02 August 2018 | Ken Casellas
Leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko has opted to drive Always Arjay in preference to stablemate Neighlor in the $7 Pints At JP’s Sportsbar Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and said that there was very little between the two pacers trained at Serpentine by Matt Scott.
“Always Arjay is flying and is being set for the Marathon Handicap the following Friday night,” he said. “He has drawn barrier six but is capable of doing some work and I wasn’t surprised at how well he went last week (when he raced in eighth position before sustaining a powerful three-wide burst to finish a half-length second to The Freedom Fighter).
“At his previous start he finished second to The Bucket List in the BOTRA Cup in which he beat home Motu Premier. If I had got to the front in that race Always Arjay would have won by two or three lengths.
“There’s not much between Always Arjay and Neighlor, who is a good winning chance from barrier two. Neighlor has good gate speed and if he lobs in front he will be hard to beat. It will pay to forget Neighlor’s last-start seventh behind Kinda Black at Northam.
“He had had a break between runs and it was a very muddy track. I grabbed hold of him and they walked before they sprinted home when Neighlor was off the track. I’d disregard that performance. Neighlor can do anything; he can lead and can win from the breeze or when sat up.”
Suvaljko has driven Neighlor at 27 of his 29 starts in Western Australia for ten wins and six placings. Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr has been engaged to drive Neighlor for the first time.
Friday night’s race looks quite an open affair, with last-start winners Forever Remembered and Soho Leviathan having strong claims along with Major Catastrophe, Ardens Concord, Dodolicious and Courage Tells.
Ryan Warwick has opted to drive Dodolicious from barrier two on the back line, in preference to veteran stablemate Courage Tells, who will be handled from the prime No. 1 barrier on the front line by Colin Brown.
Forever Remembered, trained at Collie by Errol Ashcroft, will have admirers after her dazzling victory last Friday week when Kyle Harper brought her home with a sizzling burst from ninth at the 350m to win easily from Auctioneers Elsu.
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