Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
With champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr enjoying a well-deserved fishing holiday in the south of the State talented driver Stuart McDonald has been called into action as a deputy to handle five of the Hall stable’s runners at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“If I get some winners, it will be good,” said the 31-year-old McDonald. “But if I don’t, it won’t be so good.”
McDonald, who has eight drives on the ten-event program, has strong each-way prospects with Seaside Pond, Ultimate Miki, Chase Me and Raklou, who are prepared by Gary Hall Snr, and with Final Collect, who is trained by Hall Jnr.
Creating the most interest of those five runners is Seaside Pond, who will make his Australian debut when he begins from the No. 4 barrier in the Trotsynd, Join The Fun Pace over 2130m.
Five-year-old Seaside Pond has won four times from 30 starts in New Zealand, but he arrived in WA just over two months ago with a glowing reputation. He is a last-start winner in a 2600m stand at Addington on February 13 when he began smoothly from the front line and gave a strong frontrunning performance to win by just under a length from Foliejon Star, who trailed him all the way. He rated 2.1.3.
Seaside Pond is expected to vie for favouritism with the brilliant New Zealand-bred four-year-old mare Fabulous Dream, a most impressive winner in 2130m mobile events at Gloucester Park at her past three starts.
Interestingly, Seaside Pond will need to record an unusual first if he is to win on Friday night. He has not finished in the top four placegetters in nine appearances in mobiles. His four wins from 21 runs in stands have been over 2000m, 2400m and 2600m (twice).
“I will probably be looking to go forward at the start, and it would be good if we could find the front,” said McDonald. “I would like to stay in front of Fabulous Dream.”
An indication of McDonald’s confidence in Seaside Pond is that he has opted to drive the son of Downbytheseaside ahead of Hall senior’s other runners in the race — New Zealand-bred five-year-olds A Little Silence (outside of the back line) and Sweet Pins (outside of the front line).
Maddison Brown will drive A Little Silence, who has raced eight times for three wins and five seconds. He performed strongly last Friday night when he began from the outside of the front line, raced three wide early and then without cover before fighting on to finish second to Fabulous Dream when the final 800m was covered in 56.7sec.
Dylan Egerton-Green has been engaged to drive Sweet Pins, who is poorly drawn on the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line. He has won at six of his 16 starts and will appreciate a major drop in class after contesting the group 3 Four and Five-Year-Old Championship which was won by Golden Lode last Friday night. Four days before that he surged home from the rear to win easily from Del Bocavista Bay over 2185m at Pinjarra.
Four-year-old Ultimate Miki notched his seventh win from ten starts when he finished powerfully from sixth at the bell to get up and snatch a last-stride won by a head from Rox The World over 2130m last Friday night despite being badly checked in the back straight.
Ultimate Miki will begin from barrier five in the Bridge Bar Open This Sunday Pace and is sure to prove hard to beat. “If he gets to the breeze, I expect him to be right in the finish,” said McDonald.
McDonald also is confident that Wave Rebellion, a four-year-old mare he trains and drives, will fight out the finish of the Swan Draught Pints Pace over 2130m, despite drawing the outside barrier (No. 9).
Wave Rebellion has won impressively at her past two outings, taking her record to 13 starts for six wins and two placings. “The wide draw shouldn’t be a problem because she will go back at the start,” said McDonald.