Draw suits Lion Queen
Lion Queen, who returned to her best form last Friday night with a last-to-first victory, has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier and looks hard to beat in the $100,000 Celebrating Owner Julie Cooper Westbred Pace for four-year-old mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Shannon Suvaljko, who drove Lion Queen last week, will handle her classy stablemate Water Lou from the awkward barrier at No. 7, thus giving his daughter Emily the chance to drive Lion Queen this week.
Lion Queen has won at nine of her 22 starts for trainer Mike Reed, with five of those wins achieved when she has set the pace.
“I won’t know what to do (regarding tactics) until Mike tells me how he wants the mare driven,” said Emily Suvaljko. “Dad came in last Friday after winning with Lion Queen and said: ‘You should try to get on her at her next start. If she draws to lead, she will be some sort of chance.’
“Obviously Water Lou is a class dropper, but Lion Queen is a classy mare as well.”
Water Lou also ran an excellent trial for this week’s event when she began from the outside of the back line and raced five back on the pegs before flashing home, out five wide, to finish an eye-catching fourth behind Rockandrollartist.
Water Lou and Lion Queen are expected to meet stiff opposition from Copy Cat Queen and Nase Vira, with trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo saying: “Starting from number two on the back line is perfect for Copy Cat Queen, and the 2500m will suit her.
“Lion Queen and Water Lou both went super last week and they’re the two to beat. Copy Cat Queen also was super last week (starting from barrier five and racing at the rear in the field of seven before finishing powerfully to be third behind the pacemaker Brickies Dream).
“They went too slow, and with the leader coming home in 26.9sec. you can’t make up ground, out four deep.”
Serpentine trainer Dylan Egerton-Green has chosen to drive Nase Vira (barrier nine) ahead of her stablemate Grand Couteau (barrier eight). Nase Vira notched her eighth win from 24 starts when she charged home from tenth at the bell to win by more than three lengths from Sweet Vivienne last Friday week.
“I’m very happy with Nase Vira, but the marbles haven’t fallen our way for this race,” said Egerton-Green. “Nase Vira will love the 2500m, and I’m hoping there will be a bit of speed on.”
Egerton-Green is also expecting a strong performance from Captain Stirling, who will begin from the No. 7 barrier in the $100,000 Bookings@Allwoodstud.com.au Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings.
He has chosen to drive Captain Stirling ahead of his stablemate Major Miki Whitby, who led when second to When In Vegas in a qualifying heat at Pinjarra on Monday of last week. Trent Wheeler has been engaged to drive Major Miki Whitby, who will start from barrier four.
“Captain Stirling is a tough horse who is likely to be in the breeze and will keep going,” said Egerton-Green. “He is a horse who has a few strings to his bow.”
Deni Roberts has elected to drive Belly Up (outside of the back line) in preference to the Greg and Skye Bond-trained stablemate When In Vegas (barrier three).
In an event with many chances, Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell will drive Lazi Dais from the prized No. 1 barrier. Lazi Dais has impressed with his seven appearances as a three-year-old resulting in four wins and three seconds.
“Lazi Dais should be hard to beat if he holds up,” said Bell. “And I think he will hold up.”
Lazi Dais resumed after a five-week absence when he made most of the running and finished a close second to Captain Stirling over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
“He needed the run and got a bit lost around Pinjarra,” said Bell. “He seems to get around Gloucester Park better than other tracks.”
By Ken Casellas