Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
An impressive trial at Byford on Sunday morning was a strong pointer that the New Zealand-bred four-year-old would prove hard to beat at his Australian debut when he contests the $21,000 Steel Blue Work Boots Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Coney Island Lou, trained by Gary Hall Snr and to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, will start from the No. 5 barrier, and he should appreciate a drop in class after his most recent appearance was in the rich New Zealand Derby over 2600m at Addington on December 10 last year.
He began from the outside of the front line in the Derby, was restrained back to last in the 14-horse field and raced seven back on the pegs before battling on to finish eleventh behind the winner Merlin.
That was his fourth successive unplaced effort, following three tenth placings. His most recent success was five starts ago when he rated 1.55.2 over 1980m at Addington last September when he covered the final 800m in 55.2sec. and the last 400m in 27.5sec.
He revealed excellent gate speed and took up the running after 200m before relinquishing the lead to Triple G 100m later and then finishing solidly along the sprint lane to win in a four-way photo finish.
Coney Island Lou, a winner at Addington as a two and three-year-old, has had 15 starts for four wins, four placings and $70,550.
He raced three back on the pegs in Sunday’s 2150m five-horse Byford trial in which Hall Jnr eased him off the pegs 550m from home and took him to the front 300m later on his way to winning, unextended, by a length from Acuto, rating 2.1, with final quarters of 29sec. and 28.3sec. after which the previous 400m sections were run slowly in 33sec. and 29.7sec.
Coney Island Lou is unlikely to stroll to victory against some good in-form pacers including Ideal Tomado, Holy Hecka, Rocknroll Elliot and Arma Xfactor.
Apart from Coney Island Lou, Hall has several other good winning prospects including Youre So Fine (race two), Eve Crocker (race five) and Chillin (race eight).