My Hard Copy gets his chance
1 December, 2015
Harness
Talented sit-sprinter My Hard Copy relishes the Bunbury track and he makes excellent appeal from the No. 2 barrier on the front line in the fourth heat of the Retravision TABtouch interdominion championship at Donaldson Park on Tuesday night.
In an event in which New South Wales speedster Mach Beauty is likely to set a scorching pace, Clint Hall should have My Hard Copy in a prominent position throughout the 1609m journey and coiled up and ready to unwind his trademark dazzling finishing burst.
My Hard Copy showed his liking for the 1000m circuit last June when he scored a brilliant first-up victory over 1609m in 1.55.5. He was at the rear of the field of 11 on the home turn before unleashing a paralysing burst which enabled him to get up and defeat the pacemaker Crusader Banner.
The six-year-old, trained by Gary Hall sen., did not show up when a well-beaten eighth behind Lennytheshark in a 2130m heat at Gloucester Park on Friday night. He was restrained back to ninth from barrier four and made no impression on the leaders when he raced three wide in the final circuit. He was not suited by the moderate lead time of 37sec. and slow opening quarters of 31sec. and 29.5sec. before final 400m sections in 28sec. and 27.6sec.
At his previous start, three weeks earlier, My Hard Copy was restrained from the wide No. 8 barrier at the start and was eighth at the bell before flying home to be a close second to stablemate Waylade, rating 1.53.5 over 1730m. The final quarter went by in 27.6sec.
Mach Beauty will be better suited over the 1609m than he was in his 2130m heat on Friday night when he had to be driven very hard to get to the front after a hectic early speed battle with Lovers Delight and Bettors Fire. The lead time was a scorching 34.9sec. and Mach Beauty wilted to finish seventh behind Philadelphia Man.
Bettors Fire will start from the No. 5 barrier on Tuesday night and he should be improved greatly after his fifth behind Philadelphia Man. He took the lead after 300m and then had the sit behind the pacemaking Mach Beauty.
Bettors Fire is a wonderful sprinter who won the Mount Eden Sprint at Gloucester Park in November 2013 (beating Im Victorious) and then finishing third to Sensational Gabby in the same event in 2014. He is unbeaten at Donaldson Park, having won the 2569m Bunbury Cup in 2013 and 2014. He is a versatile pacer who has won when leading and when racing at the rear and being saved up for a powerful last-lap effort.
Our Blackbird should be prominent from his back-line draw. He is a noted sit-sprinter who has a good record at Donaldson Park where he raced three times last May and June for a win and two seconds. He trailed the pacemaker Flaming Flutter and finished strongly to be second to Lennytheshark on Friday night.
Ken Casellas
perthinterdominion.com.au