Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Ideal Agent, one of the stars of the powerful Greg and Skye Bond stable, will make a long overdue return to racing when he contests the $31,000 Joe and Margaret Petricevich Free-For-All over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred seven-year-old has not appeared since he finished strongly to win narrowly from Prince Of Pleasure and Minstrel at a 1.57.7 rate over 2536m on December 30, 2022.
He warmed up for this week’s event with a smart effort in a four-horse trial over 2116m at Pinjarra on December 28. He raced three back on the pegs before running home strongly to win, untouched, by a half-head from Idealingold.
He will start from barrier five in the six-horse field on Friday night and Deni Roberts is likely to keep him out of the early speed battle, with fast beginners Talks Up A Storm, Jaspervellabeach and Classic Choice drawn inside of him.
Ideal Agent, a winner of $241,695 from 16 wins, 15 seconds and five thirds from 57 starts, has the talent to develop into a contender in the $1,250,000 Nullarbor slot race on April 19.
The Murray Lindau-trained Talks Up A Storm is likely to be given the task of leading from the prized No. 1 barrier by Kyle Harper. The six-year-old excels as a pacemaker, a role he enjoyed at his latest appearance when he rated 1.56.4 in beating Master Publisher and Thomson Bay over 1730m on November 24.
Jaspervellabeach returned to form with a strong frontrunning display when he defeated Watching Our Coin and Acuto over 2130m last Friday night. He meets tough opposition this week.
Oakford trainer Jemma Hayman will be looking for a strong first-up showing from former Victorian pacer Post Game when he begins from the coveted No. 1 barrier at his WA debut in the 1730m Westral Meshlock Security Doors And Screens Pace.
Post Game, to be driven by Chris Voak, last appeared when he finished strongly from the rear to be second to Kosimo (1.53) in a 1720m Free-For-All at Melton on October 28. He possesses excellent gate speed, and he warmed up for this week’s event with a trial win over 2185m at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week.
He started from barrier two in the field of three runners and trailed the pacemaker Miss Boudica until he was eased off the pegs 650m from home and finished solidly to beat Miss Boudica by a nose, rating 1.59, with final quarters of 28.6sec. and 28.1sec.
Veteran trainer-reinsman Lindsay Harper will be popular with punters on Friday night when stablemates Sugar Apple (race one), Eldaytona (race two) and Middlepage (race ten) all have excellent each-way prospects.