Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Hoppys Way has been unplaced from unfavourable barriers at his past three starts, but trainer Mike Reed is confident the Art Major colt will enjoy the advantage of beginning from the No. 2 barrier in the 2130m Happy Fourth Birthday Noah George Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Hoppys Way will be coming out humming and I reckon he can win,” said Reed. “He has good gate speed, and we won’t be handing up.”
Last Friday night Hoppys Way started from the back line and raced in fifth position, three back on the pegs before finishing solidly into fourth place behind Tricky Miki, Machs Bettor and Street Hawk.
“They only walked and ducked home,” said Reed. “That’s not his go; he is more of a roller.”
Hoppys Way, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko, has had 27 starts for eight wins and five placings and is one of the main fancies for the $200,000 WA Derby on Friday week. Among his most serious rivals on Friday night is Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell’s brilliant Alta Christiano gelding Swingband, who has won at eleven of his 20 starts.
However, Swingband has disappointed at his past two starts, finishing last in a field of twelve in the Group 1 Westbred Classic and eleventh behind Tricky Miki in last Friday night’s Group 2 Western Gateway Pace.
Last Friday night Swingband began from the outside barrier (No. 3) on the back line, and he raced in eighth position in the one-wide line before Kyle Symington sent him forward, three wide, approaching the bell. Swingband sustained his three-wide burst to move into third place 500m from home before wilting to the rear.
“It is a bit gutting to see two duck eggs against his name,” said Bell. “We’re hoping that it was a race fitness thing, and that’s why he’s backing up this week. The only thing that we can pinpoint for last week’s failure was that he was too well, and that’s why he raced a bit ungenerously.
“We can’t fault anything else with him. He had a light weekend, and he will have a hit-out tomorrow (Wednesday). If the real Swingband turns up on Friday night, he’ll beat these.”
Greenbushes trainer Ray Jones (of Lavra Joe fame) will be looking for a strong showing from his improving gelding Been Scootin, who will be driven by Kyle Harper form the prized No. 1 barrier. Been Scootin, who possesses good gate speed, began from the back line and raced three back on the pegs before finishing strongly to win the Great Southern Derby at Narrogin last Saturday night, beating smart fillies Dontbesillychilli and Little Darling.
Banjup trainer Dylan Egerton-Green has two runners in Friday night’s event — New Zealand-bred geldings Mr Chip and Rockmyster. He will drive Rockmyster, and Aiden de Campo will handle Mr Chip, who will start from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
Mr Chip, a winner at two of his 13 New Zealand starts, has not raced since finishing third in a 2200m event at Alexandra Park ten weeks ago. “His work has been really good, but barrier nine is no good,” said Egerton-Green.
Rockmyster, a winner at one of his nine New Zealand starts, has won at his past two starts, over 2130m at Gloucester Park and over 2185m at Pinjarra, and he is handily drawn at barrier two on the back line.
“Rockmyster has been racing in weaker company, but he has stepped up every week,” said Egerton-Green. “His work has been exceptional in the past few weeks, and he did only what he had to when he won at Pinjarra. I expect him to run a really good race, and if he gets a crack at them, I expect him to be right in it at the finish. And I’m also confident that Mr Chip will hit the line strongly.”
Of the other runners, Soho Dow Jones, to be driven by Mitch Miller for trainer Kim Prentice, is capable of a strong showing, despite his awkward draw at barrier seven. He won at four of his ten Victorian starts and his nine WA appearances have produced three wins and two seconds.