Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
“There were a lot of positives when Marbeechsam won at Gloucester Park on Tuesday last week,” said Ryan Warwick, who drove the WA-bred five-year-old to a convincing victory over Sidstrepo.
Warwick will again be in the sulky when the Mike Beech-trained Marbeechsam begins from the No. 3 barrier in the opening event, the $21,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Autumn Series final over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“That was a drop in grade for him last week, and he can build on that win and it’s not beyond him to beat nice horses,” said Warwick.
“It was good to see him the way he went. It was a bit out of his comfort zone, going (three wide) that far from home (with 950m to travel). But I was forced to when a horse (Sidstrepo) was coming. He was travelling very well all the way. He also has good gate speed.”
Last week’s win ended a losing sequence of 16 for Marbeechsam, who will again clash with veteran pacer Sidstrepo and other in-form pacers, including Kingseat (barrier six), Spiritofanangel (one), Torrevean Pinky (four) and Priddah (12).
Kingseat, who is trained and driven by Aldo Cortopassi, is a lightly-raced eight-year-old who has won at five of his twenty starts and will be popular with punters.
He began from the back line, raced wide early and then in the breeze when a fighting third behind Cams Boulder over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon. He won in good style at Bunbury and Pinjarra at his two previous starts.
Warwick is also expecting a strong effort from the Beech-trained Rollindowntheriver, who will begin from the number four barrier in the $21,000 Vale Bill Crabb Pace over 2130m.
“Rollindowntheriver is going really good, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s in some serious money on Friday night,” said Warwick.
Rollindowntheriver has been prominent in his four appearances after resuming from a lengthy spell. He was restrained at the start from barrier six and settled down in last place before starting a three-wide burst approaching the bell when a promising fourth behind Beyond Bling on Tuesday of last week.
That followed a third and a fourth placing behind up-and-coming star pacer Justcallmemiki at his two previous outings.
Rollindowntheriver will clash with Dawson and Caberneigh, smart four-year-olds trained by Jocelyn Young. Kate Gath will drive the New Zealand-bred Dawson, who will start from the outside barrier (No. 9) at his West Australian debut, while Madeliene Young will handle Caberneigh, who will begin from the inside of the back line at his second appearance after a spell.
Dawson won at three of his eleven starts in New Zealand and his five starts in Victoria in February and March this year produced one win (over 2150m at Bendigo three starts ago) and two thirds. He led at his latest start and finished a close third behind Smoken Ace over 2240m at Melton on March 15.
Caberneigh reappeared after a six-month absence when he began from barrier five, raced three wide for the first 200m and was then restrained back to last before starting a three-wide move at the bell and sustaining his three-wide run in the final circuit to finish a close second to Gaitcrasher over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.