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Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing

Star reinsman Gary Hall Jnr has decided to drive Alta Cinderella in preference to Bettor Get It On in the opening event, the 2130m Hoist Torque Australia Pace for mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He drove the Justin Prentice-trained Bettor Get It On to an excellent all-the-way victory at a 1.57.6 rate in the 2536m group 2 Empress Stakes three weeks ago and last Friday night he was in the sulky when Alta Cinderella set the pace and scored an easy victory at a 1.57.4 rate over 2536m.

Alta Cinderella is trained by Gary Hall Snr, and a major reason when Hall Jnr decided to stick with her is because she is comparatively inexperienced and can prove a handful in her races.

Bettor Get It On will be driven by Maddison Brown on Friday night. She will start from barrier four, with Alta Cinderella drawn out wide at barrier eight.

“Alta Cinderella is going to be one of the best mares here, but she is a long way from being a perfect racehorse,” said Hall Snr. “She was a nightmare in the preliminary before last Friday night’s race. But she settled down and went good in the race. She doesn’t like being restrained and she just likes to keep rolling. It’s going to be hard from the wide draw.”

Bettor Get It On and Alta Cinderella will clash with several smart mares, including Born To Boogie, Savvy Bromac and Blissfullabbey.

Savvy Bromac caught the eye last Friday night when she was tenth at the bell before charging home, out five wide, to finish a close fifth behind Double Up. “It was a good run, and she would’ve improved from that run,” said driver Emily Suvaljko. “She is a sit and kick horse, so we will be looking for a bit of early pressure in the race.”

Born To Boogie (Chris Lewis) is also sure to have derived considerable benefit from her very close first-up fourth behind Double Up after setting a brisk pace. She is favourably drawn at barrier three, but it is problematical whether she will be able to cross the polemarker Blissfullabbey in the early stages.