Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Mardella trainer Michael Young expects to be singing on the way home from Gloucester Park on Friday night as he celebrates a double, winning the final two events with Watching Our Coin and Lamandier, who will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr.
“Lamandier should be able to lead (from barrier one) and win (the 2536m Sky Channel Pace) and Watching Our Coin will be able to race in the breeze and go on and win the 2130m WA Hall Of Fame Pace,” he said.
Lamandier reappeared after an absence of six and a half weeks last Friday night when he led for the first 250m and then trailed the pacemaker Taking the Miki before finishing second, five lengths behind Taking The Miki, with the final 400m sections being run in 28.3sec. and 27.9sec.
“Lamandier was sensational, and he went the best time of his career,” said a buoyant Young. “He was beaten by Taking The Miki, who would win this race on Friday night (if she contested it) by 150 metres.
“He was racing first-up last week and that’s why we took the sit. Otherwise, we would have copped plenty of pressure. This week he should be able to lead and win.”
Watching Our Coin set the pace and won a 2503m stand last Friday night, and this week the New Zealand-bred six-year-old will return to mobile racing when he starts from the No. 3 barrier.
Young said that he expects the pole horse Thomson Bay to take up the running from the No. 1 barrier, and that Watching Our Coin’s stablemate Firerockfireroll (barrier two) to take the sit behind either Thomson Bay or Jaspervellabeach.
“Whatever happens, I would say that Watching Our Coin will be in the breeze, and I think he will be able to sit outside either of those horses and beat them.”