by Ken Casellas
Smart New Zealand bred three-year-old My Art Work will make his Australian debut when he starts from barrier four in the Westral Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night and punters will be wise to consider the gelding a strong winning chance.
My Art Work is prepared by premier trainer Gary Hall Snr, who will also be represented by The Pima Indian, an easy winner at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon.
The Pima Indian, who will start from the outside of the back line, will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, leaving the way open for Lauren Jones to handle My Art Work.
My Art Work, a half-brother to Bronze Seeker, who has raced 168 times for 23 wins, 29 placings and $338,022 in prizemoney had six starts in New Zealand for two victories. He has shown wonderful ability to produce a powerful finishing burst.
At his most recent outing he started from the No. 7 barrier and was restrained to last in a field of eight in a race over 2700m at Alexandra Park on June 9. After a fast first lap, My Art Work was last with 450m to travel, six lengths from the leader. He was seventh at the 100m mark before flying home, five wide, to gain a last-stride victory at a 2.1 rate.
Three starts before that, over 2200m at Alexandra Park, My Art Work, a 24/1 chance from barrier seven, raced in fifth place in an Indian file seven-horse field. He was still last with 380m to go and fifth at the 100m before charging home to hit the front 15m from the post and win by a neck from Luis Alberto. He has not been produced in public trials, but he makes strong appeal.
The Prima Indian began speedily from barrier five at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon and Hall Jnr took the trail behind the pacemaker O What A Country before sending the gelding to the front 420m from home. The final 800m was covered in a slick 56.4sec. and The Prima Indian rated 1.59.5 over 2185m in beating the fast-finishing Heez A Masterpiece by four lengths.
Half the field of 12 in Friday night’s event are from New Zealand, including the Matt Scott-trained Neighlor, who will be driven by Shannon Suvaljko from barrier five. Neighlor galloped at the start and finished last in a field of three at his WA debut, at Gloucester Park on July 24. He set the pace and won by a half-head from One Off Delight at a 2.0.1 rate in a 2150m trial at Byford last Sunday week.
Neighlor, who raced 11 times for two wins and four placings in New Zealand, is by champion sire Bettors Delight and his maternal granddam Tuapeka Star produced star pacer Iraklis, who earned $1,019,042 from 22 wins and 20 placings from 51 starts.
Iraklis won the Miracle Mile at Harold Park at his Australian debut in December 1996 and was successful in the New Zealand Cup at Addington in November 1997. He also was third behind Our Sir Vancelot in the final of the Inter Dominion championship at Globe Derby Park in March 1997 and was second to the same pacer in the 1999 Inters at Alexandra Park.
Vampiro, another New Zealand-bred gelding, has excellent each-way claims in Friday night’s race. He will start from barrier six, with Ryan Warwick in the sulky for Hopelands trainer Skye Bond. Vampiro led from the No. 1 barrier and won in good style from Jet Holme over 2130m at Gloucester Park at his latest appearance, on July 29.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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