Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Mundijong trainer Michael Young was delighted with star mare Eighteen Carat’s unlucky first-up fifth behind Hector last week and declared that she would take a power of beating in the $26,000 Retravision Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She has come back as good as ever,” Young declared. “Last week she didn’t get clear running in the straight and she locked stays with Dont Bother Me None and carried that horse all the way up the straight.”
Eighteen Carat, who was reappearing after a four-month absence last week, performed brilliantly last year when her 14 starts produced eight wins and three placings, including victories in one group 1 event, two group 2 events and two group 3 feature races.
She will again be driven by Gary Hall Jnr and will start out wide at barrier seven on Friday night, with her main rival Wonderful To Fly on the outside in the field of eight.
“We will look to keep our advantage over Wonderful To Fly,” said Young. “If Eighteen Carat leads, she will be unbeatable and will also be hard to beat if she doesn’t lead.”
Eighteen Carat’s clash with the brilliant four-year-old Wonderful To Fly is sure to be a highlight of the ten-event program. Wonderful To Fly has resumed after a spell in fine style, with her three starts producing two wins and an unlucky head second to Simply Shaz in the Empress Stakes.
Wonderful To Fly has amassed $446,725 in stakes from her 23 wins and seven placings from 37 starts. She has been handled in all her starts by part-owner and trainer Shane Young, who will be on the sidelines this week, serving a term of suspension for causing interference in a race. Replacing Young in the sulky will be his niece Jocelyn Young.
The Youngs are not related to Eighteen Carat’s trainer Michael Young, who looks set for an extremely profitable night with his eight runners.
Apart from Eighteen Carat, Young is confident of winning with Kimble (race two), The Mustang (race three), Firerockfireroll (race five) and Lamandier (race six), with Hall driving all those pacers.
“From barrier one over 1730m Kimble should lead and win,” said Young. “I thought he was a bit disappointing last week (when sixth behind The Mustang). But he had excuses and his form before that was good.
“Nothing is going to cross The Mustang from barrier one, and he should win. Firerockfireroll is resuming after a spell, and he is favourably drawn at barrier two.”
Firerockfireroll has not raced for 17 weeks — since he led from barrier one and won from Ragazzo Mach in the group 2 Christmas Gift.
Young said that if Lamandier was on his best behaviour he would prove very hard to beat in the The Trots WA Handicap, a 2530m stand, particularly if he set the pace.
In-form reinsman Chris Voak has six drives at the meeting, and all have each-way prospects. He predicted that Onesmartfella was capable of a strong showing from barrier two in the Steelos Restaurant Pace in which he will start from the No. 2 barrier, with the favourite Kimble drawn perfectly at barrier No. 1.
“If he had drawn to lead, he would be hard to beat,” said Voak. “His run last week (when eighth behind Goodfellaz) was terrific. I missed a couple of spots early and that probably was the difference between running eighth or third.
“Disco Under Fire has drawn ideally at barrier ten and is capable of following The Mustang and finishing second to him. Miss Boudica has place prospects in the race for mares, and Jackie Daniels should perform well in the Gold Bullion for three-year-old fillies.
“Jackie Daniels was excellent last start (when third behind Flametree) when trainer David Young thought she was underdone. He now tells me that she will be cherry ripe for this week’s race, and I wouldn’t be against leading.”