16 April 2020 | Tim Walker
It’s hard not to like Talktomeurmattjesty’s style of racing.
His bold front-running style takes luck out of the equation and takes his rivals out of their comfort zone.
He has established himself as one of the key players in the state’s Free-For-All ranks over the past few months, highlighted by his emphatic 24.5m win two starts back.
This Friday he will be out to spoil the return of star pacer Chicago Bull in the Perth Plasterboard Centre Pace (2130m) where he has drawn the inside barrier in the six horse field.
The eight-year-old suffered a surprise defeat last start where he beat just two of his seven rivals as a $1.70 favourite.
Driver Kyle Harper said Talktomeurmattjesty’s followers should forgive his last start performance and tipped a much better showing this week.
“He was a little bit disappointing last start but he went into that race with a month between runs,” Harper told RWWA Harness.
“He went a little bit amiss in the time between those runs with a bug.
“It was a bit tough for him to go up against a good field after a month off.”
Chicago Bull headlines the six horse field in this week’s $20,000 event, which also includes Chiaroscuro, Argyle Red, Tommy Be Good and El Jacko.
Despite Chicago Bull’s presence, Harper said he expected Talktomeurmattjesty to be too slick for his rivals out in front this week.
“We weren’t super confident last start but I’m confident with him this week, even with Chicago Bull in the race,” he said.
“From what Barry told me, he should be a lot sharper this week.”
Talktomeurmattjesty rated a scintillating 1.52.9 in his win two starts back and ran a lead time of 35.1.
The Barry Howlett-trained gelding had the field spread right out on that occasion and never looked like being headed.
Harper said he always gets a good idea before each race whether Talktomeurmattjesty was on top of his game.
“When he’s on song he’s nice to drive, especially when he finds the top,” he said.
“You can tell in the warm up when he’s on song and he’s not all that fun to drive when he’s not able to find the front.
“He’s an amazing horse though to do what he does early in races and then do it at the end as well.
“Not too many horses can run that sort of lead time then do it at the end as well.”
Talktomeurmattjesty has built up a formidable record of 15 wins and 12 placings from 45 starts in an admirable career spanning back to 2015.
His second-up win this campaign back in December stands out as his best win to date where he beat subsequent Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup winners Caviar Star and Mighty Conqueror respectively.
Should he claim the scalp of Chicago Bull this Friday it might very well go down as his finest win yet.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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