Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
“When you’re on to a good thing, stick to it,” declared Byford trainer Katja Warwick when Sebastian James drew the coveted No. 1 barrier in the $100,000 Hoist Torque Australia Pearl Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Sebastian James has started from the No. 1 barrier twice and the No. 2 barrier once from his past three starts, for all-the-way wins at Gloucester Park, and Warwick and leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko will be looking to repeat the dose in the final of the classic.
“It’s obvious that the plan will be to lead,” said Warwick. “That’s what he has been doing, and he does it pretty well. His work since his heat win (on Tuesday of last week) has been super. Shannon was really happy with him in the heat, and he said that the colt had plenty left.
“Sebastian James was that far in front in the (home) straight (two lengths clear at the 100m) that he lost concentration. He was confused, not knowing where the others were. But as soon as he heard them coming he switched on.”
Sebastian James beat the fast-finishing Captain Stirling by a half-length, with the final three 400m sections being run in 28.5sec., 29.1sec. and 29.4sec.
Warwick also has a good second-string runner on Friday night in Hold The Ammo, who set a modest pace from the No. 1 barrier before sprinting over the final 400m in 27.3sec. to win a heat by a half neck from Fillmypocket.
Fillmypocket, to be driven by Maddison Brown for trainer Justin Prentice, began from the outside barrier in the heat and fought on grandly after working in the breeze. He will start from barrier five in the final.
Prentice also has another smart youngster in Im Massimo, who started from the back line and enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before finishing strongly with a 27.6sec. final quarter to win a qualifying heat by a neck from the pacemaker Xpress Party.
Im Massimo will be driven by Gary Hall and will start from the back line, immediately behind Sebastian James. He looks set to fight out the finish.
Lake Pichola, trained by Ron Huston, will start from barrier No. 4 in the final and will be handled by Chris Voak. The gelding put up an excellent performance when third behind Im Massimo in a heat.
Lake Pichola began from the outside of the front line (barrier No. 9) and was pushed wide soon after the start before Voak eased him back to the rear. He was ninth at the bell and got off the pegs with 650m to travel before running home powerfully.
“He had no luck early and I didn’t think he would qualify for the final when he was at the rear on the pegs,” said Huston.
Captain Stirling, trained and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, ran home strongly to finish second to Sebastian James in a qualifying heat. However, he has fared poorly in the draw and faces a stiff test from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
Captain Stirling has raced keenly for a Pinjarra win and four seconds and a third placing from six starts. “The draw is a blow,” said Egerton-Green. “He is racing well and is versatile, and if the race is run to suit, he could be doing his best work at the finish.”