Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr has surprised many pacing pundits by choosing to drive New Zealand-bred five-year-old Miki Jet ahead of outstanding four-year-old Skylou in the 2130m WA Foton Diesel At Catalano Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Hall trains Miki Jet, but he had the option of being granted permission to handle Skylou, who is trained by his father, Gary Hall Snr.
Hall Jnr drove Skylou when the gelding led and scored an easy victory in the group 3 Easter Cup last Friday week. That was Skylou’s first appearance after winning the group 1 WA Derby on November 3 last year.
Skylou, who has won at seven of his ten starts, will be driven by Stuart McDonald on Friday night. Skylou will begin from the No. 3 barrier, with Miki Jet drawn at barrier No. 1.
“Skylou is a better drive, but I’ve got to see where Miki Jet is at,” said Hall Jnr. “Miki Jet is getting out better and better and I’ll do my best to hold up, and hopefully he will lead, and we will see what he has got.
“It is a really good field and if Miki Jet is ever going to beat a horse like Skylou, he gets his chance here.”
Miki Jet has impressed in WA with his first six starts in the State producing four wins and two placings after he had raced 21 times in New Zealand for four wins and eight placings.
The Hall father and son combination has excellent prospects of winning later in Friday night’s program with outstanding four-year-olds Mister Smartee and Im The Black Flash.
Mister Smartee, a winner at six of his eight starts, should carry too many guns for his rivals in the 2130m Cowden Serving Since 1972 Pace despite starting from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
Im The Black Flash, a winner at eight of his 19 starts, will begin from barrier three on the front line in the 2503m standing start The Countryman Handicap. He gave a strong staying performance last Friday night when he raced in the breeze and fought on grandly to finish second to stablemate Skylou in the group 3 Easter Cup.
His main danger is sure to be the Robbie Williams-trained Brickies Dream, who will start from the favourable No. 2 barrier on the front line. He maintained his splendid form when he finished solidly to be third in the Easter Cup.