Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Eight-year-old pacer Ima Fivestar General has managed one placing from his past eleven starts and he has a losing sequence of 21. But he gets an ideal opportunity to end a 13-month drought when he begins from the prized No. 1 barrier in the $30,000 Ascot Group WA Im Themightyquinn Listed Classic over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He is sure to appreciate a considerable drop in class, and part-owner and trainer-reinsman Robbie Williams will be anxious to use the gelding’s good gate speed in a bid to set the pace.
Punters should disregard Ima Fivestar General’s recent unplaced efforts, when he has been hopelessly blocked for a clear passage.
Ima Fivestar General was restrained at the start from barrier No. 6 last Friday night when he raced four back on the pegs and was unable to get into the clear at any stage of the final lap before getting to the line full of running in eighth place behind Justcallmemiki.
At his previous appearance a fortnight earlier Ima Fivestar General was restrained from barrier five and raced five back on the pegs before coasting to the line with nowhere to go when tenth behind Steno.
Ima Fivestar General’s most recent victory was on February 16 last year when he led from the No. 2 barrier and sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.1sec. and 27.6sec. to beat Watts Up Sunshine by a half-head, rating 1.54.3 over 1730m.
One of Ima Fivestar General’s main rivals is expected to be Star Casino, who is favourably drawn at barrier No. 2. The Ray Williams-trained gelding began from the back mark of 40 metres in a field of nine last Friday night when he raced in sixth position before moving to the breeze in the middle stages and fighting on doggedly when a neck second to Ideal Tomado over 2503m.
He was a winner in moderate company at his previous outing, and three starts ago he had no luck at all when a most unlucky head second to Spyglass after starting off 60m.
Star Casino has been driven by Dylan Egerton-Green and Aiden De Campo at his past two starts. Both of those reinsmen are under suspension, and Aldo Cortopassi has been engaged to drive Star Casino this week for the first time in a race.
Cortopassi has enjoyed tremendous success for the Williams stable, having driven star pacer Magnificent Storm to 25 victories between 2020 and 2023.
Spyglass, trained and driven by Lindsay Harper, is in superb form and is capable of overcoming the disadvantage of starting from the outside of the second line.
Spyglass impressed when he charged home from fifth at the bell to finish an eye-catching second to Justcallmemiki over 2130m last Friday night. Two starts ago Spyglass finished a sound second to Magnus Victor after scoring excellent wins at Gloucester Park at his two previous appearances.
Joey Suvaljko will drive Magnus Victor (barrier seven) for trainer Aiden De Campo, who praised the five-year-old’s sterling effort when third behind the frontrunning Insta Gator over 2130m last Friday night. He surged home powerfully from seventh at the bell.
“That was a super effort last week,” said De campo. “Barrier seven is a bit awkward, but I still expect Magnus Victor to run a good race.”
Trainer-reinsman Gary Hall Jnr is more than happy with Dalvey Robyn’s form but agrees that the seven-year-old will be tested from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
“Dalvey Robyn will find it hard having to come around the whole field at some stage,” said Hall. Dalvey Robyn’s past three runs have been a head victory over Swingband, a nose second to Hampton Banner and a head win over Rockandrollartist.
Ten-year-old Rock Me Over will be driven by Chris Voak from the No. 2 barrier on the back line, with trainer Matt Scott saying: “His numbers don’t look good, but he is racing well. He should be three back on the fence and is a definite place chance.