Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr and outstanding trainer Justin Prentice combined to win the Sales Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings with Valedictorian last year and they are looking forward keenly to repeating the dose with the highly-promising Blaze Away in the $100,000 APG feature event at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Blaze Away gave a remarkable performance to win a qualifying heat on Tuesday of last week when he appeared to be struggling in second place with 60 metres to travel, two lengths behind Ten To The Dozen, before he recovered his composure and flew home with a brilliant late burst to snatch a last-stride nose victory.
Blaze Away enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position before Hall switched him three wide 450m from home.
“I then thought he would definitely win,” said Hall. “As I eased him out I pulled the earplugs, and he just stopped. Pulling the plugs had the reverse effect. When I did that we went from chocolates to boiled lollies. It was like that someone had turned the engine off.
“I then had to pull him back in behind Ten To The Dozen in the straight to get him to realise that he needed to keep going — which he did, and to get up and win showed that he has a good will-to-win and a good motor.
“It’s a cracking race on Friday night, and I’m happy with the draw (No. 4 barrier). He has good gate speed. There are so many good horses in the race that Blaze Away could run exceptionally well and still run fifth.”
The other heat winners in the final are the Ryan Bell-trained Waverider (barrier three) and the Kim Prentice-trained Soho Skyfall (barrier seven). In the heats Blaze Away rated 1.57, Waverider 1.58 and Soho Skyfall 1.56.2.
“I was really impressed with Soho Skyfall’s heat win,” said Prentice. “He has gone really good since the win (after racing without cover and beating the pacemaker Greatgreat Boulder). I’m very happy with him but the barrier makes it tough.” Soho Skyfall will be driven by Mitch Miller.
Waverider led from barrier four and won his heat by 2m from Thelittle Master, with reinsman Kyle Symington saying: “He went to the line strongly, and I wouldn’t change my drive with any other horse in the race. He should have taken benefit from the run.”
Leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond have four runners in Friday night’s event — Thenu Came Along (Colin Brown, barrier No. 2), Ten To The Dozen (Deni Roberts, barrier eight), Greatgreat Boulder (Ryan Warwick, barrier nine) and Thelittle Master (Dylan Egerton-Green, sole runner on the back line).
Their best prospect could well emerge as Greatgreat Boulder, who has appeared somewhat temperamental at his two race starts, but has impressed with his brilliant gate speed.