Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Stuart McDonald retains fond memories of one of his first winners when he drove Robyns C C to a fighting victory at Gloucester Park on October 1, 2013, and now he is looking forward to that mare’s second foal Beyond The Sea ending a losing sequence of 16 when she begins from the No. 3 barrier in the 2130m Christmas In July Pace at WA pacing’s headquarters on Friday night.
Seven-year-old Beyond The Sea will be making her third appearance for her new trainer Micheal Ferguson, and she impressed first-up after an eight-month absence when she ran home strongly from the rear to finish second to Raklou over 1684m at Pinjarra three Mondays ago.
Then she had no luck last Friday night when she began speedily from barrier four but was unable to cross to the front, leaving McDonald with little option but to restrain her back to the rear. She battled on from 12th at the bell to finish eighth behind Thelittle Master.
That was McDonald’s first drive behind Beyond The Sea. He also drove Robyns C C only once, in the mare’s win over Rowchester in the final of a concession drivers challenge in 2013.
Beyond The Sea retains the ability which she revealed when she won the group 2 Norms Daughter Classic in November 2023, beating the pacemaker Wonderful To Fly, Born To Boogie and Steno.
There could be an interesting battle for the early lead in Friday night’s event, with McDonald expected to use Beyond The Sea’s excellent gate speed, and Kevin Keys, a part-owner and trainer of the polemarker Kurious Boy saying that he had hopes that the gelding, a noted tardy beginner, would be able to make a fast getaway and then set the pace.
“This week I expect him to lead and go very well,” said Keys. Kurious Boy has been unplaced at his past 15 starts since he finished strongly to win from Reset The Bar and Manhattan Moon over 2130m at Gloucester Park on February 20 this year.
Among the main dangers to Beyond The Sea are Hunger Strike and Insta Gator, with Hunger Strike, to be driven by Kylah Madden for trainer Nathan Turvey, warming up for her assignment on Friday night with a solid effort to finish a close third behind When In Vegas and Wicked Hustler on Tuesday night after racing without cover all the way.
Insta Gator, trained and driven by Jocelyn Young, will be making his first appearance since racing in the breeze and finishing sixth behind Soho Moonraker on New Years Eve last year. He has a losing sequence of 12 and will start out wide at barrier eight. He has recorded two easy trial wins in small fields at Pinjarra last month and is capable of a bold first-up showing.