Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
“He will lead and win,” was the confident prediction of champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr when assessing the prospects of Gambit in the $30,000 Mia and Macy Joss Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Gambit, trained by Hall’s father Gary, will start from the prized No. 1 barrier at his second start after a spell, following his first-up last placing in a field of nine behind Jumpingjackmac last Friday week.
“He drew badly (No. 6) last week when he went back at the start and sat last,” said Hall Jnr. “He is working really well, and I might be wrong, but I’d be surprised if Lavra Joe (outside barrier in the field of six) could beat Gambit, who gets out of the gate really good.”
Gambit, a New Zealand-bred six-year-old, has won at 12 of his 40 starts, including victories at his final three appearances before going for a spell when in successive weeks in February he defeated Arma Einstein, Double Up and Mighty Ronaldo.
Lavra Joe has returned to racing after a 13-month absence in good fashion, with wins over Typhoon Banner and Beat City followed by a fourth behind Jumpingjackmac and a last-start second to Vultan Tin last Friday night when he finished with a solid burst from sixth and last at the bell.
Apart from Gambit, the powerful Hall stable will be represented by Will I Rocknroll (barrier two) and Diego (five). Will I Rocknroll, to be driven by Stuart McDonald, has won at his past two starts, while Diego (Maddison Brown) is in splendid form with an all-the-way win over Chicago Bull and a good third behind Jumpingjackmac and Chicago Bull at his past two starts.
Five-year-old Jaspervellabeach has started from the No. 1 barrier at Gloucester Park four times for three all-the-way victories, and when the gelding drew the inside barrier for the 2130m WA Harness Racing Owners Association Pace it delighted trainer Gary Elson.
Jaspervellabeach has managed just one placing, a third behind The Kraken three starts ago, from his past eight starts, but he should prove very hard to beat on Friday night when Emily Suvaljko will be aiming to set the pace in a bid to record the pacer’s 14TH victory.