Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Henley Brook trainer-reinsman Robbie Williams has his promising gelding El Mystro fit and firing and ready for a strong performance in the $100,000 Allwood Stud Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
El Mystro will start from the No. 4 barrier at his third outing after an eleven-month absence, with Williams saying: “While there is a lot of depth in the field, I can’t fault El Mystro, whose fast work this morning (Tuesday) was very good.”
El Mystro has had only ten starts for four wins and two placings, mainly because of a problem in January this year.
“We then had him ready to race, but he got a lung infection, and we had no choice but to spell him,” said Williams. “He resumed in a race at Gloucester Park three weeks ago, and I expected him to run a really big race. But he copped a nasty check in the score-up which affected his confidence.”
He finished sixth, just over two lengths behind the winner D Mac, and ten days later he was a brilliant winner at Pinjarra, rating 1.55.5 over 2185m after final quarters of 28.3sec. and 27.2sec.
“He was very good at Pinjarra when I didn’t have to knock him around too much,” said Williams. “He finished strongly and did it very easily.”
El Mystro will need to be at his best on Friday night when he clashes with several highly promising three-year-olds, including Wheelsofortune, Ideal Beach, Wake Up Geoff, He Is Talking, Chugach and Bettor Behave.
Wheelsofortune, a winner at four of his 17 starts, has excellent winning prospects, according to his trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo.
“He finally has a good draw (barrier one),” said De Campo. “And I will try to take advantage of that and lead. His run in a qualifying heat (a close third behind Wake Up Geoff and Chugach at Pinjarra) was very good and he will be improved by the run.
“Wheelsofortune is a natural frontrunner and every time he has led, he has won. So, hopefully, that is a recipe for a win on Friday night.”
Ideal Beach, to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr for trainer Justin Prentice, is richly talented and has won at six of his 12 starts for earnings of $275,695, and he has the ability to overcome the awkward draw at barrier six.
“Ideal Beach’s run in a heat at Pinjarra (when he raced wide early and then in the breeze before winning from Bettor Behave) was super and he is a big chance,” said Hall.