Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Xceptional Arma has clashed with unbeaten filly Water Lou twice for two second placings, and now her driver Maddison Brown is planning to gain revenge by winning the $100,000 GPHR Diamond Classic for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Water Lou, trained by Kevin Keys, has won at all of her six starts, but she faces a stern test this week after drawing the outside barrier (No. 9) in the 2130m Group 2 event.
Xceptional Arma is trained by Colin Brown and her eight Gloucester Park starts have resulted in five wins and three seconds. She will start from barrier three on Friday night, with Maddison Brown saying: “Hopefully, we can get to the front, and if she leads it will make it a lot harder for Water Lou.
“Water Lou ran a very good time in winning her qualifying heat, but if Xceptional Arma leads, she will test her. On the rail is a huge advantage at Gloucester Park. Xceptional Arma raced in the breeze when she won her qualifying heat easily.”
Water Lou started out wide at barrier eight when she dashed to the front after 400m and went on to win the $100,000 Sales Classic over 1730m in March, beating Xceptional Arma by 4m after that filly had raced without cover.
Then, four weeks later Water Lou led from barrier two and held on to beat Xceptional Arma by a head in the 2130m Gold Bracelet.
Water Lou led from the No. 1 barrier and coasted to a seven-length win from Liquidator in a Diamond Classic qualifying heat on Tuesday of last week. The gross time was 2min. 35.5sec. and she rated 1.57.5.
Xceptional Arma raced in the breeze before taking the lead 300m from home and winning her qualifying heat by a length from Princess Katie. Her gross time was 2min. 37.9sec. and she rated 1.59.3.
A philosophical Keys admitted that he was disappointed that Water Lou had drawn the outside barrier. “But I couldn’t be happier with the way she is working,” he said. “She has a bit of class on her side, so all we need is a bit of luck in running. I’ll leave the tactics up to Shannon (Suvaljko).
“We have taken the head check off Water Lou for this preparation and we’ve got the European blinds on her instead of the blocks. She had been getting her head on the side, and she is now travelling straighter.”
Miss Hepburn has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier and trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo is likely to take advantage of the draw by setting the pace. She started from barrier seven in a qualifying heat in which she raced in sixth position before finishing solidly into fourth place behind the pacemaking In A Wink, who rated 2.0.7.
Miss Hepburn led from barrier three over 1730m at Gloucester Park three starts ago, on June 9, when she held on to beat Princess Katie by a head, with In A Wink in third place.
In A Wink’s full-sister In The Spotlight won the Diamond Classic by two and a half lengths from the $2 favourite Taking The Miki in May 2021 when she started from the outside of the back line, dashed forward from the rear after 350m and raced in the one-out, one-back position before hitting the front 500m from home.
In The Spotlight was prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who will be pinning their faith on Friday night on In A Wink, who will be driven by Deni Roberts from the No. 6 barrier.