Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred five-year-old Lucca has recovered from a minor laceration on his off-hind leg, and he has bright prospects of breaking through for his first success at Gloucester Park when he starts from barrier three in the $30,000 Warwick Pace on Friday night.
He will be driven by his 74-year-old trainer Bill Hayes, who has been in the sulky for all of his 19 starts in Western Australia for six wins and eight placings. Lucca’s seven starts at Gloucester Park have produced two seconds and a third placing. He has won three times at Pinjarra, twice at Bunbury and once at Narrogin.
Lucca should appreciate a drop in class after having competed in several Group 1, 2 and 3 feature events in November and December. He possesses excellent gate speed and is a good frontrunner, with four of his WA wins coming after he has set the pace.
Lucca also has shown admirable strength and fighting qualities, particularly on debut as a two-year-old at Forbury Park in June 2021 when he began from the No. 5 barrier, was trapped four wide for the first 400m and then raced three wide for the next 500m before finally gaining a one-one trail and finishing with great determination to snatch victory over the 2200m journey.
All Is Well (barrier six) and Flying Rumour (inside of the back line) loom as the main dangers to Lucca, while the Aiden De Campo-trained Navy Street (barrier two) will have admirers after starting from the 30m mark and finishing strongly to win easily in a 2247m stand at Albany last Friday week.
Navy Street’s past six starts have been in stands for two wins and a third placing. However, he is also a capable mobile performer, and has led (from the No. 7 barrier) and won a 2100m mobile event at Bunbury last April. He will be driven for the first time by Kyle Symington.
Byford trainer Katja Warwick has All Is Well racing keenly, and the four-year-old impressed last Friday night when he set the pace from barrier two and won by three lengths from Taking The Miki, rating 1.56.3 over 2130m. A week earlier, he surged home from last at the bell to finish third behind Crowd Control.
The Mike Reed-trained Flying Rumour was unlucky last Friday night when he trailed the pacemaker Adda Spoilt Major and was badly hampered for room in the home straight. He set the pace and won easily from Loucid Dreams the previous week.
Banjup trainer Annie Belton has engaged Gary Hall Jnr to drive Mister Montblanc (barrier No. 4). The five-year-old has won at eight of his 26 starts, with Hall having driven him five times for two wins, two seconds and one fourth placing.
The consistent Spring Line, trained by Shane Gaebler, will start from barrier five and is capable of a bold effort, following seconds to Franco Western (at Gloucester Park) and Nullarbor Navajo (at Pinjarra) at his past two outings.