Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star trainer-reinsman Gary Hall Jnr holds a powerful hand in the final event, the $23,000 Catch A Wave Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, with three of the seven runners, Spicey Major, Dalvey Robyn and Ventura.
And he has given punters a valuable lead by choosing to handle Ventura, who will begin from the No. 5 barrier and should prove very hard to beat, following his excellent second to Brickies Dream in the 2130m Christmas Gift last Friday night.
Friday night’s event is over 2536m, and the distance will not be a problem for the five-year-old Ventura, who won on debut over 2600m at Timaru in October 2022 when he defeated Tact Teel and Brickies Dream.
Ventura won four times over 2631m at Pinjarra in November and December 2023 and was successful over 2503m at Bunbury in November 2023.
Ventura began from out wide at barrier eight in the Christmas Gift and he raced in the one-out, two-back position before starting a three-wide move approaching the bell and sustaining that effort to finish a half-length behind the frontrunning Brickies Dream, who dashed over the final 400m sections in 27.4sec. and 28.4sec.
At his previous outing, over 2130m a fortnight earlier, Ventura led from barrier three and won from Rockandrollartist and Tommy Waterhouse, rating 1.55.7.
Spicey Major will start from the No. 1 barrier this week and will be driven by Stuart McDonald. He revealed excellent gate speed from barrier two when he set the pace and won from Travelban over 2185m at Pinjarra two starts ago.
Then, on Tuesday this week he was driven by Hall in a 1684m event at Pinjarra when he began speedily from the No. 2 barrier, took the lead after 200m and sprinted over the final 400m sections in 27.7sec. and 27sec. to win by three lengths from Torpedo Rock, rating 1.52.8.
Maddison Brown will handle Dalvey Robyn from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night. The New Zealand-bred six-year-old began from the outside of the back line in the Christmas Gift when he raced four back on the pegs and was blocked for a clear run in the final lap when eighth behind Brickies Dream.
He ran home strongly from three back on the pegs to finish second to Goodfellaz over 2130m the previous week.
Hall also has excellent winning prospects with Mandown, who is favourably drawn at barrier No. 1 on the front line in the $21,000 Madam Publisher Handicap, a stand over 2503m.
Mandown was racing second-up after a spell last Friday night when he had a tough run in the breeze before wilting to finish fifth behind Tualou.
A winner at two of his 16 New Zealand starts, the four-year-old Mandown has had only one start in a stand, when he led from barrier five on the front line and beat Duty Bound by a length three starts ago in a 2503m event at Gloucester Park on August 23.
One of his most serious rivals this week is likely to be the Debra Lewis-trained Rodasi, who will begin from the inside of the 10m line with Chris Lewis in the sulky. He is in top form with two wins and a third placing from his past three starts.
Rodasi began from 30m over 2116m at Pinjarra on Monday of last week when he raced wide early and then in the breeze before beating Tiger Lou and Minor Catastrophe.