Ken Casellas | Photo: Pacepix
A combination of a drop in class and a perfect barrier at No. 1 has boosted Coolup trainer Michael George’s confidence that speedy pacer Faster Than Dad will carry too many guns for his ten rivals in the $30,000 GPHR Westbred Winter Classic for four and five-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He has led and won before in good time and fashion, and I couldn’t be happier with him,” said George. “It’s a great draw and we will be trying our best to lead, which I’m sure he can.
“If he leads, he will be hard to beat, even though I have plenty of respect for Eldaytona, Whos The Dad, Arma Xfactor, Paul Edward and High Price.”
Faster Than Dad, who will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, put the writing on the wall when he finished an excellent third behind top-flight pacers Mighty Conqueror and Patronus Star in a 1730m Free-For-All last Friday night when he raced in last position in the field of five before running home strongly.
He dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.04sec. and 26.86sec. — faster times than all of his rivals.
The Colin Brown-trained Arma Xfactor is in outstanding form, having won easily at his four appearances in his current campaign. His wins have been at Pinjarra in four consecutive weeks at Pinjarra last month. He rises significantly in class, but he cannot be underestimated, despite drawing out wide at barrier seven.
Hillview Bondi finished eleventh behind Moonlite Drive over 2536m last Friday night, but trainer Ryan Bell said it would pay to overlook that failure. “He went back from a wide draw and raced at the rear,” said Bell. “From the No. 3 barrier this week I’m sure he will run a good race.”
Eldaytona, trained and driven by Lindsay Harper, and Whos The Dad, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko for trainer Kevin Charles, each has excellent gate speed, and are versatile as well. Eldaytona will start from barrier five, with Whos The Dad at barrier No. 4.
The two back line runners, both four-year-olds, are in splendid form and are last-start winners. Each is capable of unwinding a strong finishing burst.