Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
The appearance of exciting New Zealand-bred three-year-old Chase Me will be a major attraction at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he should make a successful Australian debut by winning the $23,000 Holey Moley Where Is Rolly Pace over 2130m.
Champion trainer Gary Hall Snr set him the task of having a quiet warm-up in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday morning when Gary Hall Jnr drove him to an effortless win against moderate opposition in a field of seven.
He began from the back line and Hall Jnr sent him forward and into the lead in the first lap before coasting to a 2m victory over three-year-old gelding Write Rite Right (one placing, a third at Pinjarra last November from six starts), rating 1.57, with final 400m sections of 29.3sec. and 28.6sec.
“He is pretty good,” said Hall Jnr. “We’ve had a few little issues with him, but he has plenty of ability. He is quite tough and has shown a good turn of foot at home as well. He seems to have it all.
“I don’t think he is as good as Cyclone Jordy, but he is better than Scooter B.” Cyclone Jordy has raced 14 times for twelve wins, including nine starts for nine wins in WA, and also including the group 1 Golden Slipper last September. Scooter B has had nine starts for three wins and four placings.
Chase Me will be having his first start since he won the $100,000 Golden Gate over 1609m in 1.55.5, with a final 800m of 56.5sec. at Alexandra Park on December 20.
A week earlier, Chase Me began from the back line and raced in seventh position for much of the way and out three wide for much of the final lap before winning by a half-neck from the fast-finishing Yourtheonethatiwant over 1700m.
Hall Snr also has two other runners in Friday night’s event, Blameitonthenight (Maddison Brown; barrier two) and My Watchlist (Stuart McDonald; barrier eight), with both having sound place prospects along with the Jocelyn Young-trained Caberneigh (Kyle Symington; barrier seven).