Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Donald Harper has had 6797 drives and has landed 453 winners in his 21-year career as a talented reinsman, and he remains as a harsh self-critic.
“I’ll take the blame for Spirited Whitby’s defeat two weeks ago,” he said when assessing the three-year-old filly’s prospects in the $21,000 The Minstrel Team Bond Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He gives the inexperienced Spirited Whitby a good chance of making amends for her narrow defeat at the hands of Oceanfront last Friday week by winning this week when she begins from the awkward barrier at No. 7.
“She was a bit green, and I left myself a bit open when I let the horse behind me (Oceanfront) to get off my back and get up and roll me,” he said.
“She has got a bit better every start and has come a long way in a short time. She has good gate speed, and I think she can figure in the finish this week. If she produces a similar run to her last effort, she should be right in it.”
Oceanfront was hemmed in behind Spirited Whitby, with Wicked Lover in the breeze before Harper dashed away on the home turn, which enabled Deni Roberts to get Oceanfront into the clear and finish fast to get up and snatch victory.
Spirited Whitby has had only five starts for two wins and two seconds, and her most serious rival this week looms large as Delulu, who will be driven by Roberts for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond. Delulu, who was scratched from the Group 3 Diamond Classic final last Friday night after forcefully striking the arm of the mobile barrier when it was stationary, has won at five of her twelve starts and will begin out wide at barrier eight.
“Delulu took no harm from that incident and her work yesterday (Monday) was really good,” said Roberts. “This looks a good race for her as long as she is on her best manners.”
Delulu and Spirited Whitby are unlikely to get things all their own way, with them expected to receive stiff opposition from the Ryan Bell-trained Wicked Lover (four wins from 25 starts) and the Justin Prentice-trained Poppyonthebeach, a promising filly who has won twice and been placed twice from six starts.
Harper also has sound prospects in the $21,000 Team Bond Handicap for trotters, a stand over 2503m in which he will drive Sellune for Waroona trainer Nigel Johns. Sellune will start from the 20m mark, which is virtually a 10m handicap because there are no runners on the front line.
Harper drove Sellune two starts ago when the experienced seven-year-old began from 30m in a 2116m stand at Pinjarra and impressed in finishing strongly from eighth at the bell to win from Betty Bootz Off and Majestic Ga Ga.
“Sellune likes the stand, and he loves it when the speed is on,” said Harper.
Majestic Ga Ga, trained by Michael Young and to be driven by Emily Suvaljko, gave a sample of her class last Friday night when she began out wide at barrier seven in a 2130m mobile event, was four wide early before being restrained to seventh and began a three-wide move 850m from home which took her to the front with 550m to travel on her way to winning by a length from Harper’s drive Luvaflair.
Majestic Ga Ga will start from the 10m line which is virtually the front.
Harper is also looking forward to driving experienced performer Eldaytona, who is favourably drawn at barrier No. 2 in the $27,000 Smartee Spoilt The Party Pace over 2536m.
“I would like Eldaytona to cross Lil Happy Fella (barrier one) and enjoy a good trip,” he said. “I was quite happy with him last week (when he improved from ninth at the bell to finish seventh behind Lion Queen), with the winner rating 1.54.” he said.