Ken Casellas | Photo: Pacepix
Skylord, with a winning record of 50 per cent, is a leading contender for the $200,000 WA Derby on November 3, and his trainer and driver Jocelyn Young is planning to use his excellent gate speed from out wide at barrier six in the 2130m GPHR Westsired Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“The aim will be to go forward and lead,” said Young, who is confident that the colt will improve on his second-up third behind Mister Smartee and Crowd Control over 2536m last Friday night when he began speedily from barrier seven and had a tough run in the breeze. That followed his first-up win over Paul Edward when he led from barrier two over 2100m at Bunbury.
Young was pleased with Skylord’s effort at his first attempt over the Derby distance of 2536m when Mister Smartee rated 1.57.3. She pointed out that Tricky Miki rated 1.58.8 when he won the Derby last November.
“Skylord will improve on his last week’s run,” said Young, who was successful with her only drive at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening when four-year-old Cut N Run, trained by Cameron Ross, gave an excellent frontrunning performance to win from the fast-finishing last-start winner Mr Chip.
Ross and Young are hoping for a strong performance from Steno in the $22,000 Bridge Bar Pace on Friday night. Steno is awkwardly drawn at barrier seven, with her main rival Acharne Girl drawn the outside barrier in the field of nine.
Steno, blessed with sparkling gate speed, has a fine record of eleven wis and nine placings from 25 starts. She was a $51 outsider from barrier eight in a Group 3 feature event last Friday week when she raced in the one-out, two-back position and finished a fair sixth behind Wonderful To Fly. A week earlier she sat behind the pacemaker Wonderful To Fly and finished second to that brilliant mare over 2130m.
“She is best suited at leading,” said Young. “That’s where she has won all her races. She has enough gate speed (to come out) but some of the others will have the same idea.”
Steno’s main dangers are likely to be Acharne Girl and Dontbesillychilli, with Acharne Girl certain to be hard to beat, despite the outside draw. Archarne Girl was most unlucky second when second to Dontbesillychilly last Friday night. The winning margin was four and a half lengths. But Acharne Girl was hopelessly hemmed in on the pegs behind the tiring pacemaker Our Star Billing in the final lap and did not get clear until the home turn before she sprinted brilliantly.
Dontbesillychilli, trained by Sarah Wall and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, was a spectacular winner, charging home with a dazzling last-to-first sprint. She is favourably drawn at barrier two on Friday night.