Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Mt Helena trainer Ray Williams has the consistent pacer Vanderbilt racing in wonderful form and the New Zealand-bred five-year-old should give punters a flying start at Gloucester Park on Friday night by winning the opening event, the $25,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Autumn Series final over 2130m.
Vanderbilt, who’s past five starts have resulted in two wins and three seconds, will be driven by Aldo Cortopassi and will start from the No. 6 barrier. He pulled hard when racing three back on the pegs and was still good enough to win easily from Chillin at a 1.55.7 rate over 2185m at Pinjarra last Monday week.
He should again prove the master of Chillin, who will start from the No. 2 barrier on the back line, with Gary Hall Jnr in the sulky. “He is not going quite as good as he can but is still a chance,” said Hall.
Williams also has sound winning prospects with Star Casino in the $27,000 Call Garrard’s Horse And Hound For All Your Equine Needs Pace over 1730m.
Star Casino, who has a losing sequence of 14, is the only runner on the back line and will be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, who said: “He is my best drive at the meeting and is a very good chance. He is getting better with every run and will be right there.”
Star Casino fought on determinedly from eighth at the bell to finish fourth behind Soho Santorini last Friday week when the final 800m in the 2130m event was covered in 55.9sec.
Williams has high hopes that Magnificent Storm will prove hard to beat in the $50,000 Bunbury Cup when the millionaire pacer makes his first appearance at Donaldson Park. He reappeared after a 15-month absence when he finished a close third behind Sangue Reale and Minstrel in the 1684m Mount Eden Sprint at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
Magnificent Storm will begin from barrier three on the back line and clash with Mister Smartee and other star pacers, including Mighty Ronaldo, Mighty Conqueror and The Miki Taker.
Mister Smartee, trained by Gary Hall Snr, has won at 15 of his 18 starts and will be racing for the first time since winning the Group 1 Golden Nugget last December. He will begin from barrier two on the back line.
Reinsman Gary Hall Jnr predicts a strong first-up performance from Mister Smartee, saying: “He is working super and I’m really happy with him. Obviously, he will need the run, but I still think that whoever beats him will win.”
The Justin Prentice-trained seven-year-old Mighty Ronaldo’s recent efforts, including his last-start half-head second to Tenzing Bromac, when he set the pace, have been most encouraging.
Mighty Ronaldo will be having his fourth start in the Bunbury Cup, following his victory over Vultan Tin in 2022, his third behind Diego in 2023 and his fifth behind Jumpingjackmac in 2024.