Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Outstanding Collie reinsman Trent Wheeler is aiming to take full advantage of the perfect draw at barrier No. 1 by attempting an all-the-way victory with the speedy Ignite The Furnace in the $215,000 Allwood Stud Farm Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He proved it in the Pearl Classic that he has above average ability when he came from a long way back to run third,” said Wheeler.
Ignite The Furnace, who is prepared by Bunbury trainer Sarah Wall, was a $34 chance in the final of the Pearl when he began from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line and settled down in tenth position before starting a three-wide move approaching the bell to finish third behind the pacemaker Hez The Boss and Ideal Whisper.
Hez The Boss, trained by Colin Brown and driven by Gary Hall Jnr, began from the prized No. 1 barrier and had an easy time in front with a slow lead time of 38sec. and modest opening quarters of 31.1sec. and 29.5sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 27.8sec. and 28.5sec.
“This time we have the draw advantage over Hez The Boss, so hopefully we will be able to benefit from that,” said Wheeler. “Ignite The Furnace will get out smartly and hopefully we will be in front.”
The Pearl was run four weeks ago, and then Ignite The Furnace began from the outside in a field of seven in a qualifying heat of the Westbred Classic on Tuesday of last week when he was restrained back to last before Wheeler urged him forward after 350m.
He sprinted fast to take the lead 200m later and was not extended before dashing over the final 400m in 27.8sec. and winning by just over a length from the fast-finishing Asteri Adelphos.
Hez The Boss will be attempting to extend his winning sequence to seven after finishing a half-head second to Seaside Serenade on debut, over 1684m at Pinjarra on January 26.
Brown will be looking for his second success in this feature event for two-year-old colts and geldings. He drove the Noel Keiley-trained Western Apache to victory in 2003 when the event was known as the State Sires series.
Hall has won the event twice — with Never Ending (2022) and Ideal Beach (2025) — with both youngsters being trained by Justin Prentice, who also trained and drove Major Martini when he won the race in 2019.
Prentice has two runners in this year’s race — Asteri Adelphos (barrier six; Dylan Egerton-Green) and Ideal Whisper (barrier seven; Deni Roberts).
Asteri Adelphos has raced four times and has finished second at his past three appearance. He impressed in a qualifying heat when he raced three back on the pegs before finishing strongly to finish a length behind the winner, Ignite The Furnace.
Ideal Whisper notched his third win from six starts when he began from barrier three and set the pace before scoring comfortably from Jetpack in a heat. “Lucky he is tough,” said Roberts in reference to Ideal Whisper’s awkward barrier.
Aiden De Campo, who is heading the State trainers’ premiership table this year, will have 17 runners from his stable in action on Friday night. He will drive Rock The Tour from the No. 2 barrier in the Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings.
He has trained and driven the winner of this event twice, scoring with Rock On Top in 2021 and Menemsha in 2023. “It is a good field, and I like Rock The Tour,” he said. “Hopefully, he can run in the top four or five.”
De Campo’s other runners, Jimmys Rainbow (barrier three; Ryan Warwick) and Themarasshadow (barrier five; Kylah Madden) will be among the outsiders and face difficult assignments.