Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Dylan Egerton-Green is looking forward to driving star pacer Magnificent Storm for the first time in a race when the Ray Williams-trained gelding starts from the outside barrier in the four-horse field in the $31,000 Pat Cranley Memorial at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Egerton-Green will replace Aiden De Campo, who is serving a term of suspension.
“I worked Magnificent Storm for two weeks while Ray was on holidays in Bali earlier this year,” said Egerton-Green. “I’m looking forward to driving a horse of his calibre. Though there are only four runners, it promises to be a tactical race.”
Williams said that Magnificent Storm enjoyed a few days off after his victory in the WA Pacing Cup three weeks ago. “And today (Tuesday) his work was terrific, and I’m really happy with him,” he said.
Arma Einstein (barrier one), Minstrel (two) and Blitzembye (three) all possess excellent gate speed, and there should be a keen battle for the early lead.
Mike Reed, the trainer of Blitzembye, said that the New Zealand-bred five-year-old was capable of leading, but he would leave the tactics to star reinsman Shannon Suvaljko.
“Blitzembye’s second to Wildwest (after leading) over 2130m last Friday night was a very good run,” said Reed.
Minstrel is in sound form. He led and won from Mighty Ronaldo five starts ago, and he has been placed at his past two starts (finishing strongly when third to Magnificent Storm in the WA Pacing Cup and then racing without cover before finishing a half-head second to stablemate Steel The Show over 2536m last Friday week).
Egerton-Green is facing a busy night with drives in eight of the nine events. Apart from Magnificent Storm, he is confident all his runners have each-way prospects, particularly three-year-old filly Zephyra, who will start from the outside of the front line in the Perth’s Kate Mac For Breakfast Pace over 2130m.
Zephyra will be making her first appearance since she covered extra ground and finished a disappointing sixth behind Allaglow on October 20. “She has been racing in stronger company and I give her a good chance,” said Egerton-Green.