Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Twelve months ago, Deni Roberts drove Lusaka into second place in the Westen Gateway Pace, and she has high hopes of going one better at Gloucester Park on Friday night by guiding exciting colt Christopher Dance to victory in the $50,000 group 3 Western Gateway Pace for three-year-olds.
Christopher Dance, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, is awkwardly drawn at barrier No. 6 in the 2536m event, the same barrier as the Bond-trained Lusaka had when he was restrained to the rear at the start before sustaining a spirited burst from twelfth (and last) at the bell to finish second to Mister Smartee a year ago.
Interestingly, when Roberts made her first appearance in the Western Gateway, in October 2022, she drove $126 outsider Rollindowntheriver from the No. 6 barrier. She restrained the gelding to the rear, and he battled on into ninth place behind Tricky Miki.
From the No. 6 barrier on Friday night Roberts will leave her options open and will determine her tactics when the mobile barrier sends the field of 12 on its way.
Christopher Dance, a New Zealand-bred colt by outstanding American sire Sweet Lou, has revealed his wonderful versatility during his eight-start career of three wins and three placings.
At his Australian debut in a 2130m event at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week, Christopher Dance was not bustled out from out wide at barrier seven before strolling to the front after 600m and coasting to victory by three and a half lengths from Mikis Pride, rating 1.57.7 after final quarters of 28.7sec. and 27.5sec.
In a 2185m trial at Pinjarra the previous week Christopher Dance burst straight to the front from the No. 5 barrier and set the pace before winning, unextended, by seven and half lengths, from Tommy Price.
His final appearance in New Zealand was in the 2700m Northern Derby at Alexandra Park on March 22 this year when he began from barrier four on the back line in the field of 13. He was not pushed out, and settled down in tenth position before dashing forward, three wide, with 1400m to travel before bursting to the front at the bell and finishing second, beaten by a head by Cold Chisel, who ran home strongly along the inside.
Greg Bond prepared Ohokas Bondy for his victory in the Western Gateway in 2011, and Bond and his wife Skye were the successful trainers when Mitch Maguire won the race in 2017.
The Bond stable has a powerful representation in this week’s event, with five runners — Christopher Dance, Golden Lode, Vegas Strip, Thenu Came Along and Tualou, with each of them having been driven by Roberts at their most recent start.
Golden Lode, a superb winner last Friday night, will start from the favourable barrier two with Donald Harper in the sulky. Chris Lewis will drive Vegas Strip (barrier five), Trent Wheeler will handle Thenu Came Along (barrier eight), and Dylan Egerton-Green will drive Tualou (from the inside barrier on the back line).
Lewis will be seeking a record seventh victory in the Western Gateway. He has won the race with Flashing Star (1993), Pro Armbro (1995), Saab (1998), Talladega (2000), Alberta Retreat (2005) and Lavra Joe (2021).
Gary Hall Jnr, who has won the event with Alta Christiano (2013), Beaudiene Boaz (2015), Chicago Bull (2016), Tricky Miki (2022) and Mister Smartee (2023), will drive the smart but comparatively inexperienced gelding Alta Tribute, who faces a stiff task from out wide at barrier seven for trainer Gary Hall Snr, who has won the feature event a record seven times.
Alta Tribute won convincingly at his first four starts (at Gloucester Park in August and September) and was an excellent second last Friday night when beaten a neck by Golden Lode, who charged home from last at the bell.
Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell did not have much luck in the random barrier draw with Franco Encore (Ryan Warwick) drawing the outside (No. 9) on the front line and Waverider (Kyle Symington) at the outside of the back line of three runners.
Waverider, a winner at seven of his 14 starts, has resumed after a spell in sound form and is capable of a bold showing at his first appearance for six weeks, when he set the pace and finished a neck second to Bet The House in the group 2 Westbred Classic.