Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
“You can’t do much about his bad habits — it’s just him,” said star driver Deni Roberts when assessing the prospects of enigmatic four-year-old Greatgreat Boulder in the 3000 Vehicles Auto Wholesale Handicap, a stand over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Greatgreat Boulder has raced in stands at three of his past four starts and has galloped away in all three events before making up considerable lost ground at his past two appearances to finish second to Henrik Larsson at Pinjarra and then winning from Triroyale Brigade and Ideal Tomado at Pinjarra on Monday this week.
He galloped for only a few strides on Monday and lost ground before settling down in fifth position, about eight lengths behind the early leader Triroyale Brigade, and then dashing forward to take up the running after about 550m. He sprinted over the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 27.4sec.
“I liked his run on Monday when it was nice that he was able to find the front,” said Roberts. Greatgreat Boulder will start from the 10m line on Friday night, well ahead of his main rivals Star Casino (40m), Ideal Tomado (30m) and Lamandier (20m).
Roberts declared that her best winning prospect on the ten-event program was Justcallmemiki, who will start from the No. 1 barrier for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond in the $31,000 Westside Auto Fixed Price Servicing Free-For-All over 2130m.
Justcallmemiki, a New Zealand-bred four-year-old, made an auspicious Australian debut when he set the pace from the No. 1 barrier and won by almost three lengths from the brilliant Waverider in the group 3 Chandon Classic for four-year-olds last Friday week.
“He has good gate speed, and the plan will be to lead and give the others something to chase,” said Roberts. “He goes very good and should be very hard to beat.”
Justcallmemiki’s ten-year-old stablemate Mighty Conqueror will resume racing after a seven-month absence when he begins from the outside of the back line in this event.
Mighty Conqueror, a winner of 22 races and $697,791, will be driven by Stuart McDonald. “It’s been a bit of a campaign to get him back, but he is now going really good,” said Roberts.
Also resuming after a spell is Aiden De Campo’s The Miki Taker, a winner of 15 races and $300,275 from 57 starts. He is awkwardly drawn out wide at barrier eight.
The Miki Taker’s stablemate Rockandrollartist will be driven by Joey Suvaljko and is favourably drawn on the inside of the back line, immediately behind Justcallmemiki, whose major danger is expected to be Ryan Bell’s Waverider, who is in sparkling form.
Roberts is also looking forward to driving the Bond-trained Vegas Strip, who will be reappearing after a spell when he begins from barrier four in the $23,000 Westside Auto Service Now Available Pace.
Vegas Strip, winner of the Golden Slipper in September 2023, has won at eight of his 20 starts and should prove hard to beat at his first appearance since mid-November.
“If he gets a good run, he should be a good chance,” said Roberts. “I’ll need to study the opposition before deciding how I will drive him.”