Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Mardella trainer Michael Young has decided on a change of tactics for exciting, lightly-raced four-year-old Heez A Vibe when Emily Suvaljko drives him in the 2130m The West Sport Show Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Heez A Vibe made an unsuccessful challenge for the lead in a 1730m event last Friday night before he raced in the breeze and wilted to finish seventh behind Spicey Major.
He will start from the No. 6 barrier in a field if seven this week, and Young said: “He won’t be in the breeze this week. We will sit him up, and he will be a good winning chance.”
Suvaljko, who is the early leader with 13 wins in the WA drivers’ premiership table, said: “He has good gate speed, but he is a small horse, and I don’t think he is mentally tough enough to race in the breeze. If he is sat up, he has a lethal sprint.”
Heez A Vibe’s chief rivals should be Gully Gum (barrier one) and Showpony (barrier five). Gully Gum, a winner at ten of his 26 starts, is racing in fine form for Bunbury trainer Bob Mellsop, and will be driven by Deni Roberts.
Showpony, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, was outstanding last Friday night when he began out wide at barrier eight and raced without cover before fighting on grandly to finish a half-length second to the pacemaker Maungatahi after the final quarters were run in 28.2sec. and 27.7sec.
Suvaljko also has excellent winning prospects with the Katja Warwick-trained Rascal, who looks set to lead from the No. 1 barrier in the $31,000 Streamer.com.au Pace.
“I’ll be hoping to lead because that’s where Rascal runs his best races,” said Suvaljko. “I’d like to keep Rascal rolling along to keep Paul Edward and Soho Santorini at bay.”