Friday night and Viciously Unkind and Vybrant at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.
Cold Hard Cash will start from the No. 6 barrier, and his main rival is likely to be the Ryan Bell-trained Control The Room, who will start from barrier five with Liam Elliott in the sulky.
Control The Room led for the first 500m and then trailed the pacemaker Ultimate Miki when an excellent second to that smart pacer over 2536m last Friday night. He led from barrier six when an easy winner over 2100m at Bunbury three starts before that.
Brad Lynn (49) is also expecting a strong performance from inexperienced six-year-old mare Princess Diamond, who will begin from the outside barrier (No. 3) on the back line in the 1730m NYE Tickets Pace.
“We were really confident until we saw that Iseeubaby drew the front and Princess Diamond drew the back,” he said. “It is not an ideal draw over the sprint trip, but she showed her class at her latest start (on October 13) when she led and finished second to Troubadour, who rated 1.56.3 over 2130m.
“Troubadour just got past her to win. Princess Diamond is a good horse even though she is still learning and is not well gaited. She crossfires badly and hits a knee, and she races in special shoes and with a one-legged spreader.”
Toby Lynn shares his father’s confidence in Princess Diamond, saying: “She is versatile and has won twice after sitting in the breeze, and every time she goes out, she steps up.”
Iseeubaby is a speedy four-year-old who will be driven by Emily Suvaljko from out wide at barrier nine. She has managed just one placing (a third) from her past five starts but should appreciate a considerable drop in class.
“The last time she raced over a mile was when she went 1.52.6 and beat Delightful Peg and Fakenit,” said trainer Michael Young. “If she goes 1.52 again, her rivals will not see which way she went. She will be on speed and making a strong tempo. She can run some solid times, but she is not the type of horse who goes so well every week.”
Brad Lynn and his son are enjoying their best seasons in harness racing, with Brad Lynn in tenth place on the State-wide trainers’ premiership table with 31 winners and 55 placegetters from 331 starters, and he is in seventh place on the metropolitan list with 29 winners.
Toby Lynn has driven in 564 races this season for 51 wins and 91 placings, and he is in eighth position in the metropolitan drivers’ premiership table with 29 wins and 51 placings from 285 starters.