Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Speedy five-year-old Hotly Pursued wrecked his chances last Friday night when he was in a capricious mood and broke into a bad gallop in the score-up of a 2130m event at Gloucester Park.
Ace driver Kyle Harper was surprised with the large amount of ground that Hotly Pursued made up in coming from a distant last early to finishing sixth behind Minstrel, Gee Heza Sport and Mister Smartee, and he is full of confidence the Murray Lindau-trained gelding will make amends by winning the $27,000 Heather and Blackie Kulin Bush Races Winner Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I reckon he gave them almost 200 metres start and then made up so much ground on horses like Mister Smartee and Never Ending,” said Harper.
“It was a rare mistake when he bungled the start last week. He was feeling too frisky for his own good, and he tried to put the boots in going up to the gate. And he finished a lot closer than I thought he would.
“It was a pretty impressive performance to do what he did, and this looks quite a drop in class this week. I think he is good enough to go with the best of them. Nine is not the best draw but considering the way he has gone at his past two runs he should be a class above his rivals this week.
“There is no such thing as a good thing, but he should be hard to beat.”
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Chris Voak refuses to concede that Hotly Pursued has a mortgage on Friday night’s event, declaring that last-start winner Rock Artist (barrier six) has sound prospects.
“Rock Artist handled Lusaka and Otis when he won two weeks ago like they were maidens,” he said. “He rated 1.54.8 and I’m confident he will run top three on Friday night.”
The main dangers to Hotly Pursued and Rock Artist are likely to be The Iron Duke (who has fought on strongly to win at his first two appearances in WA) and last-start winners Sweet Lucifer and Rockandrollartist.