Ken Casellas | Photo: Pacepix
Quality mare The Amber Hare has recovered from hoof problems and will reappear after a four-month absence when she contests the $26,000 Your One Stop Shop Is At Garrard’s Horse And Hound Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Amber Hare will be having her first start since she began speedily from barrier three, set the pace and won convincingly from Misstiano and Nevermindthechaos, rating 1.57.7 over 2536m in the $50,000 Group 3 Lombardo Pace on March 10.
She will start from the No. 4 barrier, with trainer-driver Jocelyn Young saying: “We had trouble with her feet, so we gave her a spell, and she had about five weeks off. Now, everything seems to be on track, and she has been working well.
“This looks a suitable race, and she is good enough to fight out the finish. She has won her races in front, in the breeze and when coming three deep. She has a good turn of foot, but she needs races to be run at a genuine speed. I’m not sure where she is going to get to in this small field of six.”
Young also prepares Sahara Storm, who will be driven by Chris Lewis from the outside barrier. “Sahara Storm is racing really well, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she popped up,” she said.
Sahara Storm performed very well from the outside barrier (No. 9) over 1730m last Friday night when she settled down in twelfth and last position before sustaining a spirited three-wide burst from the rear at the bell to finish fourth behind Peligroso.
Most of the mares in the race have excellent gate speed, and there is likely to be a keen tussle for the early lead. My Prayer was an all-the-way winner three starts ago, while Banjup trainer Colin Brown’s runners Fifty Five Reborn and American Arma are smart beginners and capable frontrunners.
Brown will handle Fifty Five Reborn, a winner at 15 of her 64 starts, while his daughter Maddison will drive American Arma, who trailed the pacemaker Steno before finishing a sound second to that mare over 2130m last Friday night.