Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Ardens Horizon has a losing sequence of eleven, but his three runs since resuming after a spell have delighted trainer-reinsman Callan Suvaljko, who gives the New Zealand-bred four-year-old a strong winning chance in the $50,000 Christmas Gift at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Ardens Delight, a winner at 13 of his 45 starts, has drawn perfectly at barrier one, and Suvaljko will be anxious to set the pace in the 2130m feature event.
“Hoppys Way (barrier five) might be able to cross (to the front) but I’ll be keen to lead with Ardens Horizon, who comes out pretty quick,” said Suvaljko.
Last Friday night Ardens Horizon began from the inside of the back line in the Golden Nugget Consolation when he raced three back on the pegs and finished third behind Steno and Arma Xfactor.
“I was held up on the inside and ran the final quarters in 28.7sec. and 26.9sec.,” Suvaljko said. “The previous week Ardens Horizon set the pace in a 2503m stand and did a excellent job in finishing second to Minstrel, who simply was too good, and a week before that when racing first-up Ardens Horizon went to the line bolting when tenth behind Floewriter. He was hopelessly blocked for a clear run.”
Suvaljko’s brother Shannon, refreshed after a week’s holiday in Singapore, is sure to be anxious to use Hoppys Way’s sparkling gate speed, like he did two starts ago when the Mike Reed-trained horse led and was beaten by a half-head in the final stride by the fast-finishing Wonderful To Fly in the Group 2 Four-Year-Old Classic.
Then, last Friday night Hoppys Way began from the inside of the back line and was blocked for a run until getting into the clear 120m from the post and then flashing home to finish fourth behind Tricky Miki in the Golden Nugget.
Adding considerable interest in Friday night’s race will be the appearance of My Ultimate Chevron, who will be making his WA debut for trainer Michael Young and reinsman Gary Hall jnr.
My Ultimate Chevron will start from the No. 4 barrier at his first start since he was restrained from a wide barrier and raced five back on the pegs before finishing last in a 2300m event at Menangle on August 19.
The New Zealand-bred My Ultimate Chevron, a son of Sweet Lou, has had 40 starts for ten wins, eight seconds and four thirds. He impressed in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week when he started from the inside of the back line and settled in sixth place before dashing forward to take the lead after a lap.
He went on to sprint over the final quarters in 28.9sec. and 28.7sec. and win by a length and a half from stablemate Miss Serenade, rating 1.57.4.
“The trial was pretty good,” said Young. “My Ultimate Chevron is a pretty chilled out customer, and once he got to the front in the trial, he did a bit of star searching. It’s a good and even field on Friday night but he should make his presence let.”
Hall agreed, saying: “The trial was good enough to suggest he will play a part.” Hall has won the Christmas Gift with Livingontheinterest (2012), Tuxedo Tour (2014), Rub Of The Green (2016), Herrick Roosevelt (2017) and Jumpingjackmac (2021).
Deni Roberts is looking forward to driving the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Carana, who is favourably drawn at barrier No. 2 for his first appearance in a mobile event in WA where his first twelve runs have all been in stands for seven wins, three seconds and two fourths.
Carana was a certainty beaten last Friday night when, after getting away perfectly before a false start was called, he galloped at the second attempt and settled down a distant eighth before finishing strongly from sixth at the bell to be second to Raven Banner.
“He will be fine in this mobile event,” said Roberts. “He has good gate speed, and there’s a few others who have good gate speed as well. It was a super run last week and he was very unlucky.”
The Bonds have won the Christmas Gift with Motu Treasure (2010), Russley Rascal (2011) and Saying Grace (2018).
The Ryan Bell-trained Tiger Royal (barrier three) will have many admirers, with reinsman Kyle Symington saying: “He is up in grade a bit, but he has been very consistent, and, hopefully, he can keep that up.” Bell trained and drove Schinzig Buller for his win in the 2009 Christmas Gift.
Kevin Keys, who prepared Tuxedo Tour for his win in 2013, has high hopes that Ryan Warwick will be able to weave some magic and land Alcopony as the winner after starting from the outside of the back line. Warwick drove Saying Grace for his all-the-way victory over Gotta Go Gabbana and Walkinshaw in 2018.