Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Banjup trainer Murray Lindau has Talks Up A Storm racing in peak form, and the speedy WA-bred five-year-old notched her second win in a row when she led from barrier one and defeated Watts Up Sunshine and The Code Breaker in the 2130m Vili’s Family Bakery Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Talks Up A Storm, the $2.10 favourite, had to be driven hard by Harper to hold out the $23 chance Watts Up Sunshine, who was smartest to begin from barrier five and got his head in front in the early stages, but was unable to cross the polemarker.
Maddison Brown was then able to angle Watts Up Sunshine across to take the sit on Talks Up A Storm. Ryan Warwick then dashed Jett Star ($26) from the rear and into the breeze, while Vampiro, who began fast from the outside barrier, was restrained to race in the one-out, two-back position.
Talks Up A Storm sprinted over the final quarters in 28.3sec. and 28.2sec. and he won by a half-length from the fast-finishing Watts Up Sunshine.
“Talks Up A Storm was just as good as he was the previous week,” said Harper. “He didn’t run as quick (rating 1.56.9), but he got the job done. There was nothing pressuring him, while last week Chal Patch was putting him to the sword.
“Watts Up Sunshine came at him late but Talks Up A Storm rallied and held him off. Once he gets to the front, he just fends them off.
“I had to get into him a bit at the start tonight. He doesn’t get out of the gate from barrier one, compared to his speed from wide draws. Before tonight, he had started from the No. 1 barrier six times at Gloucester Park for just one win.”