Promising pacer Alta Tribute will resume racing after an eleven-week absence when he begins from barrier six in the opening event, the $100,000 Allwood Stud devoted To Breeding Excellence Pace for four-year-old Westbred entires and geldings over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Alta Christiano gelding trained by Gary Hall snr has been most impressive early in his brief career of twelve starts for seven wins and two second placings. But he faces a stiff first-up test against pacers of the calibre of the polemarker Caberneigh, Aiden De Campo’s pair of brilliant last-start winner Menemsha and Gaitcrasher, Waverider, Blaze Away, Petes Honour, Thenu Came Along and Maximum Rock.
The Michael Young-trained Blaze Away, a winner at five of his eleven starts this season, will begin from the inside of the back line, and his driver Emily Suvaljko expects a bold showing from him.
“This is a good draw for him, behind Caberneigh, who is a good frontrunner,” said Suvaljko. “Blaze Away is definitely better on the fence and his work this morning (Tuesday) was awesome. If he gets luck in running, he will give the others a fright.”
Trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo is expecting Menemsha to fight out the finish, saying: “He has come on well since his first-up win, and we will probably lob midfield in the moving line. His stablemate Gaitcrasher (Joey Suvaljko) wasn’t suited last week (when seventh behind Saifa) racing back on the fence. He is a big horse who needs a bit of space, so drawn off the rails is a good spot for him.”
Trainer-reinsman Ryan Bell is disappointed that Waverider, the winner at ten of his 30 starts, has drawn the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
“He is pretty muck spot on for a strong effort, but the draw completely hurts his chances. The only thing that this is a 2500m race which gives him a chance.”
By Ken Casellas