Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Serpentine trainer Matt Scott has had his hands full with En Pariant Sur since he arrived in WA in February, but he is optimistic that the six-year-old will make a successful debut in the State when he contests the opening event, the $21,000 Pegasus And Milne Feeds Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is working well, and he beat Franco Mecca on the track at Jandakot last Friday, and this morning (Tuesday) Shannon (Suvaljko) got the feel of him in a workout when he beat Rock Me Over,” said Scott.
En Pariant Sur is awkwardly drawn at barrier six for his first outing since he covered a lot of extra ground before winning a race over 1660m at Parkes on January 31.
However, Scott believes that the Betting Line gelding is capable of overcoming the wide draw, saying: “He has good gate speed, and he has won when leading and also when sitting.
“I’ve got him pretty fit, and we plan to be positive on Friday when I expect him to be hard to beat.
“He was offered for sale early this year and we got him cheaply. He is raced by stable clients Scott Nelson and Todd Hughes and their wives.
“I’ve had a few issues with him. He smashed up two carts at home, by bucking and carrying on. He wasn’t used to our heavy carts, so now I just put him on the lead. He would have been ready to race about a month ago, but he had about 15 staples in his side when he cut himself, bucking and smashing a cart.”
Among En Pariant Sur’s eleven rivals on Friday night are two of his stablemates, Sonic Seelster and Zuede, who clashed in a race at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening when Sonic Seelster set the pace and faded to finish sixth behind Vintage Blu, and Zuede raced three back on the pegs before running home gamely to finish second.
“Sonic Seelster (barrier four) will be driven by Aiden De Campo, and he will work forward, while Zuede (barrier three) will be driven by Tom Nally,” said Scott.
“Sonic Seelster got a bit of mental pressure, and he knocked up in the final bit. Zuede is just an honest horse who will need luck. He has to be driven cold, and on the fence, preferably.”