Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran trainer Mike Reed holds a powerful hand in the $27,000 Electrolux Golden Nugget Prelude over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with five runners — and star reinsman Shannon Suvaljko has given punters a valuable tip by choosing to drive Bettors Pride (barrier six) ahead of Lion Queen (one), Mikis Pride (two), Dark Eyes (nine) and Quinton (ten).
“I think Bettors Pride is more versatile than the other four stablemates,” explained Suvaljko. “He is a quality horse who won first-up two starts ago when he probably was underdone. He was backed up a week later when he started out wide at barrier eight, and it was a super run when he ran home to finish third (behind Sweet Vivienne). That was a better effort than his first-up win.”
Suvaljko said that he restricted his choice to one between Bettors Pride and Mikis Pride (Callan Suvaljko). “Mikis Pride is on a par with Bettors Pride and is working very well,” he said. “Bettors Pride has good gate speed; he can sit and sprint and he has good closing speed. And the faster they go, the better he goes.”
Suvaljko said that Lion Queen was sure to perform strongly from the inside barrier, and that Quinton was likely to gain an excellent run from the inside of the back line.
Emily Suvaljko is looking forward for a strong showing from the Michael Young-trainer Blaze Away, who will begin from barrier three.
“Blaze Away went really good last start (when seventh behind Copy Cat Queen in a group 3 event last Friday night) when he got to the line very well,” she said. “He is also a very good frontrunner but it doesn’t look like he will be able to get to the lead.”
Trainer Gary Hall Snr will be represented with smart four-year-olds Alta Tribute and Franco Motu, with Gary Hall Jnr opting to drive Franco Motu (a winner at six of his eight starts) from the outside of the back line, with Stuart McDonald booked to handle the in-form Alta Tribute from the No. 2 barrier on the back line.