Theo To Fly In The Pearl
Talented pacer Theo Aviator is poised to record the biggest win of his career to date when he lines up in the Group 2 Pearl Classic (2130m) at Gloucester Park on Saturday.
Star pacer and Pearl heat winner Franco Edward’s absence from the $50,000 event has paved the way for Theo Aviator to be catapulted into favouritism, following his brave fourth placing in the heat.
The Mr Aviator gelding was installed a $4.20 chance with TABtouch for the feature event, before he was supported into $2.80 favouritism and trainer-reinsman Aldo Cortopassi said the pacer deserved plenty of respect come Saturday.
“I thought he was brave in the heat,” he told RWWA Harness.
“I wasn’t too worried about being outside Franco Edward because I wanted a good hit out for this Saturday.
“We went to that race knowing he was a touch underdone.
“Since the heat, we have really put the screws down on him.
“He’s where I need him and where I want him to be.”
Theo Aviator drew barrier four for the Pearl Classic, while other fancied runners Gee Jay Kay, Its Rock And Roll and Patrickthepiranha drew wide in seven, eight and nine respectively.
Cortopassi said he would be surprised if Theo Aviator, a winner at 10 of his 26 starts, didn’t lead on Saturday night.
“I think the three runners inside would be happy to take a trail,” he said.
“I don’t see any of those three outside me crossing.
“Trying to hum out from eight or nine at Gloucester Park, you have to be 100 per cent committed.
“Driving Theo Aviator pretty is not his style, he’s a free rolling horse and you need to let him run 1.55.”
Theo Aviator is one of the seven runners in the Pearl that didn’t compete in last month’s WA Derby, taken out by Major Trojan.
The gelding missed a start in the WA Derby, despite finishing a credible fifth to Major Trojan in the Prelude a week earlier.
Cortopassi said he believed his pacer was among the best three-year-olds in the state.
“He’s definitely up to these type of horses,” he said.
“When he ran fifth in the Derby Prelude, he was more than eye-catching.
“This horse runs time every week and he’s doing it against more seasoned horses.”
It shapes as one of the best chances for Theo Aviator’s owners Peter George and Nick Taylor to record a feature win at Gloucester Park.
George owns and bred Cortopassi’s Albany Cup winner Naval Aviator, who also trains Bee Seventeen and Roman Aviator for him.
Cortopassi said Major Pocket loomed as another winnable chance for him on the Gloucester Park program and predicted the Ray Williams-trained pacer would be tough to beat if he could settle on the speed.
Saturday’s Gloucester Park program gets underway at 3.05pm.
Tim Walker
Image: Scott Hamilton