16 July 2020 | Ken Casellas
Brilliant four-year-old Sangue Reale is poised for a strong first-up effort when he contests the $30,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Chandon Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, following a dashing trial win at Pinjarra last Sunday.
Blythewood trainer Michael Brennan produced Sangue Reale in fine fettle for the 2185m trial, in which the gelding settled down in seventh position in the field of nine, about 12 lengths from the leader Baralu.
Sangue Reale’s stablemate Forgotten Highway was sixth at the bell when he started a three-wide move which took him to the lead 550m from home. Chris Voak followed the run of Forgotten Highway with Sangue Reale, who burst to the front with about 70m to travel and won, unextended by a length from Palatino, with Forgotten Highway a further length back in third place. The final quarters were run in 28.4sec. and 28.3sec. and Sangue Reale rated 1.58.6.
“The trial was very good and Sangue Reale did it easily,” said Voak. “It looks to be a match on Friday night between Sangue Reale and Cyclone Banner, who has an advantage of race fitness and a more favourable barrier.
“However, we’re not out of it. This is the start of a long campaign, aiming at the summer carnival. I think Sangue Reale has come on from last preparation when he was not far behind Shockwave. We won’t be gassing Sangue Reale off the gate (from barrier six), but we’re a strong chance.”
Four-year-old Cyclone Banner, who is prepared by Ray Williams, will start from the No. 3 barrier and reinsman Aldo Cortopassi declared: “We’re just going to hammer the gate and see what happens. We are hoping to lead, but if we get stuck in the breeze, we can rate the race from there. His was a good strong effort last week and he doesn’t know how to run a bad race.”
Cyclone Banner led from barrier one last Friday night before Cortopassi took the trail behind the fired-up While They Pray after 450m. While They Pray sprinted over the final quarters in 27.8sec. and 28sec. and won by just under a length from Cyclone Banner, rating 1.54.7 over the 2130m.
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