Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Outstanding trainer-reinsman Aiden de Campo has given punters a valuable tip by choosing to drive San Remo Beach in preference to that filly’s unbeaten stablemate Maddy Lou in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
San Remo Beach is more favourably drawn at barrier No.2, with Maddy Lou to start from the outside barrier in the field of six. Both pacers were bred and are owned by Mike Howie.
De Campo drove Maddy Lou to comfortable victories over 1684m at Pinjarra in successive weeks in February this year before going for a spell. In both of those events Maddy Lou began speedily from a wide barrier and set the pace, with San Remo Beach finishing third and fourth behind her stablemate. Maddy Lou will be handled on Friday night by Stuart McDonald.
“Maddy Lou has a horrible draw this week in a small field,” said de Campo. “I’ll drive San Remo Beach, and hopefully she can lead and turn the tables on Maddy Lou. San Remo Beach’s first-up run (when third behind Nase Vira and Miss Hepburn in 1730m Western Crown Classic last Friday night) was good, and I expect her to improve.
“If she happens to find the front, she will take some beating.” San Remo Beach enjoyed a good trip in the one-out, two-back position last week before she finished doggedly. That was her first appearance for three months — since she led from barrier six and won easily from Alreddy Flyin over 1609m at Bunbury.
“Maddy Lou is not much of a trackworker, but her work has been good, and I’m looking forward to her return. She will probably need the run.”
Manea, who finished fourth, a length behind San Remo Beach last Friday night, will begin from the No. 1 barrier, and trainer-reinsman Chris Voak is looking for a strong showing from the Fly Like An Eagle filly.
Manea began from barrier seven last week and was restrained back to last in the field of twelve. She was in ninth place, five back on the pegs at the bell before getting off the pegs at the 600m and then running home solidly from eighth at the 400m to finish in fourth place.
“Manea has been plagued by bad draws, and her run last week was excellent,” said Voak. “She has good gate speed and should run a strong race.”
Princess Katie (barrier four) and In A Wink (barrier five) were unplaced in last week’s Western Crown but are capable of improvement. Princess Katie was a Gloucester Park winner three starts earlier, and In A Wink was a winner at Pinjarra three starts ago.