24 October 2018 | Ken Casellas
Like A Dame was an extremely modest performer on the racetrack, but she has proven to be one of the State’s finest broodmares. The seven of her progeny to have raced have won 86 races and notched 116 placings and carrying on the good work is five-year-old Kerrin Joseph, who looks a great winning chance in the Siciliani Association of WA Westbred Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Kerrin Joseph, trained at Oakford by Ross Olivieri, will be driven by Chris Voak and the gelding has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of starting from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line. He has put in eye-catching performances at his past two starts and his clash with Fanci A Dance and Liam Neil promises to be a highlight of the ten-event Italian Fireworks program.
Kerrin Joseph impressed at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon when he unwound a spirited finishing burst which carried him from last at the bell to finish a close second to Tyler Brett over 2185m, with the final quarter whizzing by in 27.8sec.
Three nights earlier, he started out wide at barrier seven and forged to the front after 450m before absorbing strong pressure from Maxentius and fighting on grandly to finish third behind brilliant four-year-old Bechers Brook and Maxentius.
By Somebeachsomewhere and bred by Steve Johnson, Kerrin Joseph is out of Like A Dame, a Golden Greek mare who raced 36 times for two wins at Kellerberrin and one at Wagin before being retired to the breeding barn. Like A Dame is the dam of David Hercules, an outstanding performer who amassed $1,263,159 from his 39 wins and 35 placings from 108 starts. He won many Group 1 events, including the 2015 Fremantle Cup.
Kerrin Joseph will need to be at his top on Friday night to defeat the lightly-raced but highly promising Fanci A Dance, who will be driven by Morgan Woodley from the No. 8 barrier. Fanci A Dance resumed after a four-month absence when he was restrained at the start from barrier eight and was most impressive in thundering home from 11th (and last) at the bell to finish second to the pacemaker Rock Me Over over 2130m last Friday night.
Busselton trainer Barry Howlett was delighted with the six-year-old’s effort and he predicted a successful campaign for the gelding who has raced only 32 times for nine wins seven seconds and three thirds. He said that Fanci A Dance was still a few runs away from his best.
David Thompson, who prepared David Hercules during his wonderful career, is confident of a strong performance from his promising Johnson-bred and owned four-year-old Liam Neil, who will be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green from barrier three on the front line.
Liam Neil raced three wide for the first 400m and then in the one-out and one-back position before finishing solidly into third place behind Destined To Rule and Bhagwan over 2130m last Friday week. That followed a hat-trick of wins in September and a strong-finishing third behind The Art Form and Benhope Rulz at Pinjarra.
The Sonia Zucchiatti-trained Destined To Rule is in the best form of his career and will have many admirers from barrier five.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
