Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Diego, one of the stars in the stables of Gary Hall Snr, has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier in the $30,000 NYE @Gloucester Park Free-For-All at pacing’s headquarters on Friday night, with Maddison Brown set to dictate terms in front in a bid to keep the State’s best pacer, Magnificent Storm, at bay.
Magnificent Storm, a brilliant winner at his past two starts, in the Group 1 Brennan Memorial over 2536m and the Group 2 Village Kid Sprint over 1730m, will start from barrier two on the back line in Friday night’s 2130m event.
Diego excelled two starts ago when he began from the No. 5 barrier in a 2310m Free-For-All and dashed to the front after 550m, set the pace and sprinted over the final 800m in 55.9sec. to win from Gambit and Patronus Star, rating 1.57.3.
Then, last Friday week Diego began from barrier seven, settled down in ninth position and surged forward in the first lap to race in the breeze outside Magnificent Storm before fighting on solidly to finish third behind that pacer and Hampton Banner in the Village Kid Sprint.
Diego has led all the way and won at Gloucester Park eight times, with the latest occurrence being seven starts ago when he held on to beat Jumpingjackmac, rating 1.53.5 over 2130m. He is also a capable sit-sprinter as he proved when he raced three back on the pegs and won the 2692m Pinjarra Cup from Papinik in March this year.
It is interesting to note that Magnificent Storm has begun from the back line three times in his career for three wins. Star reinsman Aldo Cortopassi will have many options. He has always considered barrier No. 11 (two out on the back line) to be quite a favourable draw.
I am suggesting that the sheer brilliance of Magnificent Storm will prove to be the deciding factor in favour of Magnificent Storm.