Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice has unbeaten gelding Never Ending primed and ready to shine at his first appearance for 14 weeks when he contests the 2130m Alex And Harley Hello Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Never Ending warmed up for his return to racing in grand fashion in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week when he paced superbly to win in effortless fashion, charging home with a final 400m section in 26.4sec. to win, unextended, by two lengths from the pacemaker Tantabiddi.
“I didn’t think he was going that quick because he didn’t feel like he was actually doing it,” said reinsman Gary Hall Jnr. “I’m not comparing him with Quinny (retired champion Im Themightyquinn) by any stretch. But he is in that mould.
“He is one of those who just wows you every time you drive him, whether it is in a trial or a race. You are amazed at his speed and the way he goes about it.”
Hall an enviable choice of drives in the $200,000 WA Derby on November 3, even though there is little doubt that he will pick Never Ending ahead of other brilliant three-year-olds Rolling Fire and Mister Smartee.
“It’s going to be a cracker Derby,” said Hall. “It will be draw dependent, with Never Ending the one capable of winning from anywhere. But there are a couple of ones I wouldn’t like to have to chase. Rolling Fire is very good, but I think that Never Ending is at another level.”
Never Ending will start from the No. 2 barrier in the quality field of five runners on Friday night, with the unbeaten gelding Louie Dior at barrier one.
Louie Dior, to be driven by Ryan Bell for trainer Annie Belton, faces an acid test at his first city appearance after winning easily at his three starts at Pinjarra in August. He has good gate speed and has also won from the breeze and when finishing strongly from the rear.
However, Never Ending’s most serious rivals appear to be city winner Sorridere and Im The Black Flash.
Sorridere, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, finished powerfully from the rear when an excellent first-up second to Lucca over 2100m at Bunbury three Wednesdays ago. That took his record to 16 starts for five wins and seven placings.
At his previous appearance, in the Group 3 Pearl Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on May 26 Sorridere began from barrier six, dashed to the front after 300m and was beaten in the final stride by a half-head by Never Ending, who thundered home from tenth at the 600m and sixth with 220m to travel.
“Sorridere is a big, strapping kind of horse who takes a fair bit of work to get fit,” said De Campo. “I’m looking forward to getting another run under his belt before the Westbred Classic the following week. Sorridere almost beat Never Ending two starts ago when we led and Never Ending had to come wide.
“This week Never Ending will probably lead and we will have to come from behind, so that will make it hard for us. I’m happy with Sorridere, and he will run a good race.”