Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Veteran pacer Joe With The Flow excels as a frontrunner and he emerged as a star bet at Gloucester Park on Friday night after drawing the prized No. 1 barrier in the 1730m The West Live Page Pace.
Star reinsman Shannon Suvaljko has given punters an important lead by choosing drive Joe With The Flow ahead of Acoltnamedsu, a seven-year-old he has driven at his past three starts, including a third placing behind Middlepage and Carrera Mach when he set the pace over 1730m two starts ago.
Joe With The Flow, an eight-year-old gelding trained by Tony Hynam, loves to lead and nine of his twelve wins have been achieved when he has set the pace.
But somewhat remarkably Joe With The Flow has won at only four of the twelve occasions he has started from the No. 1 barrier.
His stiffest opposition on Friday night is expected to come from back-line runners Master Yossi and Athabascan, and Carrera Mach, who will start from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
Master Yossi, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, will be seen in an unfamiliar role. His past eleven runs have been in stands, and he has contested a mobile event only once (for an all-the-way win in March last year) in his 15-start career in Western Australia. He will be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green and should fight out the finish.
Carrera Mach, prepared by Jemma Hayman, is very close to returning the winning list. He impressed in a 2130m event last Friday night when he was eighth at the bell before running home strongly, out wide, to finish third behind Hengheng and Rebel With A Grin in a three-way photo finish.
Promising three-year-old Lucapelo has changed stables and will be making his first appearance for Mundijong trainer Michael Young when he starts from the No. 5 barrier in the Up Late Pace in which he will be driven by Maddison Brown.
Lucapelo will be having his first start for 16 weeks. His only win from ten starts was on debut, at Pinjarra early last February. But he impressed in the winter when third behind the brilliant Never Ending in a heat of the Pearl, followed by his fourth behind that star youngster in the final of the Pearl.
Lucapelo will clash with the Mike Wiliams-trained gelding Bronzed, who has set the pace from the No. 4 barrier at each of his past three starts over 2130m at Gloucester Park. Bronzed, to be driven by Ryan Warwick, will start out wide at barrier seven. But he should not be underestimated.
Telkem Jay, prepared by Gary Elson, also has sound prospects. He will be driven by Emily Suvaljko and will start from the No. 1 barrier. Telkem Jay followed seconds behind Skylord and Bronzed with an all-the-way win over Morissette at Pinjarra and a last-start fourth behind Flying Rumour at Pinjarra.