Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Deni Roberts achieved a memorable milestone at Pinjarra on Monday when she notched her 400TH career win, and she will be busy at Gloucester Park on Friday night with nine drives on the ten-event program.
After a double at the Pinjarra meeting with Lusaka and Fess Up, the 27-year-old Roberts landed a treble at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night with Sista Sammy, Hotfoot It and Ten To The Dozen to take her season’s tally of wins to 53, after driving 98 winners last year.
She is in third place on the WA drivers’ premiership table, behind Gary Hall Jnr (58 wins) and Shannon Suvaljko (57). Her brightest prospect on Friday night is undoubtedly the talented New Zealand-bred four-year-old Street Hawk, who will begin from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Retravision Pace.
Street Hawk, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, has won at nine of his 20 starts, and Roberts will be anxious to dictate terms in front and make life tough for her rivals, particularly Tricky Miki and Ezana.
Street Hawk lost ground when he galloped at the start of the Easter Cup, a 2503m stand last Friday night. He settled at the rear before he dashed forward, three wide, in the middle stages to race in the breeze. He fought on tenaciously to finish second to the pacemaker Hector, with the final 800m being covered in 56.3sec.
At his previous start in the Group 3 Preux Chevalier Four-Year-Old Classic a fortnight earlier, Street Hawk set a brisk pace, sprinted over the final 800m in 56.6sec. and won by two and a half lengths from Tricky Miki.
Tricky Miki, winner of the WA Derby last November, gave a further example of his class when he was last in the field of eight with 450m to travel before charging home to finish second. That was his first appearance since winning the Derby, and he then finished second to Noted over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week when he raced without cover in the middle stages.
Outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko is hoping that the No. 1 barrier will prove a decisive factor in El Chema’s bid for victory in the $30,000 TABtouch Eucla Pace over 2536m.
El Chema, trained by Justin Prentice, is aiming to extend his winning sequence to four in what will be his most serious test in his 31-start career.
“Hampton Banner (barrier No. 2) and Whatabro (three) are both quick out, but El Chema has got quicker and quicker every time we have used him out,” said Suvaljko.
“I’ll talk to Justin (regarding tactics) and I’d like to think that we would like to be in front, but not going stupid. El Chema is now pacing the best for a horse who wears no hopples. He has paced the best at his past two runs that he ever has.
“He was very brave two starts ago when he faced the breeze and won narrowly from Street Hawk. He has high speed and also Has a bit of toughness.”
Suvaljkjo also is looking forward to driving the Kevin Keys-trained Alcopony from barrier four in the opening event, the 1730m TABtouch Pace. Alcopony is in top form, and he raced in the one-out, one-back position before running home strongly to finish third behind Goodfellaz and Hillview Bondi over 2130m last Friday week.
“Star Armbro and Lamandier have good gate speed inside of us, but Alcopony should be right there at the finish,” she said.
Suvaljko also has sound each-way prospects with Cheer The Major (race two) and Blue Blazer (race ten).
Cheer The Major, trained by Gary Elson, finished gamely when a head second to Wasa Heat Seeker over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
Blue Blazer, trained by Craig Abercromby, raced three back on the pegs before finishing strongly to be an encouraging second to Eton Rock over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night. “I was happy with the way he got to the line,” said Suvaljko. “It was the best he has got to the line for a while, and on Friday night from barrier three I will be looking for the top and holding it.”