Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Valentines Brook, one of the State’s most improved pacers, will be aiming to stretch his winning streak to five when he contests the $23,750 Trotsynd Syndication Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He’s racing at his top, the distance (2130m) suits and we have a reasonable draw (No. 3) in a small field,” said talented young reinsman Kyle Symington.
Symington is fully aware of the quality of the opposition, but he said: “Valentines Brook probably will get his chance at some point in the race.”
Valentines Brook, prepared by Jocelyn Young, has revealed wonderful versatility in his recent wins, racing in the breeze, setting the pace, sitting behind the pacemaker and tramping three wide for much of the race.
Boom Time, another versatile pacer, has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier for his first appearance for Oakford trainer Jemma Hayman after a four-month absence. He will be handled by Chris Lewis and is capable of a bold first-up showing.
Sheez Our Hope will start from barrier two for trainer Mike Cornwall and reinsman Kyle Harper, and she will have many admirers after her excellent fourth behind Bettor Get It On last Friday night when having her first start for eleven months. She trailed the pacemaker Vivere Damore and was badly blocked for a clear run in the final stages.
Pradason (barrier five) and Eldaytona (six) have abundant gate speed, and the sparks could fly in the early stages with several runners contesting the lead.
Pradason is in career-best form, and he was untroubled to set the pace and win from James Butt over 21230m last Friday night for trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo.
Eldaytona, resuming for trainer Sue Wiscombe and driver Lindsay Harper after a two-month absence, is a dashing frontrunner, while The Ideal Touch, trainer Gary Hall senior’s only starter at the meeting, was an all-the-way winner two starts ago who has sound each-way prospects from the No. 4 barrier.
Also in the field is ten-year-old Galactic Star, a winner of 32 races and $718,023 in prizemoney. He will start out wide at barrier seven, but is capable of making his presence felt.
Blythewood trainer-reinsman Corey Peterson is looking forward for a bold showing from seven-year-old Theo Aviator, who will start from the No. 2 barrier on the back line in the Perth APG Yearling Sale Pace.
Theo Aviator has not been successful for three years but he looms large as a wonderful each-way prospect, following his unlucky third behind Pradason and James Butt over 2130m last Friday night. He trailed the pacemaking Pradason all the way and was badly blocked for a clear passage in the final lap.
“He drops back a grade here, and that suits him,” said Peterson. “He had no luck last week when he couldn’t get out. He went to the line hard held and I didn’t pull the plugs. From barrier eleven this week we’ve got options. We can race three back on the pegs or we can stay in the moving line.”