Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Five-year-old Acushla Machree is a big, sturdy and strong mare who is thriving on a heavy diet of racing, and she faces a stern task at Gloucester Park on Friday night when she lines up against some smart performers in the $27,000 Westral Window Blinds Pace over 2536m.
This will be her eighth start in a race in the space of 43 days when she begins from the coveted No. 1 barrier for trainer Michael Young and reinsman Gary Hall Jnr.
She produced a typically stout-hearted effort in a 2631m stand at Pinjarra on Monday when she began from the 10m mark and was eighth with 800m to travel before being switched three wide at the 400m and four wide on the home turn before surging home six wide to finish second, a half neck behind the winner My Silver Spoon.
Acushla Machree, the only mare in the race, is capable of setting a brisk pace in a race in which her most serious rivals are expected to be Star Casino, Bettors Pride, Blazing Reactor and Spyglass.
The Ray Williams-trained Star Casino has struck a purple patch of form with impressive victories off 50m over 2631m at Pinjarra and a three-length victory over Dark Eyes and Thelittle Master over 2536m at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Aldo Cortopassi has been driving Star Casino with plenty of aggression, and he is likely to get the New Zealand-bred gelding away smartly from the outside barrier in the field of eight to apply pressure on the leading division.
Star Casino began from barrier six last Friday night when he was able to dash to the front after 450m and then relax in front before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 27.7sec. and 28.6sec.
Considerable interest will surround the appearance of Acushla Machree’s two-year-old stablemate Toby George in the final event, the $21,000 Westral Honeycomb Blinds Pace over 1730m.
Toby George, to be driven by Hall from the No. 5 barrier in the field of seven, is searching to complete a hat-trick after victories at Gloucester Park and Pinjarra at his past two outings.
He was driven by Shannon Suvaljko when he rated a smart 1.56.9 over 1684m at Pinjarra on Monday. He mustered plenty of speed from barrier six and after racing four and five in the early stages he burst to the front after 120m. He was not extended in winning by a length from Waves of Fortune.
This was a far more convincing performance than what he showed in winning at a 2.0.4 rate over 1730m at Gloucester Park twenty days earlier when he raced roughly at various stages.
He began from the No. 2 barrier and settled down in fifth spot five length from the pacemaker before moving to the breeze and dashing over the final quarter in 28.6sec. to beat Star Aristocrat by a length.