Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Inexperienced filly Halle Hunter is unbeaten in three trials and two race starts — and has not been extended in those five appearances. And at Gloucester Park on Friday night, she faces an acid test in the opening event, the 2130m Goodbye 2023 Pace, in which she will clash with several promising three-year-old fillies, including Zephyra, Unlucky, Sporting Grace, Pocketful Of Opals and Hunt the Magic.
Halle Hunter is trained by Colin Brown and will be driven by his daughter Maddison, who handled the filly when she made an auspicious debut at Gloucester Park last Saturday week when she raced wide early and took the lead in the middle stages on her way to winning by two lengths from Chaco Eagle, rating 1.59.7 over 2130m.
Then, at Northam last Saturday night Dylan Egerton-Green drove Halle Hunter, who began from the inside of the back line and quickly took up the running before coasting to a six-length victory over Ekara Navajo, rating 1.59.1 over 2190m.
Egerton-Green has high hopes of winning Friday night’s event with Zephyra, a filly he trains and has driven in all of her 16 starts for eight wins and five placings.
Zephyra began from the outside of the back line over 2130m at Gloucester Park last Friday week when she settled in eleventh position before sustaining a three-wide burst to the breeze at the 1200m and finishing with great determination to win by a head from the pacemaker Sister Cherie, with Unlucky a nose away in third place.
Zephyra and Unlucky should prove to be the toughest for Halle Hunter to beat. Zephyra is certainly capable of overcoming her wide draw on the outside of the front line, while the Lindsay Harper-trained and driven Unlucky will have many admirers.
Unlucky possesses good gate speed and is likely to go forward from the No. 4 barrier. She also started from barrier four last Friday week when she led early and then trailed Sister Cherie. She was badly blocked for a run in the back straight in the final lap before getting clear approaching the home turn and then finishing fast into third place.
Hunt The Magic, to be driven by Chris Lewis for Byford trainer Ian Gossage, will start from the coveted No. 1 barrier for the first time in her 26-start career. The only time she has set the pace was on debut when she began from barrier five and won by a head from Our Lililou at Bunbury on June 29, 2022.