Six-year-old New Zealand-bred mare Born To Boogie gave a sample of her class when she sizzled home with a final 400m in 26.6sec. to score a brilliant victory at her Australian debut, in a 2116m stand at Pinjarra on Tuesday of last week, and she is set to sparkle at her first appearance at Gloucester Park.
Trained by Ross Olivieri and to be handled by Chris Voak, Born To Boogie will start from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the 2130m mobile Better Your Bet With TABtouch Pace on Friday night when her clash with trainer Nathan Turvey’s star mares Savvy Bromac and Heavens Showgirl should be a major highlight of the nine-event program.
Born To Boogie galloped at the start of her race at Pinjarra and settled down in sixth position before moving into the favourable one-out, one-back spot. Voak set her alight, three wide, approaching the home turn and she responded superbly, winning by 5m from Louie The Horse.
“She surprised me with the way she zipped home,” said Voak. “I thought she had more strength than speed. As soon as I eased her out, I knew she had them covered, and I sat up on her over the final 70 metres. She is very fast, and the aim will be to lead on Friday night when I give her a very good chance. She is my best drive of the night.”
Gary Hall Jnr will handle Savvy Bromac, a splendid sit-sprinter who will start from the No. 7 barrier and is likely to be reserved for a late charge forward. She looks set for a bright future and is certainly capable of building considerably on her record of 23 starts for eight wins, eight seconds and two thirds.
Heavens Showgirl is more versatile and boasts a fine record of 30 starts for 11 wins and 11 placings. She is capable of overcoming her outside draw at No. 9 for talented young driver Emily Suvaljko.
Voak also will have a strong following when he drives Classic Choice for Busselton trainer Barry Howlett in the opening event, the 2536m Footy Friday At JP’s Sportsbar Pace. Four-year-old Classic Choice, narrowly beaten at his past two starts when placed at Pinjarra, is handily drawn at barrier No. 3.
“It is a very good field, but Classic Choice is racing very well,” said Voak. “It would be good to lead, so I will try to lead with him.”
Classic Choice is likely to vie for favouritism with the polemarker Alta Blues, who will be making his second appearance after a spell after a wilting first-up sixth behind Parmesan over 2130m last Friday week when he raced in the breeze for much of the way.
“To lead will definitely be the intention,” said reinsman Gary Hall Jnr. “He has never shown great gate speed, but we have never asked him either. He is a different horse this time in; he had gaiting problems last time in, but he seems to have sorted that out.
“First-up he was probably a little disappointing; I probably should have stayed where I was (one-out and two-back). I don’t think he was quite ready to run those times in the breeze (with the leader Parmesan recording quarters of 29.8sec., 29sec., 27.9sec. and 29.1sec.). He pulled up a bit big and he would have benefited from the run.”
by Ken Casellas