Waylade to give WA a flying start
Waylade to give WA a flying start
Five-year-old Waylade, the least experienced runner in the 30-strong star-studded contingent to contest the $1.8 million TABtouch Inter Dominion championship series, is poised to give Western Australia a flying start by winning the opening 2130m heat at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Champion trainer Gary Hall sen. declared that Waylade’s brilliant win in a trial at Byford on Sunday morning was outstanding and sprouted several superlatives as he compared it to a record-breaking trial by $4 million earner and triple interdominion champion Im Themightyquinn.
“Waylade ran along in front and rated 1.56.4 in the 2150m trial,” Hall said. “There was a strong easterly wind blowing and he ran home in 56sec. (28.6sec. and 27.4sec.). Quinny went slightly faster when he broke the track record here a couple of years ago. And the track is not as fast as it was then.”
On Sunday morning Waylade won by a length from stablemate and last season’s WA Pacing Cup winner My Hard Copy, with veteran performer Five Star Anvil back in third place in the field of three.
Waylade, a comparative novice of only 20 starts, is ready for his acid test in the championship series against the cream of Australia’s pacers. The 30 runners in the opening three heats have amassed $11,341,989 in prizemoney from a total of 598 wins. Waylade has given every indication of developing into a superstar, with his 20 starts producing 14 wins, four seconds and one third.
He is favourably drawn at barrier two on the front line on Friday night on the outside of stablemate Machtu, but Hall is far from confident that he will be able to muster sufficient speed to set the pace.
“Barrier two is not bad, but it is trickier than most people reckon,” Hall said. “I see Waylade winning, but I think he won’t win the way people expect (by leading). I’m not fully confident that he will lead. I think that Devendra (barrier four) or Easy On The Eye (No. 7) will lead.
“But I’m certainly hopeful that Waylade will give WA a flying start to the series — as well as a flying finish. I can’t fault him.”
The Tasmanian-bred Devendra, trained and driven by New South Wales horseman James Rattray, possess sparkling early speed and has led in 11 of his 23 wins. He was untroubled to lead from the No. 5 barrier, set the pace and win from Devil Dodger at a 1.56.7 rate over 2300m at Menangle at his latest start, on November 7.
Eight-year-old Easy On The Eye, trained by Shane Tritton, faces a stern test from his wide barrier at his second appearance after an absence of six months.
Queensland performer Our Hi Jinx, to be driven by Shane Graham, has won at three of his past five starts, but will be at double-figure odds from out wide at barrier eight. His recent wins were at Albion Park before he failed in the 1720m Smoken Up Sprint at Melton last Friday week when he faded to last after enjoying an ideal passage, one-out and one-back.
Jason Rulz, trained at Pinjarra by Michael Brennan, is the solitary runner off the back line and he should obtain a favourable passage. He trailed the pacemaker Beaudiene Boaz before finishing strongly along the sprint lane to finish second to that pacer in the 2569m Bunbury Cup last Saturday week.
The Mike Reed-trained local pacer Libertybelle Midfrew will start from the No. 6 barrier and Mark Reed is likely to save her up for a spirited last-lap challenge.
Ken Casellas
perthinterdominion.com.au
TABtouch Perth Inter Dominion Heat 1 – View TABtouch Markets
POS | Race 4 @ 7:03pm | $ |
---|---|---|
1 | Machtu (NZ) | 7 |
2 | Waylade (NZ) | 1.4 |
3 | Shannonsablast | 17 |
4 | Devendra | 9 |
5 | For A Reason | 41 |
6 | Libertybelle Midfrew | 21 |
7 | Easy on the Eye (NZ) | 41 |
8 | Our Hi Jinx (NZ) | 26 |
9 | Dynamite Dude | 101 |
10 (2L) | Jason Rulz (NZ) | 9 |
TABtouch Perth Inter Dominion Heat 2 – View TABtouch Markets
POS | Race 6 @ 8:03pm | $ |
---|---|---|
1 | Our Blackbird (NZ) | 8 |
2 | Flaming Flutter (NZ) | 5.5 |
3 | Five Star Anvil (NZ) | 26 |
4 | My Hard Copy (NZ) | 7 |
5 | Billies A Star (NZ) | 9 |
6 | Classic American (NZ) | 51 |
7 | Lennytheshark | 1.7 |
8 | Major Crocker | 21 |
9 | Blazin N Cullen (NZ) | 51 |
10 (2L) | Mach Alert (NZ) | 21 |
TABtouch Perth Inter Dominion Heat 3 – View TABtouch Markets
POS | Race 8 @ 9:00pm | $ |
---|---|---|
1 | Lovers Delight (NZ) | 11 |
2 | Bettors Fire (NZ) | 4.5 |
3 | Northview Punter (NZ) | 31 |
4 | Mach Beauty | 3 |
5 | Meadowbranch DJ | 201 |
6 | Philadelphia Man | 2.8 |
7 | Crusader Banner (NZ) | 26 |
8 | Cold Major | 51 |
9 | Franco Ledger (NZ) | 26 |
10 (2L) | Avonnova | 9 |