Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Miss Boudica has begun from barrier nine twice and from barriers eight, six and four at her past five starts — and she looks set to break through for an overdue victory when she starts from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Aaron Bain Racing Thank You To Our Owners Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Her prices at those past five starts have been $26, $41, $51, $126 and $101, and she is sure to start favourite this week, with reinsman Chris Voak confident of a strong showing.
“She gets her chance to lead and should be hard to beat,” said Voak, who was in the sulky last Friday night when the Michael Brennan-trained mare met with interference about 300m after the start and lost several lengths before racing at the rear and finishing last behind Roll Up.
“We made up a lot of ground after the early interference, and she hit the line strongly.
Miss Boudica is at her best when she sets the pace, and she has led and won four times, three times at Gloucester Park and once at Bunbury in her 31-start career of seven wins and nine placings.
Her main rivals appear likely to be Nullarbor Navajo, Bettors Destroya, Elli Mirando, Simply Shaz and Just For Love.
Nullarbor Navajo, who has a losing sequence, is racing in fine form for trainer-reinsman Corey Peterson, with her five starts this season producing two seconds, one third and two fifths. She impresses with her spirited finishing bursts and is sure to pay to follow.
She was eighth at the bell and caught the eye when she finished powerfully to be fifth behind The Amber Hare in a Group 3 event for mares last Friday night. She ran home gamely from seventh at the bell when fifth behind Nevermindthechaos and The Amber Hare at her previous start.
Four-year-old Elli Mirando has struck top form for trainer Kim Prentice and reinsman Mitch Miller with strong wins at her past two starts. She led and beat Gypsy Dragon over 2130m at Gloucester Park before she finished strongly from eighth at the bell to win from Bettor Move Along and Bettors Destroya over 2185m at Pinjarra.
Voak is also looking forward keenly to James Butt returning to a standing-start event for the first timer for three years and eight months when he begins off the 30m back mark in the Join ABR And Summit At The Nullarbor Handicap.
James Butt, who has won at ten of his 49 starts, has appeared in only two stands — both at Pinjarra in July 2019 when he began off 20m and finished second to Twilight Saga and when he started from the 40m mark and raced in the breeze in the middle stages before fading to tenth and last behind Jus Livinthedream.
“He steps really well and is working strongly,” said Voak. “If he can catch them in the first 250 metres he would be a good each-way chance.”
James Butt trailed the pacemaker Valbonne before finishing fast, out four wide, to be third behind Whatabro and Rockaball in a 2536m mobile event last Friday week.
James Butt’s sternest opposition is expected to come from the Greg and Skye Bond-trained pair of Raven Banner and Aussie Scooter. Raven Banner, to be driven by Deni Roberts, impressed with an all-the-way victory over Blue Blazer in a 2536m mobile event on Tuesday of last week — a week after he finished boldly to be a head second to Manning over 2130m.
Raven Banner will start off the front line, while Aussie Scooter will begin from the 20m mark, following his smart victory in a 2503m stand last Friday night when he raced in the breeze for most of the way before winning from Arden Velocity after final quarters of 27.7sec. and 28.7sec.