Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Inexperienced four year old Louie The Lip warmed up for the 2130m Garrard’s Rio Cobra Sulky Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night in fine style with a powerful victory in a 2130m event on Tuesday night when he thundered home, out wide, from eighth at the 900m to charge to the front at the 100m and beat the odds on favourite Linebacker.
The American Ideal gelding, trained by Gary Hall Snr, started out wide from barrier seven and Gary Hall Jnr gave him plenty of time to settle down before setting him alight approaching the bell.
Hall Jnr will employ different tactics on Friday night when Louie The Lip lines up from the No. 2 barrier. “We will try to lead,” he said.
Louie The Lip has made a splendid start to his career, with his five starts producing three wins and a second placing. His only serious rival appears to be his five year old stablemate Euphoria, a consistent performer who has raced 48 times for ten wins, 15 seconds and four thirds. Euphoria, to be driven by Callan Suvaljko, will start from the No. 4 barrier.
Hall Jnr, who has a drive in all ten events on the program, is looking forward to handling brilliant mare Balcatherine in race seven in which she will start from the outside in the field of seven at her return to racing after an absence of five months.
Balcatherine, a winner at 12 of her 32 starts for stakes of $296,138, will clash with in form mares Angel In White (barrier one), Savvy Bromac (three) and Fifty Five Reborn (six).
“She is going to need the run,” said Hall. “But she probably has a chance because of the small field.”
Hall will start the program by driving pacers trained by Michael Young in the first four events. He gives all of them – Orlando Blue, Vespa, Beat City and Moonlite Drive — sound each way prospects.