Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
A dashing trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week is a significant pointer to the filly’s ability to overcome the outside barrier and win the $21,000 Download The TABtouch App Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Highview Heidi, trained in Bunbury by Paul Strachan, will be driven by Chris Voak, who was in the sulky when she raced in fifth position in the Indian file 2185m trial at Pinjarra and was eased off the pegs 1100m from home and raced in the breeze before surging to the front with 480m to travel on her way to winning by three and a half lengths from Write Rite Right.
Highview Heidi rated 2.1.4, with the final 400m sections being covered in 27.6sec. and 30sec.
She will start from the outside barrier in the field of eight on Friday night when she will be having her first start since she enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position before finishing strongly to win by 5m from Shoobees Double at Gloucester Park nine weeks ago, rating 1.58.2 over 1730m.
Voak sounded a word of caution when assessing Highview Heidi’s prospects, saying: “I’m not sure where I’m going to get from the wide barrier. However, the trial was very good, and we should finish thereabouts.”
Hot Hand Horror, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, will make her debut in Friday night’s race and has drawn perfectly at the No. 1 barrier, with De Campo saying: “She is a handy filly who does everything right, and she should be able to hold her own.”
Hot Hand Horror improved from fourth at the bell to finish third in last week’s trial. Shoobees Double, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko for Simone Strachan (wife of Highview Heidi’s trainer), revealed sparkling gate speed in last week’s trial to burst to the front before setting the pace and wilting to finish fourth.
Shoobees Double will begin from the No. 3 barrier on Friday night and the massive filly appeals as the likely pacemaker. “She will go good over a mile,” said her driver Shannon
Suvaljko.
With Trent Wheeler opting to drive at Friday night’s Bunbury meeting Coolup trainer Frank Nafranec has engaged Deni Roberts to drive promising filly Reinette, who will begin from the No. 6 barrier.
Reinette led from barrier four and won easily at her debut at Pinjarra in early January, and then at her third start she was prominent throughout and won convincingly over 1609m in 1.56.3 at Bunbury on March 2.
Other last-start winners in Friday night’s 1730m event are Diamondsareforever and Poppys Last Dance.