Tim Walker | Photo: PACEPIX
Exciting pacer Im Lightning Banner faces one of his toughest tests to date in tomorrow night’s Lewis Pace (2130m).
Im Lightning Banner ended his last campaign with four consecutive wins, including a win over Nullarbor and Fremantle Cup runner Waverider at his most recent start in January.
He faces the likes of fellow progressive pacers Soho Shakedown, Heavenly Gipsy, Louie Dior and No Noney in tomorrow night’s $30,000 event.
Trainer Dylan Egerton-Green, who also drives the four-year-old tomorrow night, said he was pleased with how Im Lightning Banner was progressing ahead of the first-up run.
“He’s going nicely,” Egerton-Green told Racing WA Harness.
“Hopefully we have him fit enough for this first-up.
“There’s a few in there that have good form, but they are also first or second-up.
“He’s stepped up to what he’s promised.
“It’s taken a bit of time for him to put it all together and hopefully he can come back in the same form.”
Im Lightning Banner will start from barrier six in the feature event, with Dark Eyes, Soho Moonraker and Soho Shakedown among the key chances drawn inside him.
Egerton-Green said while Im Lightning Banner possessed good gate speed, he expected there would be plenty of early tempo tomorrow night.
“I don’t know what to make of the draw,” he said.
“Both of Kim Prentice’s runners have gate speed, so we will just have to assess it out of the gate.”
Egerton-Green said he hoped to get Im Lightning Banner to four-year-old feature races later in the year.
Meanwhile, Egerton-Green said he was confident Grand Couteau could make a winning return in The West Australian Pace (2130m) tomorrow night.
The four-year-old hasn’t started since she was unplaced behind Water Lou in last year’s Diamond Classic (2130m).
Egerton-Green said he expected the mare to prove too classy.
“This is a good race that has popped up for her,” he said.
“She raced the best three-year-olds at the time and was comfortable racing them.
“She should be right amongst it.”