Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Penny Black is one of the State’s best mares, and she maintained her outstanding form with a splendid victory in the Race For Roses last Friday night.
She is drawn to begin from barrier three in the $25,000 Go One Better With Westral Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, but her driver Gary Hall Jnr is taking nothing for granted and said that the race promised to be far from a casual walk in the park.
“It’s a hard race, and drawn outside Little Darling (barrier two) makes it a bit harder,” said Hall. “And horses four, five and six (Nullarbor Navajo, Water Lou and Wonderful To Fly) have got good closing speed.
“Penny Black is definitely not a certainty, but I wouldn’t be swapping drives with any of the others.”
Penny Black’s trainer Michael Young has a high opinion of Penny Black and said he was delighted with her win last Friday night. “It was what we’ve come to expect from her,” he said.
“Penny Black probably will be able to race in the one-out, one-back position this week because I don’t expect Little Darling (to be driven by Chris Lewis) to give us the breeze.
“My other runner Princess Katie has drawn barrier one, and I will be instructing Emily Suvaljko to hold the lead. She is flying and will have a (winning) chance if she leads. She was unlucky last week (when she raced four back on the pegs and was hopelessly blocked for a clear run in the last lap when fifth behind Penny Black). That’s the plan.”
Little Darling, trained by Barry Howlett, is in sparkling form and was most impressive last Friday night when a close second to star mare Wonderful To Fly. She was shuffled back to last at the bell in the field of nine before running home with a sizzling burst of speed.
Nullarbor Navajo, trained and driven by Corey Peterson, showed her class with a brilliant victory over Steno and Aardiebytheseaside in the Golden Girls Mile, rating 1.50.6 over 1684m at Pinjarra two starts ago.
Water Lou, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko for trainer Mike Reed, has won at 21 of her 31 starts and she is sure to be improved by her effort when third behind Penny Black last week when she began from the 30m mark and dashed forward early to set the pace.
“Water Lou has drawn outside of Penny Black which will make it hard,” said Reed.
Wonderful To Fly, trained and driven by Shane Young, bounced back to her best form last Friday night when she was sixth, three back on the pegs at the bell before charging home to win from Little darling and Aardiebytheseaside.