Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Star reinsman Chris Voak is determined to make it fourth time lucky when he drives veteran pacer Sangue Reale in the $35,000 Howard Porter Memorial at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He has finished second three times in this feature event, with Red Salute in 2015, Gotta Go Gabbana in 2018 and Fanci A Dance in 2021, and this year he prepares and drives speedy eight-year-old Sangue Reale, who has drawn ideally at barrier No. 1.
Red Salute was a $19.30 chance when he began from the No. 1 barrier and trailed the pacemaker Crusader Banner before finishing strongly to fail by a half-length.
Gotta Go Gabbana was a $43.20 outsider from out wide at barrier seven when she raced in the breeze and finished second to the polemarker Maczaffair, and three years ago Fanci A Dance was a $13 chance from barrier one when he trailed the $1.20 favourite Hurricane Harley and finished second to that speedster.
Sangue Reale will be having his third start after an absence of nine and a half months and is close to his peak after strong-finishing thirds behind Aardiebytheseaside and Talks Up A Storm.
In both those events Sangue Reale was beaten home by Talks Up A Storm, who looms large as his most serious rival on Friday night when he will start from the No. 2 barrier.
“First-up, I didn’t bustle Sangue Reale,” said Voak. “I got squeezed up and then took ground off Talks Up A Storm, who finished second. Then, a week later, Sangue Reale took ground off Talks Up A Storm when coming home in 27.7sec., out four deep.
“Now I expect Sangue Reale to be ready to show his best. I’ll put the rogue’s hood on him, and he should be able to hold the lead. The previous time I used the rogue’s hood Sangue Reale crossed to the front from barrier four or five.”
Talks Up A Storm, to be driven by Kyle Harper for trainer Murray Lindau, is favourably drawn at barrier two. His recent form cannot be faulted, a second to Never Ending, a third behind Tenzing Bromac and Never Ending, a splendid second to Aardiebytheseaside in the August Cup, and a brilliant last-start victory when he began with dazzling speed from the No. 6 barrier and set the pace and won by a length from The Miki Taker, rating 1.56.3 over 2130m, with final quarters of 28.1sec. and 27.7sec.
Harper has tasted success in the Porter Memorial, with Bettors Fire leading from barrier four and beating The Bucket List in 2016.
The Porter Memorial was first run in 1978 when Pure Steel beat Virgil Queen, and Gary Hall Jnr has the best record in the event, having driven five winners, Fletcher Christian (2003), Crusader Banner (2015), Chicago Bull (2020), Hurricane Harley (2021) and Prince Of Pleasure (2023).
Hall faces a tough assignment this year when he will drive eight-year-old Cordero for owner-trainer Trevor Wright. He has driven the gelding only twice in his 145-start career for a seventh behind Steel The Show last November and a third behind Talks Up A Storm in January this year.
This will be Cordero’s first appearance since he was a $201 outsider who finished last behind Jumpingjackmac in the Bunbury Cup on March 30.
Leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond will be seeking their second success in the Porter Memorial when Deni Roberts will drive Steel The Show from the outside barrier in the field of seven. Steel The Show cannot be overlooked. He is racing in good form and his past 13 starts have produced two wins, four seconds, one third and four thirds.