Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Wildwest, shock winner of the WA Pacing Cup early last year, gets a good chance to stake his claim for the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup on Friday week when he starts from the prized No. 1 barrier in the Countryman Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was never in contention in the Fremantle Cup last Friday night when he met with interference in the first lap and raced at the rear, finishing last behind Mighty Ronaldo.
Wildwest, trained by Gary Hall Snr, will be driven by Maddison Brown. The seven-year-old is a capable frontrunner. The previous time he started from barrier one was 16 starts ago when he set the pace over 1730m and won at a 1.52.8 rate from Diego, Minstrel, Magnificent Storm and Chicago Bull on December 21, 2021.
Wildwest also led from barrier one when he won the 2130m Governor’s Cup from Miracle Moose in February 2021.
Whether Wildwest holds up and sets the pace on Friday night is problematical, with Vampiro starting from barrier five. Vampiro revealed his usual early brilliance when he dashed to the front from barrier nine in a 2130m event last Friday night before he wilted in the final stages to finish seventh behind Mighty Conqueror.
If Vampiro gets to the front, Wildwest then should be able to enjoy a perfect trail in a race in which his most serious rivals are likely to be Lavra Joe, Prince Of Pleasure and Sangue Reale.
Lavra Joe ruined his chances in the Fremantle Cup last Friday night when he galloped for a couple of strides at the start, and then trailed the pacemaker Diego before finishing fifth behind Mighty Ronaldo.
The stewards then advised trainer Ray Jones that Lavra Joe would be placed outside the draw in future mobile events — and therefore Lavra Joe was given the awkward barrier at No. 9 (outside of the front line).
Jones then gave Lavra Joe a start in a three-horse 2100m trial at Bunbury on Tuesday when he began safely from barrier three, set the pace and was not extended in winning by nine lengths from four-year-old mare Miss Stefani, a winner of two minor races, at Pinjarra and Bunbury. Driven by Chris Lewis, Lavra Joe rated 1.58.7, with quarters of 31.6sec., 29.3sec., 29.7sec. and 28.8sec.
Lavra Joe has started from the No. 9 barrier three times in his 53-start career for a ninth, second and a third placing, all as a two-year-old.
Prince Of Pleasure, a winner at eight of his 21 starts, is sure to be strongly fancied. He will start from barrier three and will be driven by Stuart McDonald. He started from barrier six, raced at the rear throughout and was hampered for room in the final circuit when eleventh in the Fremantle Cup last week. He is capable of considerable improvement.
Sangue Reale, trained and driven by Chris Voak, is favourably drawn at barrier two. He was not extended in a 2130m event last Friday night when he raced without cover all the way before winning easily from the pacemaker Pradason.