Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
In-form reinsman Stuart McDonald is more than happy to fill in as the driver of brilliant young pacer Mister Smartee in the $50,000 Westside Auto Wholesale Four and Five-Year-Old Championship at Gloucester Park on Friday night while the gelding’s regular driver Gary Hall Jnr is enjoying a well-deserved holiday in Exmouth.
The 29-year-old McDonald is in awe of Mister Smartee, who will begin from an awkward barrier at No. 6 and will clash with talented stablemates Im The Black Flash and Skylou.
“Mister Smartee is probably the best horse in the stable,” he said. “I’ve driven him only a few times in trackwork and he has given me the feeling that he has taken another step up.”
The New Zealand-bred Mister Smartee is prepared by champion trainer Gary Hall Snr, and has created a huge impression in winning at seven of his eight starts in Western Australia when driven by Hall Jnr.
His only defeat in WA came when he finished ninth behind Skylou in the WA Derby last November — when driven by McDonald.
“That was a luckless run, and not my best drive,” said McDonald.
In the Derby Mister Smartee started out wide at barrier eight, was trapped three wide early before being restrained to the rear and then dashed forward in the middle stages to race in the breeze. He wilted in the final stages to finish eleven lengths behind the winner.
Mister Smartee went for a spell after the Derby and has resumed with three impressive victories at Gloucester Park, the latest being when he set the pace and sprinted over the final quarters in 28.8sec. and 27.4sec. to beat stablemate Miki Jet by a neck over 2130m last Friday week.
“It is a quality field on Friday night, but I do think I’ve got the best horse in the race, although it won’t be a walk in the park by any means,” said McDonald. “It’s not the best barrier, but not the worst; it’s only a starting point.”
Im The Black Flash will be driven for the first time by Emily Suvaljko from a favourable draw at barrier two. He was driven by McDonald when he warmed up for this week’s race in fine style in a 2503m stand last Friday week.
He began speedily from the 10m mark and dashed to an early lead before setting the pace and sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.6sec. and 27.6sec. and winning from Skylou, who raced without cover for much of the way and fought on determinedly. That took Im The Black Flash’s record to ten wins and five placings from 21 starts.
Skylou, a winner at seven of his twelve starts, will be driven for the first time by Deni Roberts. He will start from barrier five.
Among the toughest rivals for the Hall-trained trio will be the polemarker, the Jocelyn Young-trained and driven four-year-old Skylord, a winner at eight of his 24 starts.
“I think Skylord is good enough to hold up (and set the pace) and run a good time,” said a confident Young. Skylord began out wide at barrier seven in the Manea Classic at Bunbury last Saturday week when he took the lead in the middle stages and finished a close second to The Miki Taker.
The Miki Taker, to be driven by Trent Wheeler for trainer Aiden De Campo, will start out wide at barrier seven. The Miki Taker, whose 36 starts have produced 13 wins, nine seconds and five thirds, is one of two five-year-olds in the field on Friday night, the other being the Kevin Keys-trained Alcopony.
“The Miki Taker always keeps going and his final 50 metres is his best,” said Wheeler. “Hopefully, he will be coming home, late.”
An interesting runner and the least experienced competitor is Storm The Beach, who will be making his first appearance at Gloucester Park for owner-trainer Katie Howlett, starting from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line, with Chris Voak in the sulky.
He has raced seven times for three wins (two at Pinjarra and one at Albany). “He is a nice horse whose sectional times have been terrific,” said Voak. “But it will be tough from the outside barrier.”