Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Plans for former Victorian performer Duty Bound will be to surge to the front from barrier one and led his rivals on a merry dance in the 1730m Sky Racing Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Co-trainer Ross Olivieri is full of confidence after Duty Bound’s solid efforts when placed at his past three appearances.
“He gets out quick and I think he will lead, and whatever beats him will win,” said Olivieri. “He showed what he is capable of last week when he zoomed out of the gate (from barrier six) and set a fast lead time of 35.6sec.”
Duty Bound fought on strongly and finished second, a half-head behind Bellezza Nera in last week’s 2130m event.
“He has come back better this time,” said Olivieri. “When he came to us, he was a tired, angry horse, and after he had half a dozen starts for us, we spelled him, and he has definitely come back better on the comeback trail.”
The sparks are set to fly from the outset on Friday night when top-flight three-year-olds Fess Up (barrier one) and Im The Black Flash (barrier two on the back line) will clash in the opening event, the 1730m Summit Bloodstock Pace, in which they will meet older and more experienced rivals.
Fess Up and Im The Black Flash looked certain to fight out the finish as they prepare for the $200,000 WA Derby on November 3.
“Fess UP (to be driven by Deni Roberts) has come along really great,” said co-trainer Greg Bond. “He is headed towards the Western Gateway the following Friday before he runs in the Derby a fortnight later.
“He has come back (after a three-month break) with a good first-up win (over Star Casino) at Pinjarra and continues to improve.”
Champion trainer Gary Hall Snr has Im The Black Flash racing in fine form, leading into the Derby. Like Fess Up he is a son of champion sire Bettors Delight.
Im The Black Flash notched his sixth win from 14 starts when he sprinted the final 800m in 55.5sec. and beat Bettor Move Along by three lengths over 2130m on Tuesday of last week.
Fess Up will be one of several three-year-olds from the Bond camp who are being aimed for a start in the Derby. One of them, Advantage surged home powerfully with a 56.3sec. final 800m to get up and win by a half-head from Hotly Pursued over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.
“Advantage has got that bit of turn of foot, and he needed all of it tonight,” said Bond. “He is not quite in the same class as Fess Up and stablemates Lusaka and Cotton On, but he is getting better.”
Meanwhile, the Justin Prentice-trained Never Ending continued his triumphant march towards the Derby when he coasted to an effortless victory over his three rivals in the South-West Derby at Bunbury on Wednesday.
Driven by Gary Hall Jnr, Never Ending took the lead after 550m and was not extended in rating 1.56.7 over the 2100m trip and beating Runningonempty by two lengths after final quarters of 28.8sec., 28.5sec. and 27.3sec. This was Never Ending’s eleventh win from twelve starts.
Hall will drive another quality Derby hope Mister Smartee in the Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night. “He is ready and is good enough to win,” said Hall. Other Derby hopefuls in Skylou and Rolling Fire are sure to be prominent.