Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content
Experienced New Zealand-bred pacer Moonlite Drive has started from the prized No. 1 barrier three times in 2536m events at Gloucester Park for three all-the-way victories, an irrefutable fact which surely is a powerful indication that he will prove hard to beat in the $20,375 TAB Radio Pace on Friday night.
And the Michael Young-trained gelding who will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr is in top form, following excellent performances from wide barriers at his past two appearances.
He was an $11 chance last Friday night when he began from the outside barrier in a field of six, with Hall content to keep him at the rear while the hot favourite Blitzembye was bowling along in front.
Moonlite Drive was still last with 100m to travel before he flooded home, out four wide, to finish second to Blitzembye. He recorded the fastest final 400 metres of the night — a sparkling 27.2sec.
Moonlite Drive is one of several outstanding winning prospects for Hall on the nine-event program. Hall will be popular with punters with High Price (race one), Rolling Fire (race two), Let It Linga (race three), Finvarra (race five), Mr Fantastic (race six) and Watching Our Coin (race eight).
Four-year-old High Price, trained by Gary Hall Snr, looks outstanding in the 1730m Beau Rivage Pace in which he will start from the No. 1 barrier and should be capable of leading and beating his most formidable rivals Cheer The Major and Peligroso.
High Price warmed up for this week’s assignment in fine style last Friday night when he raced in the breeze and fought on determinedly to finish a half-length second to the pacemaker and odds-on favourite Hoppys Way over 2130m.
Cheer The Major is racing in wonderful style for trainer Gary Elson and is capable of causing an upset. He possesses excellent gate speed and his seconds to Watching Our Coin and Rockymyster at his past two starts have been full of merit.
Rolling Fire, trained by Justin Prentice, is handily drawn at barrier three in the 2130m Steelo’s Restaurant Pace for three-year-olds. He has won at six of his eleven starts, and his clash with Skylord (seven wins from 13 starts), Cotton On (seven wins from nine starts) and Lucapelo (four wins from 17 starts) should be a highlight.
Rolling Fire reappeared after a two-month absence when he sprinted home strongly from last at the bell to win by six lengths from William Gees Legacy at a 1.57.1 rate over 2100m at Bunbury on Wednesday of last week.
Like Rolling Fire, Skylord and Cotton On have emerged as leading contenders for the $200,000 WA Derby on November 3.
Skylord, trained and driven by Jocelyn Young, has resumed after a spell in excellent form, with wins at Bunbury and Gloucester Park and a strong effort in the breeze when third behind Mister Smartee and Crowd Control over 2536m at Gloucester Park.
Deni Roberts will drive Cotton On for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond. The New Zealand-bred Cotton On will be attempting to extend his winning sequence to eight when he starts from barrier No. 5. He has resumed after a spell with convincing victories at Gloucester Park and Pinjarra.