Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Serpentine trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green holds a strong hand in the GPHR Western Crown features for two-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night, with Cork Can Run and Nase Vira each favourably drawn at barrier three.
“Cork Can Run is the better of the two chances but the filly (Nase Vira) is getting better and better with every run,” he said.
Cork Can Run has shown excellent promise at his two starts, both over 2185m at Pinjarra when he led and finished a half-length second to Thelittle Master and then when he set the pace and won by three lengths from Golden Lode. He should carry too many guns for his rivals in the Western Crown for colts and geldings.
“Cork Can Run went really good at his first start when he was beaten by a nice horse,” said Egerton-Green. A week after that performance Cork Can Run gave a sample of his ability when he sprinted over the final 400m sections in 27.6sec. and 28.8sec.
One of his main rivals is likely to be the Michael Young-trained On The Back Foot, who will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr from out wide at barrier eight. On the Back Foot raced three back on the pegs before finishing strongly to win by two lengths from Luci Kane over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday of this week.
“On The Back Foot won easily, but it will be tough from barrier eight,” said Hall.
Egerton-Green is looking for Nase Vira to improve sharply on her first two runs when she finished sixth behind Bazaar Package and fourth behind Miss Hepburn, both at Gloucester Park.
“She is versatile, and hopefully she will get out of the gate a lot quicker this week,” he said. Nase Vira’s opponents include Princess Katie, Bazaar Package, Miss Hepburn and In A Wink.
Miss Hepburn set the pace and held on to win by a head from Princess Katie over 1730m last Friday night, with In A Wink improving from fifth at the bell to be an encouraging third, and Nase Vira running on from sixth, three back on the pegs, at the bell.
Princess Katie, to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr for trainer Michael Young, began speedily from barrier five last week but was unable to wrest the early lead from Miss Hepburn (barrier three). She ran on gamely. “She will go forward at the start,” said Hall. “And if I can get to the front, she will be hard to beat.”
In A Wink will start from the inside of the back line and should be prominent, while Miss Hepburn will start from barrier two on the back line and should enjoy an ideal passage.
Eight mares will be on trial for the $50,000 Kerry Clarke Pace on Friday week when they contest the Beau Rivage Pace, with Shane Young’s brilliant four-year-old Wonderful To Fly favourably drawn at barrier three and proving extremely hard to beat.
Steno, a speedy beginner and a splendid frontrunner, will start from the coveted No. 1 barrier for trainer Cameron Ross and driver Jocelyn Young. After an impressive WA debut when she set the pace and won easily from Sovrana and Run For Mercy over 2130m she began out wide at barrier seven and raced in seventh position in a field of eight before finishing gamely to be fifth behind Ima Fivestar General, who rated 1.54.9 over 1730m last Friday week.
“On face value her last-start run was a bit disappointing,” said Ross. “But when you look at the sectionals they ran, she got home okay and hit the line strongly. We have drawn inside Wonderful To Fly and I haven’t made up my mind on how she will be driven. I can’t fault her trackwork, and she worked well this morning (Tuesday).”
Gary Hall Jnr said that the talented Eighteen Carat pleased him when he drove her to a smart trial win over 2185m at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week (with final quarters of 27.7sec. and 28.7sec). But he said that the six-year-old faced a tough assignment from the outside barrier in the field of eight.