Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell’s promising pacer Ma Petite Dame did all the work, three wide early and then in the breeze, before getting to the front 250m from home and then being beaten in the final stride by Wishing Belle in a qualifying heat of the APG Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies on Tuesday of last week.
The pair will clash again in the $125,000 final at Gloucester Park on Friday night, with Ma Petite Dame having sound prospects of turning the tables.
In the heat, Wishing Belle, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, enjoyed a dream trip behind the pacemaker Livy Ann before finishing fast to get up and win by a short half-head after a smart final 400m of 28.7sec.
Bell will be hoping that Ma Petite Dame, to be handled by Kyle Symington, will benefit from a superior barrier on Friday night, with his filly starting from the No. 4 barrier, with Wishing Belle out wide at barrier eight.
Livy Ann disappointed as a hot odds-on favourite when she led and faded to third behind Wishing Belle in the heat, an effort which followed her sound runs with seconds to Little China Girl at Pinjarra and to Miss Red Velvet at Gloucester Park at her first two race starts. She is capable of bouncing back with a strong effort from the No. 5 barrier.
Oakford trainer Jemma Hayman will be looking for a spirited performance from Chefs Kiss, who has drawn perfectly at barrier No. 1 and will be driven by Chris Voak.
Chefs Kiss was fourth early in her qualifying heat on Tuesday of last week before she broke into a gallop and dropped back to the rear. She then quickly made up lost ground and finished strongly to win by a head from Lady Crunch Time.
Chefs Kiss then was on her best behaviour when she won a 1750m trial at Byford last Saturday morning. She raced three wide early and then in the breeze before taking up the running after 450m and winning convincingly from Koh I Noor Camel at a modest rate of 2.1.1, with final quarters of 30.7sec. and 30.6sec.
One of the best bets on Friday night’s ten-event program should be unbeaten three-year-old filly Quintessa, who will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr for trainer Justin Prentice in the $21,000 APG – Harness Racing Is Our Focus Summer Series final over 2130m.
Quintessa worked hard before getting to the lead in the first lap when she went on to win by eight lengths from Stella Deliziosa, rating 1.57.7 over 2100m at Bunbury on February 1. Then, from barrier four at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week she was untroubled to set the pace from barrier four and win easily from Miss Uneek over 2130m, rating 1.59.6.