16 December 2022 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
Betterthancheddar gelding Agouda Ruler will be looking to get back into the winners’ list when he lines up in the second heat of the North West Plate in Burnie on Friday.
The winner of eight races hasn’t tasted victory for over a year but has been placed in two of three starts this preparation.
Those placings were in the heat and final of the Raider Stakes, where his driver Charlie Castles was happy with the pacer’s efforts.
“He was good there the first heat, he had a good draw that helped us a lot, and in the final he drew poorly, and he still ran the best of the rest sort of thing,” said Charlie.
Agouda Ruler, who is trained by Charlie’s uncle John, then went to Launceston on 3 December, where he finished midfield in a heat of the Youngbloods Challenge.
“He did work round them in a quick lead time, and then they kept bowling, I don’t think he went terrible but he definitely wasn’t at his best,” said the driver.
On Friday, the pacer has a 20m handicap to overcome in the last of the two heats of the North West Plate, which has a $12,000 final on 27 December.
“It is a winnable race if it is run to suit.
“Obviously at Burnie, you don’t know how they will run them. Sometimes the leader likes to stack them and try to outsprint them at the end. Other races they like to bowl all the way,” Charlie said.
“He has been stepping away well at home, so he should step good and make up the ground.
“The push-out pole at Burnie is at the bell now, so that does entice you to stick the fence a little bit now,” explained the reinsman.
Friday’s eight-race Burnie card will be shown on Sky Racing 2 and TasracingTV from 18:06.
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