Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
“When she leads, she is very hard to beat,” said Serpentine trainer-reinsman Stuart McDonald when assessing Madam Publisher’s prospects in the final event, the $25,000 Retravision 60 Day Price Promise Pace for mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Though it is only a small field of seven, this event creates considerable interest with four-year-old Madam Publisher clashing with brilliant six-year-old Little Darling, who will be driven by champion reinsman Chris Lewis for Busselton trainer Barry Howlett.
New Zealand-bred Madam Publisher, winner of the WA Oaks last October, has raced only 18 times for nine wins, three seconds and one third placing.
She had a torrid run at Pinjarra on Monday this week when she made an unsuccessful challenge for the lead and wilted to finish fifth behind Alta Tribute over 2185m. At her previous appearance, at Gloucester Park on April 11, she began brilliantly from barrier six and led all the way and won by almost two lengths from smart four-year-old geldings Thelittle Master and Ideal Muscle, rating 1.55.5 over 2130m.
“I will be attempting to get to the front (from barrier four) and if she leads, she will give the others something to chase,” said McDonald. “She has pulled up fine after her hard run at Pinjarra on Monday.”
Madam Publisher will need to be at her top to defeat Little Darling, who has earned $262,228 from ten wins and 18 placings from 43 starts.
Little Darling was most impressive in winning the group 2 Empress Stakes over 2536m last Friday week when she was last in the field of eleven with 450m to travel and flew home to snatch victory from class mares Aardiebytheseaside and Wonderful To Fly, rating 1.56.5.
Little Darling showed her class when she finished a half-head second to Taking The Miki in the WA Oaks in October 2022, and when fourth behind Aardiebytheseaside, Wonderful To Fly and Steno in the group 1 Mares Classic last November.
Trainer Dylan Egerton-Green has chosen to handle the polemarker Champagne Everyone in preference to stablemate Our Lady Jen, who will be having her first start since winning a $30,000 event for mares on January 10. Our Lady Jen has raced 53 times for eleven wins and 16 placings, and she will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr.
Hall also will be looking forward to driving 2023 WA Derby winner Skylou in his comeback to racing after a spell when he will share the back mark of 50m with classy stablemate Im The Black Flash in the 2503m Retravision For All The Electrical Stuff You Love Handicap.
Gary Hall Snr trains Skylou and Im The Black Flash, who will also be resuming after a spell, and will be driven by Stuart McDonald.
“Even though they are off 50 metres I expect one of them to win,” said Hall Jnr. “Skylou runs his best races in front, but he has to mature eventually,” he said.