Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star reinsman Gary Hall Jnr has driven inexperienced four-year-old Youre So Fine six times in his current campaign for six impressive victories, but he had to deliberate long and hard before choosing to drive him ahead of Chal Patch in the $50,000 Get Well Ernie Manning Binshaw Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“It’s really hard to jump off Chal Patch, who is a very nice horse,” said Hall, who has driven the New Zealand-bred five-year-old three times for a first-up second and two effortless victories. “He and Youre So Fine are probably the best restricted class horses coming through the grades.
“Chal Patch did it really easily last week. He had no right to win that easily. He should’ve been a little bit tired.”
Trainer Nathan Turvey has engaged Jocelyn Young to drive Chal Patch, who will start from the No. 5 barrier, with Youre So Fine, prepared by Gary Hall Snr, more favourably drawn at barrier two.
Youre So Fine, a winner at nine of his 12 starts, is versatile and is racing in wonderful form. He possesses excellent gate speed and is a good frontrunner. But whether he will be able to win the start is problematic, with speedy beginner Talks Up A Storm drawn perfectly at barrier one for his first start for three months.
Youre So Fine has won after setting the pace and he also is dangerous when driven with a sit.
Chris Lewis will drive talented four-year-old Goodfellaz from the outside of the back line, and the gelding is capable of fighting out the finish, following his splendid first-up effort last Friday week when he raced wide early and then in the breeze before winning easily from the fast-finishing Seeryanfly and the pacemaker Cotton On.
The Kevin Keys-trained Alcopony also will have many admirers at his second appearance after a three-month absence. He will start from the inside of the back line and reinsman Aiden De Campo is confidence he will perform strongly.
Alcopony trailed the pacemaker Mea Culpa and was blocked for a run in the final lap when third behind that pacer and Sheez Our Hope over 2130m last Friday night.
“He went very well and probably would have won if he had got out,” said De Campo. “I was rapt with his run, and No. 10 is a good draw for him this week. If he gets a crack at them. He’s not without a chance.”
Shannon Suvaljko will drive Alcopony’s stablemate Hoppys Way, who is racing in fine form but has drawn poorly, out wide at barrier eight.
Suvaljko chose to drive Hoppys Way ahead of the Kevin Charles-trained Whos The Dad, who will be driven by Lindsay Harper from the No. 3 barrier. Whos The Dad’s form is hard to fault. His 18 starts this season have resulted in six wins, four seconds and three thirds.
“It’s a bad draw for Hoppys Way, but he is a good horse and is an each-way chance,” said Suvaljko. “Two starts ago he was driven sit-sprint when he won from Street Hawk and Raven Banner. And then the following week he sat behind the leader Blitzembye and never got a run (when fourth).”