Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Gary Hall Jnr has two fancied runners from his stable engaged in the $30,000 Lewis Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and he has chosen to handle Sweet Coco in preference to Eastbro Chrissy.
Hall drove six-year-old Sweet Coco when the mare ended a losing sequence of nine after enjoying the one-out, one-back trail and finishing strongly to win from Full Swing Denario over 1684m at Pinjarra three Mondays ago.
That was Sweet Coco’s eleventh win from 44 starts, and she is awkwardly drawn at barrier No. 7 on Friday night, with Eastbro Chrissy drawn out wide at barrier eight.
Chris Voak has been engaged to handle Eastbro Chrissy, who has been driven by Hall at her three runs in Western Australia for smart wins at Pinjarra and Gloucester Park before racing one-out and one-back and finishing solidly to be an excellent second to the brilliant Fakenit in the group 3 Kerry Clarke event over 2130m last Friday night.
Friday night’s event looks a very open affair, with Ruby Lovera, Wave Rebellion, Up And Alive, Poppyonthebeach, Delulu, Starlight Dream and Official Rock all having sound claims.
Ruby Lovera, to be driven by Trent Wheeler for trainer Justin Prentice, will start from the outside of the back line and is capable of running home strongly and figuring in the finish. She has been unplaced at her two most recent outings after being badly hampered for room in the closing stages.
Wave Rebellion, trained and driven by Stuart McDonald, will start from the inside of the back line. She lacks early pace but possesses a powerful finishing burst like she revealed last Friday night when she raced three back on the pegs and surged home out wide to finish third behind Fakenit and Eastbro Chrissy.