04 April 2019 | Ken Casellas
Outstanding young Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice is forming a wonderful association with champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr and this combination looks set to continue its great recent record at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Hall has excellent prospects with four Prentice-trained pacers in Sweet N Fast (race two), Our Major Mama (race four), Dracarys (race seven) and Our Corelli (race ten).
Dracarys is the standout of that quartet and only bad luck will prevent her from winning the $18,000 #Inthegig Oaks prelude over 2130m in which she is somewhat awkwardly drawn at barrier five.
In the past month Hall has driven Prentice-prepared pacers in 20 events for 11 wins, three seconds, three thirds, one fourth and two sixth placings.
Hall is lavish in his praise of Dracarys, a New Zealand-bred filly who has had 14 starts for nine wins and three seconds for earnings of $89,841.
“Dracarys has to be right up there as one of the best fillies I’ve driven,” he said. “She’s more like a colt; she’s got it all and she’s strong and fast. She can come out of the gate and put the race away in the first 100m if she needs to. And her closing speed is so good that you’re not too scared to be back in the field.”
Dracarys was awesome at her latest appearance, over 2130m last Friday week, when she started from barrier five, burst to the front after 450m and was not extended in sprinting over the final quarters in 28sec. and 27.9sec. to win by five lengths from stablemate Majorpride, rating 1.57.3.
Another decisive victory this week will further strengthen her claims of winning the $150,000 WA Oaks over 2536m on May 3.
Majorpride, to be driven by Nathan Turvey from barrier two, should notch her fourth placing from four starts as a three-year-old after winning three races and being placed six times from 11 starts as a two-year-old.
The Annie Belton-trained La Roue De Lamour, a $57,000 yearling, should be prominent throughout from the No. 1 barrier. She broke through for her first win at her tenth start when she worked hard in the breeze before beating She Said Diamonds over 1609m in 1.56.5 at Bunbury last Saturday night.
Hall gives Our Corelli a good chance in the final event, the Skyracing.com.au Pace over 2130m in which he is handily drawn at barrier three on the front line. And he said that Sweet N Fast and Our Major Mama had sound prospects.
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