Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Ace reinsman Jack Callaghan has issued a strong warning to Spirit Of St Louis’s rivals in the $1,250,000 TABtouch Nullarbor slot race at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he declared that the veteran millionaire pacer was poised to lead the opposition on a merry dance.
“I’d say that Spirit Of St Louis is a lot better now than when he finished second in this event last year,” said the 22-year-old Callaghan.
Spirit Of St Louis, who finished a head behind the winner Betterzippit in last year’s Nullarbor, has drawn perfectly at barrier No. 1 in the 2536m event.
“Barrier one is the one we wanted, and he is very fast, and I’d be surprised if any horse in the country could cross him,” said Callaghan.
Spirit Of St Louis gave an example of his sparkling gate speed in last year’s Nullarbor when he began brilliantly from barrier eight and burst to the front after 80m. Betterzippit settled down in eighth position in the one-wide line before Cam Hart set him alight with two laps to travel and charged to the front.
Spirit Of St Louis then trailed the frontrunning Betterzippit before Callaghan got him into the clear 220m from home, and the gelding finished powerfully to fail narrowly.
Callaghan has enjoyed a wonderful association with the Luke McCarthy-trained Spirit Of St Louis, having driven him 41 times for 13 wins, 13 seconds and one third placing. Spirit Of St Louis, who now has a losing sequence of twelve, has earned $1,408,227 from 28 wins and 24 placings.
Friday night’s field of ten runners has between them earned $7,072,203 from 197 wins and 146 placings, with Menangle trainer Jason Grimson aiming to win with Hot And Treacherous, who will be handled by star reinsman Cam Hart.
Hart drove the Grimson-trained Betterzippit to victory in the inaugural Nullarbor a year ago. Hot And Treacherous, who has had six starts for Gimson for three wins and a second placing, is favourably drawn at barrier No. 3.
“If I was able to pick my draw, I would’ve chosen three or four,” said Grimson. “Everyone over here thinks that you have to draw one or two to lead, but I don’t agree with that.
“I haven’t spoken to Cam yet too much about tactics, but I’d say Hot And Treacherous will be going forward. The horse has very high gate speed, and I’d like to be somewhere near the front. And if we don’t get to the front there will be a few three wide for the trip (a strong indication that Hart would not be surrendering the breeze position if the horse failed to get to the lead).
“Hot And Treacherous has a good all-round game. He has very good gate speed and is quite fast and strong. The distance won’t worry him. He is in a good place and is rock hard fit. I hoppled him yesterday (Monday) and he was very sharp.”
Andy Gath, trainer of star Victorian pacer Catch A Wave, said that he expected the five-year-old, a millionaire winner at 20 of his 36 starts, to improve on his fourth behind Diego in a 2130m Free-For-All last Friday night.
“Barrier four is not a bad draw,” he said. “However, the one horse (Spirit Of St Louis) is pretty quick out and he holds all the aces and can hold the lead if he wants to.
“Catch A Wave is very quick, but he is not as quick as Spirit Of St Louis. Kate (driver Kate Gath) has options, and the main thing is that the horse is in very good order.
“The two other Eastern States runners are quality horses, and I’ve been impressed with Minstrel.”
Minstrel, prepared by leading WA trainers Greg and Skye Bond, is in superb form with six wins and one half-head second from his past seven starts, and he has shown a level of toughness superior to his nine rivals.
But Minstrel’s prospects diminished when he drew the outside barrier (No. 9). However, Minstrel’s driver Deni Roberts is optimistic that the seven-year-old is capable of a powerful performance.
Roberts notched her 42ND winner for the season and the 593RD of her career when she drove the $1.04 Bond-trained favourite Ladieshavtime to an easy victory in the Minstrel Pace, the final event at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night after the filly had galloped badly at the start and settled down more than a dozen lengths behind the early leader.
“I hope that’s an omen,” said Roberts. “Barrier nine on Friday night is not great. I would have liked to have drawn a bit closer in. But Minstrel is tough, and he is probably the one horse in the field who is capable of overcoming that draw.
“Minstrel is at the top of his game, and if the speed backs off, whenever that is, we should get into the race. He’s got to be up there; that’s his go.”
Greg Bond said: “The draw hurts Minstrel, but it doesn’t mean he can’t win. He will need a few things to go his way, and you will see a good version of him.”
Lavra Joe, to be driven by Kyle Harper for owner-trainer Ray Jones, is racing in splendid form, but his prospects diminished when he drew out wide at barrier eight.
Other WA pacers Jumpingjackmac (barrier five), Swingband (six) and Blitzembye (seven) will be tested from awkward draws, while Mighty Ronaldo (two) and Never Ending (the sole runner off the back line) should appreciate their good barriers.
Emily Suvaljko will be keen to obtain a prominent position with cover before asking the Justin Prentice-trained Mighty Ronaldo to unwind a strong finishing burst. Prentice also trains Never Ending, a brilliant four-year-old who has won at 14 of his 17 starts.
Star reinsman Gary Hall Jnr admitted he was happy with Never Ending’s draw, saying: “We knew that he probably would have to be driven with a sit.
“It would be nice if Spirit Of St Louis held up and Never Ending was able to take the sit behind him. To win, Never Ending needs to be on the leader’s back or three back on the pegs. Then it would be ideal if I was able to get out when I wanted to.
“I have no doubt that if Never Ending gets the split at the right time they will know he’s there.”
Swingband, to be driven by Kyle Symington for trainer Ryan Bell, will need luck from barrier six. “It could have been worse, but it’s a bit daunting that the three Eastern States horses have drawn one, three and four,” said Bell.
“We can’t go out there with any plans,” said Bell. “Kyle will have to take it the way it comes. Swingband is as good as I can get him.”