Ken Casellas | Photo: HAMILTON CONTENT CREATORS
Astute trainer Kim Prentice holds a powerful hand with three of the six runners in the West Australian Pace for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and Mitch Miller has given punters a valuable lead by choosing to drive Soho Honey Rider.
Soho Honey Rider and Soho Vesper Lind, bred and owned by Rob Watson, will be racing for the first time in Western Australia after competing with success in Victoria and New South Wales, while Lenora Jane has done all her racing in WA.
“We like both the newcomers who have raced in good events over east, so I know their form should stand up pretty well here,” said Miller.
“I’ve been driving Soho Honey Rider at home, and Kim has been doing most of the work with Soho Vesper Lind. I’ll drive Honey and even though she has drawn the outside in the small field I think she should be right up there with them.
“They are hard to split on the track when whichever one leads generally does better, with the other one struggling to get over the leader. I’m quite happy to stick with Honey even though she has drawn the worst barrier.”
Stuart McDonald has been engaged to drive Soho Vesper Lind from barrier two, and Jocelyn Young will handle Lenora Jane, who will begin from the No. 3 barrier.
Soho Honey Rider has raced 18 times for three wins, four seconds, two thirds and $96,326 in prizemoney. Soho Vesper Lind has earned $50,387 from two wins, one second and five thirds from 19 starts.
Miller has driven Lenora Jane at 12 of her 13 starts for three wins and three placings. “She has her share of ability but is a one-trick pony who is at her best when tucked in and saved for one run,” he said.
Soho Honey Rider was a rank $105.40 outsider when she won the group 2 $100,000 Gold Bullion final for fillies four starts ago, rating 1.54.9 over 1730m at Bathurst on March 30 when several runners were checked soon after the start, enabling trainer-reinsman Mick Stanley to settle Soho Honey Rider three back on the pegs.
The first 400m of the final mile was covered in 26.6sec. and was followed by quarters of 30.6sec., 27.5sec. and 30sec. Soho Honey Rider finished strongly along the sprint lane to win by a head from Libby Lou, with Soho Vesper Lind running home solidly, out three wide, to finish third after enjoying a perfect passage, one-out and one-back.
Two starts ago Soho Honey Rider was a $126 chance in the $200,000 NSW Oaks over 2400m at Menangle when she began out wide at barrier eight and was restrained to last before battling home to finish a well-beaten ninth behind Very Pretty.
And then at her most recent start, Soho Honey Rider began from the inside of the back line and raced five back on the pegs before being blocked for a run until the final 100m and fighting on along the inside to finish seventh behind Some American over 2240m at Melton on June 8.
Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell will be looking for a strong effort from Luci Kane, who will start from the No. 1 barrier, with Deni Roberts in the sulky.
Luci Kane has had 19 starts for three wins and eight placings. She was a $1.65 chance in 2100m event at Bunbury last Saturday night when she set the pace before wilting to finish third behind Absolute Delight.
“Over the shorter distance on Friday night you should see a better version of Luci Kane,” said Roberts. “She has very good gate speed.”
The Cody Wallrodt-trained More Sass has had 15 starts for five wins and four second placings, and she will have many admirers at her second appearance after a spell when she begins from barrier five, with Emily Suvaljko in the sulky.