Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Star pacer Mighty Ronaldo will resume racing after a nine-week absence when he begins from the No. 7 barrier in the $31,000 Ultimate Sniper Standing at Allwood Stud Farm Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night as a stepping stone to the $50,000 Winter Cup a week later.
He is following a similar pattern employed by his brilliant stablemate Never Ending, who won the Winter Cup 12 months ago when he charged home from eighth at the 250m mark to get up and snatch a last-stride head victory over Tenzing Bromac for trainer-reinsman Justin Prentice. That was Never Ending’s first run for three months.
Seven-year-old Mighty Ronaldo will be seeking to end a 15-month drought and a losing sequence of 14 when champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr will resume driving him, for the first time since he burst to the front from the No. 8 barrier and set a fast pace before finishing a half-head second to Tenzing Bromac at a 1.55.3 rate over 2130m on March 21 this year.
Mighty Ronaldo, who is also a brilliant sit-sprinter, will be having his first start since he raced three back on the pegs and fought on to finish fifth behind Mister Smartee in the 2936m Fremantle Cup on May 2.
He was most impressive a week earlier when he raced three back on the pegs and finished a close-up fifth behind Mister Smartee in the $1.2 million Nullarbor slot race over 2536m. He was hopelessly blocked for a clear run until the final 200m when he flew home out for wide on the track.
“Mighty Ronaldo has had a bit of a freshen up since those big races,” said Prentice. “I have set him for the Winter Cup, his work has been good, and he should perform well first-up. The wide draw is not great, and with Gee Heza Sport drawn barrier three it makes it hard.”
Gee Heza Sport, to be driven by Deni Roberts for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, will be making his first appearance for six weeks.
After finishing second in the Nullarbor and third in the Fremantle Cup Gee Heza Sport won very easily at his next two appearances, racing in the breeze before beating Penny Black in the 2662m Narrogin Cup, and then coming from last after 700m to charge to the front 150m later and going on to win by more than two lengths from Arma Xfactor over 2536m at Gloucester Park.
“I’m happy to have Gee Heza Sport back at the races,” said Roberts. “Barrier three is a good draw for him and he should race in a prominent position. If he can’t get to the front, then he doesn’t mind the breeze. He has had a nice little freshen up and his work has been pretty good.”
Veteran trainer Colin Brown will be hoping for spirited performances from Arma Xfactor (barrier one) and Arma Einstein (barrier two). His daughter Maddison Brown has chosen to drive Arma Xfactor, with her brother-in-law Dylan Egerton-Green taking the drive behind Arma Einstein.
Arma Xfactor possesses excellent gate speed and is a smart frontrunner, who has set the pace at his past three victories, wo over 2130m and one over 1730m.
With Hall Jnr in the sulky behind Mighty Ronaldo, Trent Wheeler has been engaged to handle 2023 WA Derby winner Skylou, trained by Gary Hall Snr.
Skylou, who is handily drawn at the No. 2 barrier on the back line, had no luck last Friday night when he finished fourth behind Paul Edward after having a tough run in the breeze and then being hampered by a flat sulky tyre in the final lap.