Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko has high hopes of following her successful formula in the $50,000 Retravision Christmas Belles at Gloucester Park on Friday night — line up at barrier No. 2, set the pace and win the race.
That’s just what she did 12 months ago when the Nathan Turvey-trained Savvy Bromac started favourite at $1.50 from the No. 2 barrier and led all the way before holding on to win by a half-head from the 2020 Christmas Belles winner Balcatherine.
On Friday night Suvaljko will be hoping to lead from the No. 2 barrier with the Justin Prentice-trained Bettor Get It On, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old she has driven to victory over 2130m at her past two starts.
Bettor Get It On revealed commendable strength last Friday night when she started from barrier six and failed in an early bid for the lead before finally getting to the front after 600m. The lead time was a swift 36.1sec. and Bettor Get It On showed great spirit to dash away from her rivals with final quarters of 28.1sec. and 28.5sec. and win by 7m at a 1.56.3 rate from her stablemate Platinum Sparkle.
Prentice was full of praise for Bettor Get It On, a mare he described as being very tough. He also was more than happy with the run of Platinum Sparkle, who raced in the breeze and fought on determinedly. Platinum Sparkle will be driven by Aiden De Campo from the inside of the back line in Friday night’s event, and she has sound prospects.
Maddison Brown will drive Fifty Five Reborn, a speedy five-year-old who is prepared by her father Colin and will have an army of admirers after drawing the coveted No. 1 barrier. Fifty Five Reborn is a splendid frontrunner who has been placed at four of her past five starts.
Maddison Brown will be determined to win the start and attempt an all-the-way win — a result which would relieve the pain of finishing a half-head second to Savvy Bromac with Balcatherine in last year’s Christmas Belles.
Jocelyn Young finished fifth with $71 chance Has No Fear in last year’s feature event, and she is looking for a strong showing from The Amber Hare, who is racing enthusiastically and is fresh from her good performance when fifth behind Himself in last Friday night’s Group 1 Golden Nugget.
Gary Hall Jnr, who drove Balcatherine to victory over Queen Shenandoah in the Christmas Belles in 2020, will handle Eighteen Carat for trainer Michael Young, who will also be represented by talented four-year-old Nevermindthechaos.
Eighteen Carat, a winner at eight of her past 15 starts, is awkwardly drawn at barrier six, leaving Hall with many options. She is an excellent frontrunner, but she faces a stern test if Hall makes a bid for the early lead, with Fifty Five Reborn and Bettor Get It On drawn on her inside. Eighteen Carat’s best prospects could be if Hall is able to gain good sit in the one-wide line and then rely on the mare’s strong finish.
Nevermindthechaos will start out wide at barrier eight, with Deni Roberts in the sulky. She has been most impressive in her short career of 19 starts for seven wins, four seconds and one third. This will be her first appearance for eight months.
Busselton trainer Barry Howlett has three runners in the race — Three Rumours (barrier four), Star Of Diamonds (barrier seven) and Just For Love (barrier two on the back line), with Three Rumours, a last-start winner, expected to be his best hope.