Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Veteran pacer Sangue Reale has graduated to a new level and his trainer and driver Chris Voak is confident the nine-year-old can cause an upset and beat his younger and more fancied rivals Gee Heza Sport and Aardiebytheseaside in the $31,000 The Nullarbor Road To Riches Free-For-All over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Sangue Reale also has to overcome the disadvantage of starting out wide at barrier eight, with brilliant five-year-old mare Aardiebytheseaside more favourably drawn at barrier three, and her seven-year-old stablemate Gee Heza Sport drawn on the outside in the field of nine.
Sangue Reale bounced back to top form as a $21 chance when he finished with great determination to win the $50,000 Mount Eden Sprint over 1684m at Pinjarra three Mondays ago when he defeated star pacers Minstrel and Magnificent Storm.
He rated a sizzling 1.49.9 and became the first horse in WA to break 1.50 on any track and over any distance. He also became the first pacer to break the 1.50 barrier on a thousand metre track in Australia.
“I would prefer a better draw this week, but it doesn’t bother me,” said an upbeat Voak. “His work this morning (Tuesday) went to the next level. I galloped him in the cart on the hard track at home, and his heart rate was excellent. His recent work has been better than it was going into the Pinjarra race.
“I think he has a lot more strength than he has had in previous campaigns. In those campaigns he was a follower, but on Friday night I will be aiming to go forward and sit in the breeze.”
Star driver Deni Roberts has given punters a valuable lead by choosing to handle Gee Heza Sport in preference to Aardiebytheseaside, who she has handled in all her twelve WA starts for nine wins.
She has driven Gee Heza Sport in all of his five WA starts for four wins and a first-up second. Dylan Egerton-Green has been engaged by trainers Greg and Skye Bond to drive Aardiebytheseaside, who reappeared after a four-month absence when she finished a well-beaten third behind Nullarbor Navajo and Steno in the 1684m Golden Girls Mile at Pinjarra three Mondays ago after racing in the one-out, one-back position.
Gee Heza Sport faces an acid first-up test at his first appearance in Free-For-All company. But he has shown his class by winning by big margins at his final four starts in October and November before being sent for a spell.
“Aardiebytheseaside and Heza Good Sport are very good pacers, and I’ve gone with the class this week,” said Roberts. “Gee Heza Sport is going really good, while Aardiebytheseaside should go well from her draw.
“She pulled up quite big (in condition) after her first-up third, and she is now a lot more forward.”
Bonny mare Wonderful To Fly should be prominent for trainer-reinsman Shane Young from the prized No. 1 barrier. She raced without cover before fading to finish last in the Golden Girls Mile but can do much better on Friday night.