Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran Collie pacer Bettor Move Along ended a losing sequence of ten when he revealed splendid fighting qualities to score a decisive victory over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening, boosting his trainer Brian Wheeler’s confidence that the seven-year-old was capable of making it two wins in the space of four days when he contests the Bill The Better Butcher Pace on Friday night.
“His strength is his toughness,” said Wheeler, an indication that the seven-year-old would go forward in the early stages from his wide draw at barrier eight.
Bettor Move Along also began from the No. 8 barrier in the field of eight on Tuesday night when Wheeler’s son Trent sent the gelding forward soon after the start to race in the breeze outside the pacemaker Ruby Lou. Bettor Move Along got to a narrow lead approaching the home turn and went on under vigorous driving to win by a length.
Captains Beachbabe, an easy winner at Narrogin three starts ago, is the likely favourite from the No. 4 barrier. However, some punters will be reluctant to invest on the Michael Young-trained mare who will be driven by Emily Suvaljko. They will be wary because Captains Beachbabe has a poor record at Gloucester Park, having raced there 34 times for one win (as a three-year-old on June 4, 2021), two seconds and five third placings.
Eight-year-old Joey James, trained by Brad Lynn and driven by his son Toby, will have admirers because of his favourable barrier at No. 2. He has a losing sequence of 20 and has been unplaced at his past eight starts.
Dalvey Robyn, trained and driven by Gary Hall Jnr, drops considerably in class from Free-For-All company when he contests the $23,000 Prince Brino Pace over 2130m. He is awkwardly drawn at barrier seven but should prove hard to beat following his shock victory over Swingband two starts ago and his nose second to Hampton Banner last Friday night.
“Dalvey Robyn will be right in it,” said Hall. “I was happy with his run last week when he was not suited by racing in the breeze. I have plenty of respect for Rockandrollartist, who is flying.”
Trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo said that Rockandrollartist would need some luck after starting from the outside barrier in the field of eight. “It’s not an ideal draw but he is racing very well,” he said. “His past two runs have been career-best, and he showed he can do a bit and come from back in the field.”
Bunbury trainer Bob Mellsop’s runners Heavenly Wage and Gully Gum are in excellent form and should be prominent. Deni Roberts have given punters a lead by choosing to drive Gully Gum from barrier four, while Kyle Symington has been engaged to handle Heavenly Wage from the No. 1 barrier.
“It was a hard decision,” said Roberts. “Both pacers are going quite well, and I chose Gully Gum because I think he is more versatile than Heavenly Wage.”
Roberts is also looking forward to a strong performance from Thelittle Master, who will start from barrier seven in the $23,000 Womencan-Teal Team Pace over 2536m.
“Thelittle Master has drawn poorly but this field is not as strong a race as the ones he has been in lately,” she said. “He needs a bit of speed on, and he should come home strongly again.”
Symington is looking to open the meeting on a winning note by driving the Jemma Hayman-trained Chilli Punter to victory in the $21,000 Bill and Norma Horn Memorial Pace over 2130m. “The good draw is a big help, and she should have taken benefit from her latest run when third behind Champagne Everyone and Hunt The Magic,” said Symington.
Mellsop and Roberts are hoping that Hold That Gold will bounce back from his surprise last-start defeat when he raced without cover before fading to a distant eighth behind Luvaflair four Fridays ago by fighting out the finish of the 2130m Village Catering Trot.
“Hold That Gold had a few issues which caused him to miss the Trotters Cup two weeks ago, but he has been working well in the past couple of weeks,” said Roberts.
Hold That Gold won seven in a row before his last-start failure, and he again should prove to be hard to beat against Trotters Cup winner Patched and other in-form trotters Nickys Son and Aldebaran Sundown.