27 June 2019 | Tim Walker
He’s already taken out the Sales Classic and the Pearl Classic for the two-year-old colts and geldings this season and trainer Justin Prentice is perfectly poised to add another juvenile feature to that this Friday night.
Prentice has four runners engaged in this week’s Westbred Classic, headlined by the victors of those two races Major Martini and Manning.
As well as the Group 1 winners, Prentice also has last week’s Westsired Pace winner Aristocratic Star and consistent type The Stars Above engaged.
The biggest lead as to who the best of the four may be reinsman Gary Hall Jnr’s decision to drive Aristocratic Star from barrier one.
Hall Jnr has driven each of the four runners at some stage of their short careers and his decision to go with Aristocratic Star is sure to give his followers plenty of confidence.
Manning was able to get the better of Aristocratic Star in the Pearl Classic a fortnight ago, but his hopes of taking out the Westbred were dealt a significant blow when he drew barrier nine.
Chris Lewis retains the drive on Manning in the $100,000 event.
As he did in the Sales Classic, Prentice takes the drive on Major Martini.
Major Martini has been unplaced in three subsequent runs since the Pearl and has given Prentice plenty to think about with his style of racing.
Stuart McDonald teams up with The Stars Above from barrier five.
Perhaps the biggest threat to Prentice in the race comes from the Mike Reed-trained Caveman.
The Somebeachsomewhere colt made it two wins from as many starts at Northam last Saturday night and has come up with barrier 10 this Friday.
Reinsman Mark Reed will get the chance to follow Aristocrtic Star every step of the way and could pose a big danger late in the race.
Kristy Elson trained the first two across the line in the Group 2 Champagne Classic in April with Jaspervellabeach, while Secret Operation was second.
Secret Operation gets his chance to score a feature win from barrier 11 with Michael Grantham to drive.
Poisedtopounce was part of a hot tempo in the Champagne Classic and finished at the tail of the field.
Trainers Greg and Skye Bond will be hopeful he can bounce back from barrier six on Friday night.
Classy Colby, Jaxon Jones, Disco Bolt, Tenacious George and Keptain Courageous round out the field.
The other feature event on the evening sees the fillies and mares tackle the Westside Auto Wholesale Lombardo Pace (2130m).
The three fillies engaged in the race could shape up to be the hardest to beat.
Fake News was game in the Westbred Classic last week when fourth to Typhoon Tiff.
The Gary Hall Snr-trained pacer has drawn a lot better this week in barrier four.
My Prayer took out the Westsired Pace a fortnight ago for trainer Barry Howlett, before an unplaced finish in the Westbred Classic last week.
Chris Lewis teams up with the Renaissance Man filly again this week from barrier three.
Countess Grace is the other three-year-old in the field and will start from barrier 10.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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