Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
An outstanding trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week points strongly to her prospects of making a successful debut when she begins from the No. 1 barrier in the Allwood Stud Pace for two-year-old fillies over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She will be driven by her trainer Aiden De Campo, who will also be represented by Altas Last, who will be driven by Trent Wheeler from the No. 2 barrier.
Miss Bejeweled led early in the three-horse trial before sitting behind the pacemaker Typhoon Treasure and then being eased off the pegs 500m from home and quickly surging to the front before careering away to win by 16 lengths from Hudson Street, rating 1.59.4 after final 400m sections of 29.5sec. and 28.3sec.
“She ran a quick quarter at the end, and I’m quite happy with her,” said De Campo. “She was a lot better in this trial than she was in her previous trial when she was a bit scratchy up to the gate. The plan will be to lead.”
Altas Last has raced twice for a debut second to Way Of The World at Gloucester Park followed by a half-length win over Gentlemans Promise at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
“Altas Last was probably unlucky not to win on debut, and then got the job done at her second start,” said De Campo. “She will come out of the gate hard on Friday night and she where she gets. She might even cross Miss Bejewled. We will just see what happens; with two-year-olds, you’re never sure what’s going to happen.”
Ruby Lou drops appreciably in class when she begins out wide at barrier eight in the $21,000 Allwood Stud Pace for three-year-old fillies, and she should prove too strong for her eight rivals.
A winner of four races and $69,558, Ruby Lou has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of her wide draw and make amends for her very close third behind Reinette and Poppyonthebeach in a qualifying heat of the Diamond Classic at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.
She began from the inside of the back line and raced in fifth position, three back on the pegs, before being hampered for room in the home straight and squeezing through on the inside.
“Ruby Lou, driven by Shannon Suvaljko, still had the plugs in and she will be improved by the run,” said her trainer Mike Reed.
Ruby Lou’s only serious rival appears to be the Ryan Bell-trained Wicked Lover, who set the pace before finishing a half-length second to Ruby Lovera over 2130m in the second Diamond Classic qualifying heat on Tuesday evening. She will start from barrier seven and will be handled by Kyle Symington.
Ruby Lovera is prepared by Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice, who is enjoying a well-deserved family holiday in Exmouth, and the filly was under the care of Katie Lally, who will bring the speedy Jawsoflincoln to Gloucester Park to contest the $31,000 Grange Bloodstock Insurance Pace over 2536m on Friday night.
Jawsoflincoln will be driven by Trent Wheeler and will start from the outside barrier in the field of eight, with his main rivals likely to be Vegas Strip (barrier two), Hoppys Way (barrier three) and Mighty Conqueror (barrier seven).
“This is a good draw for Vegas Strip (having his first run for two months) and his work has been good and we’re hoping he will go straight to the front,” said his driver Deni Roberts. “We are hoping for improvement from him after his previous campaign.”