Nothing Tricky About De Campo’s Drives
1 November, 2018
Harness
Tough mare Tricky Styx gets a chance to record another feature race win at Gloucester Park tomorrow night, when she lines up in the Group 2 James Brennan Memorial (2130m).
Tricky Styx was well beaten in last week’s Parliamentarians Cup, which was taken out by Tommy Be Good.
The seven-year-old has barrier one for tomorrow night’s feature and driver Aiden De Campo said the mare had excuses last week and deserved to be among the leading contenders.
“She’s got a good draw and it’s a pretty even field,” he said.
“Last start, I got a flat tyre at the 400m and she had tracked up well and felt pretty good.”
De Campo said he would finalise his plans just prior to the race tomorrow night, but indicated he would likely look to lead and have Vampiro in the breeze.
“I’d be pretty happy to lead,” he said.
“Vampiro is clearly the one to beat, he looks to have taken the next step.
“I don’t think Tricky Styx is at her best yet, but I don’t think she’s too far away from it.”
Vampiro is a $1.45 TABtouch favourite for the $50,000 event and he will start from barrier three.
Tricky Styx occupies the second line of betting at $6, while Vampiro’s stablemate Our Jimmy Johnstone is an $8.50 chance.
De Campo will also team up with WA Derby winner Handsandwheels in the NYE At Gloucester Park Pace (2130m).
Handsandwheels made a successful return first-up on October 19 and De Campo said the five-year-old had taken plenty of benefit from the run.
“He’s working really well,” he said.
“It’s a tricky kind of draw because there’s a bit of speed inside us with Maxentius, who looks the hardest to beat.
“He’s trained on well though and he should well again.”
The Gloucester Park Entertainment With Horsepower Fillies And Mares Pace (2130m) shapes up as an intriguing encounter, with De Campo taking the drive on Parisian Partygirl from barrier nine, while Infinite Symbol shapes as the one to beat from barrier five.
De Campo said the Bernard James-trained mare was capable of upstaging Infinite Symbol, if the Bond-trained mare wasn’t able to find the front.
Meanwhile, Chris Lewis and Shannon Suvaljko will represent WA at the Australian Drivers Championship at Globe Derby on Saturday night.
Some of Australia’s best drivers will participate in the eight race program, including Chris Alford, Greg Sugars and Todd McCarthy.
Lewis has a drive in every race on the program, while Suvaljko is engaged to drive in seven of the eight races.
Tomorrow night’s Gloucester Park meeting gets underway at 5.49pm.
Tim Walker