Gloucester Park Preview Friday October 16, 2020
Chicago Bull and Shockwave set to scorch in Sprint
Friday night’s bumper 11-race card at Gloucester Park will see the running of the annual $50,000 Group 2 Mount Eden Sprint (1730m), highlighted by a mouth-watering clash between superstar duo Chicago Bull and Shockwave.
The pair have sets tongues wagging nation-wide off the back of an exciting new rivalry this spring, which currently sits at one win apiece after $1.97 million earner Chicago Bull turned the tables on his younger opponent in the Group 2 Stratton Cup (2130m) on October 2, three weeks after Shockwave defeated him by the shortest of margins in the James Brennan Memorial Pace (2536m).
An intriguing speed battle also looms over the mile of Friday’s feature event after Chicago Bull drew the pole position, with Shockwave drawn directly outside him in barrier two and noted front-runners Vampiro and Convert Denario coming out of gates seven and eight respectively.
Vampiro is one of two Greg and Skye Bond runners engaged in the race, with stablemate and Listed Winter Cup winner Ocean Ridge set to race second-up from a spell.
Talented duo Bletchley Park and Simba Bromac will also be starters, while Argyle Red will be looking to land back-to-back Mount Eden Sprint wins after taking out last year’s edition.
Meanwhile, the race prior to Friday’s feature promises to be a competitive battle with Gary Hall Snr-trained pair Whozideawasthis and Eloquent Mach set to take on a quality field that includes Stroke Of Luck, El Jacko and Patrickthepiranha.
Whozideawasthis returned to racing off a nine-and-a-half month break last Friday night and finished a narrow second to Our Perkins in 1:55:1, beating home his better-credentialed stablemate and a similar field to whom he faces in his upcoming encounter.
The Ross Olivieri-prepared Stroke Of Luck, who has drawn inside of Whozideawasthis in barrier two on Friday, looks capable of squaring the ledger after having finished second to Chicago Bull from the same draw in a blistering 1:53:2 mile rate on July 24.
Group 1-winning three-year-old Patrickthepiranha will have the addition of hood blinkers for this assignment and will also be looking to bounce back to his best form after finishing a beaten favourite at his past two starts, however, he may have his work cut out after drawing outside of his main rivals in barrier five again.
Eloquent Mach, a winner at 13 of 32 starts, will come out of gate six.
Earlier on, race two on the card will see the return of Alta Intrigue who is set to provide exactly that when he has his first start for almost 28 months.
The Mach Three six-year-old hasn’t been seen publicly since finishing a beaten $1.50 favourite at Pinjarra on June 18, 2018 but was in good form prior to that, with three wins and two minor placings from his previous six WA outings.
The former New Zealand import has drawn the inside of the back row on Friday, with last-start winner The Last Drop looming as the horse to beat from barrier one.
The Olivieri-trained Diamond Life will be searching for his fourth win in a line and will jump from barrier 11.
Later in the night top Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice will team up with Gary Hall Jnr when the astute combination unveils Jack Farthing, a 16-time winner formerly prepared by John McCarthy in New South Wales, at the five-year-old’s WA debut.
The McArdle gelding was a beaten $2 favourite at his last outing at Menangle on September 5 but recorded a fast-finishing third over 2300m in 1:54:1 at his start prior to that.
Jack Farthing has drawn barrier two, while honest campaigner Baylan Jett has come up with the pole position for the first time since leading all of the way over the same distance five starts ago.
Talented trio Mister Bushido, Can’t Refuse and Braeview Bondi have drawn gates three, four and five respectively.
After talks of retirement only last month, the seventh race will see six-year-old entire Carter Micheal line up again off the back of some consistent form.
Prepared by Nathan Turvey, the son of Bettors Delight has recorded two wins and six top-four finishes from his past eight starts and will jump from barrier three with claiming driver Emily Suvaljko aboard.
Crocodile Kid has drawn the pole, while trainer-reinsman Callan Suvaljko and the in-form Sightseeing Anvil will come out of barrier 11 and appear the main dangers.
Race eight will see the Hall camp produce dominant last-start winner Liam Neil off a three-day back-up at the Modern Art five-year-old’s third run back from a spell after a sizzling display at Gloucester Park on Tuesday.
The gelding easily accounted for lesser company by more than 13 metres and looks well-placed to score again, however, he may face a spirited battle for the lead from speedy customer Dreamy Nights who has drawn directly outside of him.
The Ray Williams-trained pacer will be having his first start since May 22, while fellow first-upper Marquisard could also run a race at big odds after recording some sharp times at the start of the year.
The following event is set to produce another interesting spectacle with progressive four-year-old Roman Art drawn barrier one but taking on capable types Lord Rosco and Maras Ace Man.
A prolific winner at nine of 18 starts, Roman Art returned to racing with a soft first-up victory last Friday night, while Lord Rosco (barrier four) looks the testing material with nine wins from his past 11 starts.
Maras Ace Man, a model of consistency with two wins and three minor placings from his past seven outings, will have to jump from barrier six in the eight-horse field.
Last but not least, the night rounds out with star three-year-old Blue Chip Adda having her second start back from a spell.
The prized filly took out the Group 1 Allwood Stud Farm 3YO Fillies Westbred Classic on June 19 at her last start before a break but she appeared unsuited when settled behind a slow tempo and subsequently finishing fifth at her race return last week.
Sharp improvement can be expected this Friday, however, she faces a tough task from the outside of the front line under the preferential barrier draw conditions.
Rival Hotfoot It has also drawn awkwardly in barrier seven but looms as the main threat if he can re-produce a performance similar to his slashing half-head third to Soho Hamilton when racing first-up a fortnight ago.
Friday night’s meeting will kick off at 4.47pm AWST, with the final event to be run at 9.55pm AWST.
Michael Heaton