Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Exciting three-year-old My Watchlist, who showed outstanding ability in New Zealand early in the year, will make a much-anticipated Australian debut when he contests the opening event, the David Evans Memorial Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Hes Watching gelding is trained by Gary Hall Snr and will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr in the 2130m event in which he is favourably drawn at barrier three on the front line.
If he is on his best behaviour he should prove the master of his eleven rivals, including several recent winners. That is a significant proviso, considering his rebellious behaviour in New Zealand where he contested five races for two wins, two seconds and a fourth placing.
My Watchlist was most impressive in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week when he started from the outside in a field of seven and Stuart McDonald refrained from pushing him out at the start.
My Watchlist settled in fourth position before McDonald sent him forward and took the lead after 550m. He then paced faultlessly and coasted to victory, beating Paster Tedesco by eleven lengths, rating 1.56.9. The quarters of the final mile were run in 31sec., 29.5sec. 28.6sec. and 28.6sec.
He was on his worst behaviour on debut when having his only start as a two-year-old, in 2400m event at Winton last December. He began from the inside of the back line and broke into a fierce gallop after 50m, losing 15 lengths. He was eighth at the bell, ten lengths from the leader Bender, before he dashed forward, three wide, at the 700m and finished powerfully to be a half-length second to Bender, a four-year-old gelding.
At his next appearance, over 2200m at Gore on January 12 My Watchlist raced in the breeze throughout in the field of ten and finished second to Bollinger.
My Watchlist was the $1.20 favourite at his third start, over 2200m at Invercargill when he galloped badly from the No. 2 barrier, losing twelve lengths. He was still last in the field of eight 300m from home and he went four wide on the home turn and was seventh at the 120m before he exploded into action and won easily from Livy Desma.
His fourth start was over 2200m when he began speedily, surged to the front after 150m and went on to win by three lengths from Sonny Maguire. He was not extended in sprinting over the final 800m in 55.9sec.
Then, at his final appearance in New Zealand, on March 12, he galloped badly and lost ten lengths at the start before battling on to finish fourth, six lengths behind the winner Street Hawk in a field of six.
One of My Watchlist’s rivals is the Annie Belton-trained Mister Montblanc, who has resumed after a spell in fine style and has scored impressive victories over 1730m and 2130m at Gloucester Park. He possesses excellent gate speed, but from barrier four he could find that the three geldings drawn to his inside — Speedwagon, Eton Rock and My Watchlist — difficult to cross.