Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo faces a usual busy evening at Gloucester Park when he will be in action in all nine events on Friday night.
Ten of his stable runners will contest the first eight events, and in the ninth race he will drive inexperienced two-year-old Le Jongleur for trainer Ryan Bell.
De Campo’s runners will, as usual, be popular with punters, but awkward barriers with most of them will require great skill, plus a portion of luck to emerge as winners.
Four-year-old Captain Said So has had a succession of unfavourable barriers and is awkwardly drawn at barrier six in the Book Your Christmas Party Pace over 2130m.
He was a well-supported $3.40 chance from the outside of the back line in a 2130m event last Friday night when he raced at the rear and was about to surge forward when he met with severe interference with 850m to travel, broke into a gallop and dropped back to finish ninth behind Major Express.
“Captain Said So was unlucky when he got knocked over at the bell last week,” said De Campo. “Barrier six is not ideal this week, but he is probably my best chance. I think he is back to his best, and at this stage I’m planning to go forward, and if he can’t find the front, he will hold the breeze and will go well.”
His toughest rival is expected to be comeback pacer Major Express, who was successful in last week’s event in which Captain Said So met with interference.
Major Express, driven by Toby Lynn for his father, Birchmont trainer Brad Lynn, raced wide early and then in the breeze before taking the lead with 230m to travel and winning by more than two lengths from the pacemaker Ravenous Romeo, rating 1.56.3 over 2130m after final quarters of 28.1sec. and 28.3sec.
De Campo said he was expecting a strong effort from four-year-old The Bettor Side, who will begin from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line in the opening event, the 2130m Taste Of WA Pace.
“The Bettor Side was good first-up (when he ran home powerfully from the rear to finish a head second to Float My Boat over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday of last week),” he said.
“From the wide draw he will probably have to go back, but he should go well.”
The Bettor Side’s stablemate Magic Captain will start from barrier six with Kylah Madden in the sulky. “From this barrier he probably will have to press forward.”
The main dangers to The Bettor Side are likely to be Troubadour and Her Presence.
Troubadour, trained by Greg and Skye Bond and to be driven by Deni Roberts, looks hard to beat, despite starting from out wide at barrier No. 8. He resumed racing after a four-month break when he raced without cover before getting up to win by a head from Princess Diamond over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week.
At her second appearance after a lengthy break, Her Presence, trained by Gary Hall Snr and driven by Gary Hall Jnr, was unlucky last Friday night when she trailed the pacemaker Grand Couteau and was blocked for a clear run when fifth behind that mare.