Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Talented reinsman Aldo Cortopassi is confident that New Zealand-bred pacer Stamford will bounce back and end a losing sequence of nine when he begins from the No. 1 barrier in the 2536m Retravision Lowest Price Guarantee Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He said that the Ray Williams-trained gelding had experienced no luck when unplaced in two recent classic events for four-year-olds and that he was planning for an all-the-way victory this week when his clash with the smart Sugar Street (barrier two) should produce plenty of action.
“Stamford is quick, and he’ll be even quicker when there is a horse coming out with him,” said Cortopassi. “He will be running the gate hard, and the 2536m suits him. The uglier you drive him, the better he goes. He should have an advantage in fitness over Sugar Street. He has been running in some good races and he’s rock hard.”
Sugar Street, to be driven by Chris Lewis for Busselton trainer Barry Howlett, was an impressive first-up winner last Friday week when he raced wide early and then enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before finishing strongly to beat Ifeel Sikdarl at a 1.57.1 rate over 2130m.
Lewis showed his level of confidence in Sugar Street when he opted to drive him in preference to the speedy Mirragon, who is trained by his wife Debra. Mirragon will be driven by Jocelyn Young from out wide at barrier No. 9. “I have decided to drive Sugar Street because of the draw,” explained Lewis who has driven Mirragon 36 times for eight wins and nine placings.
Cortopassi and Lewis will clash again later in the program when they have excellent prospects of fighting out the finish of the 1730m Retravision NYE Pace for three-year-old fillies when Cortopassi will be in the sulky behind Cyclone Charlotte and Lewis will handle Little Darling.
Cyclone Charlotte, trained by Ray Williams, is awkwardly drawn out wide at barrier eight, while the Barry Howlett-trained Little Darling will begin from the outside barrier (three) on the back line. Both fillies were impressive last-start winners.
“It’s only a short trip, and we will have plenty of options,” said Cortopassi, who brought Cyclone Charlotte home with a brilliant late burst to beat Seven No Trumps last Friday night.
Little Darling raced wide early and then in the breeze before scoring an effortless victory at a 1.57.8 rate over 2130m last Friday week. “That was an excellent run,” said Lewis. “I’m very pleased with the way she is going, and even from barrier twelve she will be about the place on Friday night.”