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Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators

Star reinsman Shannon Suvaljko declared that Seven No Trumps was now fitter and stronger than he was last Friday week when he overcame an early setback before finishing with a spirited burst to win over 2130m at Gloucester Park and said that he planned to set a brisk pace in a concerted bid to beat the richly-talented filly Wonderful To Fly in the Sky Racing Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“We will come out hard (from barrier No. 5) and will lead,” said Suvaljko. “Seven No Trumps is a good colt, and he will beat the other colts and geldings. I will give him his chance in front. I’ll roll along and try to beat Wonderful To Fly. They say that a good colt will beat a good filly, but Wonderful To Fly is an exceptional filly.

“If she beats me, she beats me. However, Tilly (trainer Peter Tilbrook) is really happy with Seven No Trumps, and he reckons he is three or four lengths better than he was at his latest run.”

A fortnight ago Seven No Trumps started from the No. 1 barrier but was unable to lead when he struck the barrier arm when the mobile sent the field on its way, causing him to pace roughly and lose ground. He trailed the pacemaker Hoppys Way before getting off the pegs 400m from home and finishing strongly to win by a half-length from Make Your Mark.

Seven No Trumps has won four races and is on the way up. Wonderful To Fly, trained and driven by Shane Young, will start from the outside in the field of six. She has won seven times from 13 starts and has impressed greatly with her natural speed and wonderful versatility.

She was pitted against the colts and geldings in the group 1 Golden Slipper on Sunday, July 11 when she started from the No. 6 barrier and was restrained to the rear. She was well back in the field with 250m to travel when she met with interference and lost ground before finishing eighth behind Tricky Miki.

Suvaljko said that Seven No Trumps was his best drive at the nine-event program in which he gave The Tiger Army (race two), Alice Kay (race four), Space Junk (race three) and Miss Camouflage (race eight) each-way prospects.