Ken Casellas |
Talented New Zealand bred filly In The Spotlight looks too strong for her six West Australian bred fillies in the $20,250 Simmonds Steel Laser and Tube Cutting Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and she should be the star bet on the ten event program.
Leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond have given In The Spotlight a solid preparation for this event, starting the filly against older and more experienced geldings at her past two starts, for wins at Gloucester Park and Pinjarra, following a runaway victory against five colts and geldings and three fillies at Kellerberrin.
She will start from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night, and star reinsman Ryan Warwick will be keen to take advantage of her good gate speed in a bid for an all the way victory.
In The Spotlight gave a sample of her ability at Pinjarra on Monday when she proved the master of eight older and more experienced geldings, rating 1.55 over 1684m in beating Rockstar Rebel by a half-length. The final 400m sections were covered in 28.6sec. and 27.8sec.
In The Spotlight started from barrier three and settled down in sixth position before Warwick sent her forward after 450m to race in the breeze before she surged clear of the opposition 80 metres from the post.
At her previous outing, over 2130m at Gloucester Park, In The Spotlight set the pace and beat the promising gelding Hillview Bondi, who had won at four of his five previous starts. She rated a smart 1.56.6.
The sparks are set to fly in the third event, the 2130m Simmonds Steel Industrial and Mining Fabrication Pace, when talented New Zealand-bred pacers Ragazzo Mach and Typhoon Banner clash.
Four-year-old Ragazzo Mach, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko for trainer Mike Reed, has an apparent advantage in starting from the No. 2 barrier, with Typhoon Banner at barrier No. 5. Both pacers are blessed with good gate speed, and trainer Dylan Egerton-Green could be planning to send Typhoon Banner forward early in a bid to wrest the lead from Ragazzo Mach, who will be having his first start for six weeks.
Ragazzo Mach worked hard without cover when a half-head second to Beat City over 2130m on May 6 when having his first start since he faced the breeze and won from Star Of Willoughby on February 4.
Typhoon Banner is in tremendous form and will have a legion of supporters. He notched his third win from his past four starts when he trailed the pacemaker Lord Rosco and finished with a powerful burst to beat Heez Our Perseus and Ideal Agent at a 1.57.2 rate over 2130m. He trailed the leader before winning from Eldaytona and Heez Our Perseus at his previous start.