Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Talented driver Emily Suvaljko has high hopes that star pacer Mighty Ronaldo will break a losing sequence of nine by returning to top form and winning the 2130m TABtouch Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mighty Ronaldo, trained by Justin Prentice, will start from the No. 3 barrier in the field of seven and should be close to his peak after two runs following a three-month absence.
He has managed only one placing (a second to Minstrel in a 2536m Free-For-All on October 6) from his nine starts since he began from barrier two in the 2536m August Cup last year when he was beaten for early speed before dashing to the front after 350m and setting pace on his way to winning from Prince Of Pleasure and Tenzing Bromac.
Suvaljko was in the sulky when Mighty Ronaldo reappeared after a spell in the 2130m Lord Mayor’s Cup on February 16 when he was restrained from the No. 5 barrier and was tenth at the bell before surging home with an eye-catching late burst, out very wide, to finish a close-up fourth behind Tricky Miki, Minstrel and Ideal Agent.
Mighty Ronaldo then started from the No. 3 barrier on the back line in the 2692m Pinjarra Cup last Monday week when he was driven by Jack Callaghan. He settled in 11TH position before being sent forward, three wide, after a lap to move to the breeze.
He gained the one-out, one-back sit 450m later before being eased three wide 300m from home and battling on to finish fifth behind Minstrel.
“On replay, his run didn’t look as good as it really was,” said Suvaljko. “His times were really good, and he’s never been a horse who can make two runs in a race. He is better suited by being saved up for one last crack.
“He looks a treat, and it appears as though he hasn’t taken too much harm from his Pinjarra Cup run. His fourth at his previous start was really good for a first-up effort.
“I will speak to Justin and have a look at replays to see if Watts Up Sunshine (barrier No. 1) wants to lead. We would like the front, but Mighty Ronaldo doesn’t have to lead to win, and I think he will run a good race from wherever he is.”
Mighty Ronaldo is a smart sit-sprinter who has also set the pace at six of his twelve wins from 52 starts.
Watts Up Sunshine, who like Mighty Ronaldo, has a losing sequence of nine. He is trained by Michael Young and will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr. He has set the pace at eight of his ten wins in New South Wales, he has led at four of his six Queensland wins, and he has set the pace at four of his five wins in Western Australia, with the other victory being when he began off 30 metres in a stand.
Hall conceded that Mighty Ronaldo and Franco Ecuador (barrier six) probably had an edge in class over Watts Up Sunshine. But he declared that Watts Up Sunshine would lead and prove hard to beat. “He can break 28sec. for his last two quarters, and that makes him hard to beat,” he said.
Franco Ecuador, trained by Kim Prentice and to be driven by Mitch Miller, is in grand form, with his four starts in his current campaign producing two effortless victories followed by excellent seconds to Pinny Tiger and Jett Star.
The Mike Reed-trained Flying Rumour will start from the outside barrier at No. 7 but cannot be overlooked. He is racing in fine form, with his past six starts resulting in three wins, two seconds and one third placing.