Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Star reinsman Ryan Warwick has fond memories of driving Gee Whiz Fizz to a last-stride victory in the group 2 Four And Five-Year-Old Championship 15 years ago — and he has high hopes winning the $50,000 feature event for the second time when he drives Dont Bother Me None in the big race at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Dont Bother Me None, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond and one of two four-year-olds in the 2130m race, is in top form, having won in convincing style at his past two starts. He is favourably drawn at barrier two, and Warwick is sure to be keen to set the pace.
Greg Bond will be looking to win this event for the third time. His two winners — Ohokas Bondy (2012) and Your Good Fortune (2013) were four-year-olds when they were successful, and like Dont Bother Me None they were by champion American-bred stallion Bettors Delight.
Colin Brown drove Ohokas Bondy and Your Good Fortune for their wins, and he will handle the speedy four-year-old Arma Einstein from the inside of the back line in Friday night’s race. Arma Einstein has won at two of his past three starts and is capable of a bold showing.
Dont Bother Me None is the least experienced runner in this week’s race, having started 21 times for 12 wins and four placings. He is versatile, having won after setting the pace and also when he has worked hard in the breeze.
Veteran trainer Ross Olivieri has won the Four And Five-Year-Old Championship with Heros Knight (1998) and Crombie (2011) and he is confident that Power And Grace will be ready to perform strongly at his fourth appearance after a nine-month absence.
Heros Knight was driven to his victory by Chris Lewis, who will handle Power And Grace from barrier No. 5. Lewis drove Power And Grace for the first time when the five-year-old set the pace and dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 27.8sec. to beat Hittheroadjack by a half-length over 2536m last Friday night.
“Ross said that Power And Grace was short of a run last week and that there was plenty of improvement left in the horse,” said Lewis. “Coming back from 2536m to 2130m is a help.”
Power And Grace is owned by Albert and Julie Walmsley, who will also be represented by Valentines Brook, who is trained and driven by Jocelyn Young and will start out wide at barrier seven. Valentines Brook maintained his consistent form on Tuesday of last week when he raced without cover and finished second to Sports Package.
The Bonds will also have a second runner, with Ideal Agent to be driven by Deni Roberts from barrier eight. Ideal Agent impressed last Friday week when, at his first appearance for ten weeks he began from the No. 9 barrier, settled down in last position, dashed forward to the breeze in the middle stages and went on to win from the pacemaker Doc Holliday.
Doc Holliday followed that effort with a sound third behind Know When To Run last Friday night after he had raced in the breeze for much of the 2536m journey.
Trainer Mike Reed and reinsman Shannon Suvaljko combined to win the Four And Five-Year-Old Championship with Kiwi Legend in 2017, and they will join forces this week when they will be hoping for a determined showing from Caveman, who will start from the No. 3 barrier.
Caveman has begun from the outside barrier (No. 9) and did not show up when unplaced at his past two starts following strong wins at his two previous runs.