Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Fanci A Dance, a hardy rising ten-year-old, is still racing with commendable spirit for Busselton trainer Barry Howlett, and he gets an ideal opportunity to chalk up another victory when he begins from barrier three in the Barbagallo Land Rover Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Rock N Roll Heaven gelding has won only once from his past 23 starts but his placings at each of his past three starts have been excellent and he is sure to be prominent again on Friday night when Chris Voak is expected to have him in a forward position throughout the 2536m journey.
Fanci A Dance started from the back line in a 2130m event last Friday week when he raced three wide without cover for almost the entire race and still fought on grimly to finish third behind Whatabro and Doc Holliday.
Fanci A Dance, bred by Howlett and his son Jimmy, has been a grand competitor who now boasts a record of 81 starts for 14 wins, 28 placings and stakes of $164,017.
He will clash with smart five-year-old Ideal Agent, who will start from the No. 5 barrier and is sure to prove hard to beat, with his past 24 starts producing nine wins, eight seconds and three thirds for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond and star reinsman Ryan Warwick.
Ideal Agent was slightly disappointing last Friday night when he settled in eighth position, worked forward after 400m and then raced in the breeze before battling on into second place behind the pacemaker Euphoria. He is sure to be improved by the effort.
Bracken Sky (barrier one) and Doc Holliday (two) will have many admirers. The Debbie Padberg-trained Bracken Sky (Shannon Suvaljko) will be making his first appearance since he started from the No. 1 barrier and set the pace and won from Ideal Charm at a 1.58.7 rate over 2130m on August 12. Suvaljko is expected to attempt another all-the-way win.
Doc Holliday, to be driven by Emily Suvaljko for trainer Michael Young, is sure to appreciate his most favourable draw since he started from the No. 2 barrier 18 starts ago and finished second to Ideal Agent last March.
Shannon Suvaljko has several good drives at the meeting and punters will be keen to support him when he handles the Mike Reed-trained pair of Blitzembye in race two and Ragazzo Mach in race nine.
Blitzembye will start from the inside of the back line in the 2130m Barbagallo Leaders In Motoring Excellence Pace, and if Suvaljko is able to get him into the clear he will be capable of finishing with a flourish. He started from 20m in a 2503m stand last Friday night and was tenth at the bell before surging home, out four wide, to finish third behind Robbie Rocket and Aussie Scooter.
Ragazzo Mach was most impressive last Friday week when he met with a check, broke and lost about six lengths soon after the start and was tenth and last at the bell before charging home, five wide, to finish third behind Rascal and Tensing Bromac.