Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Promising filly Between Two Thorns is proving somewhat of a nightmare for ace trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo, with her erratic behaviour costing her certain victory at her past two starts.
The two-year-old will get another chance to prove her worth when she starts out wide at barrier No. 8 in the TAB Radio Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“At her past two starts she has got to the front relatively easily and likely to win by half the straight,” said De Campo. “There was no doubt that she had the wood on the rest of the field in those races, but she switched off and wasn’t being very genuine.
“I’ll be changing a bit of gear to see how she goes on Friday when she has drawn poorly, which doesn’t help. She has also been hanging quite badly. I’m now trying to iron out her problems before the big races. The ability is there, and on ability I think she is as good as anything in the race.
“The mental capacity is not there, even though it wouldn’t surprise me if she wins this week.”
Last Friday week Between Two Thorns began from barrier seven and settled in sixth position before moving into the one-out, one-back position and then bursting to the lead 520m from home and leading by three lengths on the home turn before losing concentration and wilting to third behind Zephyra.
She began from the outside barrier in a field of seven last Friday night when she raced wide early and then dashed forward into the breeze with 1050m to travel. She took the lead 400m from the finish but then raced greenly and hung out approaching the home turn. She lost ground and finished fifth, more than five lengths behind the winner Imahero.
The Mike Reed-trained Cabsav will have many admirers from barrier five in Friday night’s 2130m event. She finished strongly to win the group 1 Sales Classic on February 25 before going for a spell. She resumed racing five weeks ago when she disappointed when a fading fifth behind Quartzz after racing in the breeze.
“She wasn’t feeling well at her latest,” said reinsman Shannon Suvaljko. “She is a good filly, and if she’s back to her best she probably would lead and win.”
Imahero finished solidly to win from Valhalla Angel and Spiritofanangel last Friday night, and those three fillies should be prominent along with Jackie Daniels, who has been unplaced at her three starts but impressed with a couple of sound trials at Byford before she was checked and finished eighth behind Magnus Victor at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.