Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Speedy pacer Eldaytona has an ideal opportunity to end a losing sequence of twelve, according to his trainer-reinsman Lindsay Harper, when he begins from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the 2536m Bridge Bar Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He hasn’t been drawing well and he has been chasing all the time,” said Harper. “But from No. 1 on Friday night he gets his chance to bounce back. I think he will lead and prove hard to beat.
“Bad draws and chasing good horses is not an ideal recipe. Last week Swingband drew No. 1 and Eldaytona started from barrier twelve. You simply can’t give horses like that a start. However, I still got Eldaytona to run 2.26 over the final 2000 metres.”
Eldaytona has won 13 times from 47 starts, while leading at ten of those wins. He will need to be on his game to defeat several in-form pacers of the calibre of Classic Choice, Stamford, The Code Breaker, Moonlite Drive and Blitzembye.
“Eldaytona is a very good horse, but he has had some muscle issues over the past six months,” said Harper. “His muscle enzymes have been through the roof and have been restricting his performances.”
Harper is also looking forward to driving two-year-old filly Hunt the Magic for Byford trainer Ian Gossage in the 1730m Bridge Bar Pace in which she will start from the outside barrier (No. 9).
Hunt The Magic, a winner at one of her eleven starts, gave an excellent performance in a 2100m event at Bunbury on Wednesday of last week. She galloped badly in the score-up and lost about 50 metres. She was last at the bell and sixth with 350m to travel before being switched four wide on the home turn and running home powerfully to finish a half-length second to Purest Copper.
“She is a lovely filly and is still learning to race,” said Harper. “She stuffed up at Bunbury last week, gave the leaders 60 metres and was beaten a neck. It was a huge run.”
Blythewood trainer Kim Prentice also expects a strong showing from the polemarker Our Lililou, who will be driven by Corey Peterson.
“She has had a little break and from barrier one over 1730m we will be trying to hold up early,” said Prentice. “She should run a really good race. Her main dangers have drawn wide and will have to do a heap of work to get outside of Our Lililou. She is definitely not impossible.”
Brulee, Flametree, Fly To Fame, Jackie Daniels and Purest Copper are all racing in fine form and betting on the race is sure to be extremely keen.
Star pacer Magnificent Storm will be a long odds-on favourite when he starts from the outside barrier in the field of five runners in the 2536m Beau Rivage Pace. He should be untroubled to win from Sangue Reale and Babyface Adda.
Leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond will prepare the winner and placegetters in the final event, the 2130m www.GloucesterPark.com.au Pace for two-year-olds. The Bonds train all five runners, with Thenu Came Along, Thelittle Master and Golden Lode appearing to be the best chances.