Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Brilliant three-year-old Vegas Strip will begin his campaign leading into the rich WA Derby on November 8 when he starts from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Nova Boy’s Race Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The American Ideal gelding trained by Greg and Skye Bond has the rare distinction at leading in all his seven starts in Western Australia (four times from barrier No. 4, and once each from barriers, five, seven and eight). He won at six of those seven starts and finished a 1m second to Grevis at his other WA appearance, after his two runs in New Zealand produced a second and a fifth placing.
Vegas Strip has not raced since winning by two lengths from Louie Lebeau over 1780m at Northam on February 24, and he looks set to continuing his pacemaking role on Friday night.
“His work has been good, and he will run a very good race,” said his driver Deni Roberts. “I can’t wait for a race and a draw when I can sit him up because I think he will be a really good sat-up horse.”
Also resuming after a spell will be Vegas Strip’s stablemate Thelittle Master, who will be driven by Trent Wheeler from barrier six. “He has been working with Vegas Strip and has been going well,” said Roberts.
Bet The House’s Byford trainer Ron Huston will be looking for a strong first-up showing from the gelding, who will start from barrier five with Chris Voak in the sulky. Bet The House has been most impressive, winning at five of his first eight starts.
Bet The House showed that he is ready for a spirited effort when he won a four-horse 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week. From barrier four he was not pushed at the start and settled three back on the pegs before Voak dashed him forward after 500m to take the lead and then coast home to an easy win from Jimmy Rocks, rating 1.58 after final 400m sections of 28.7sec. and 27.5sec.
New Zealand-bred pacer Lusaka is remarkably consistent and is developing into a serious candidate for the rich feature events for four-year-olds later this year, with his brilliant driver Deni Roberts declaring: “He is absolutely airborne.”
Lusaka, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, faces a stern test when he starts from the outside barrier (No. 3) on the back line in the 2130m Vale Wilf Powell Pace.
“Hopefully, he doesn’t get shuffled back too far,” said Roberts. “If he’s close enough, he’s a winning chance.”
Lusaka has had 29 starts for 14 wins, seven seconds and three thirds. He was most impressive at his latest start when he began from the outside in the field of seven and raced in sixth position while Rockmyster was setting a brisk pace. He was switched three wide 250m from home and went five wide on the home turn — and was fifth at the 100m mark before surging home to finish second, a head behind Rockmyster, who rated 1.57 over the 2130m journey.
Rockmyster again looms as serious threat this week when he will begin out wide at barrier eight. “He is racing in good form, but this is a nice field, and he has a tricky draw,” said trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green.