21 December 2017 | Ken Casellas
Banjup owner-trainer Annie Belton has bright prospects of landing a double at Gloucester Park on Friday night with promising, lightly-raced young mares Dior Mia More and Gotta Go Gabbana.
Kim Prentice will be all out to score an all-the-way win with five-year-old Dior Mia More, whom is perfectly drawn at barrier one in the Win Boost On TABtouch Westbred Pace over 2130m and Chris Voak will drive four-year-old Gotta Go Gabbana in the third heat of the 2130m Get The Touch With TABtouch Coulson Pace for mares.
Prentice was full of praise after driving Dior Mia More to a surprise victory over top-flight mare Maczaffair last Friday night, saying: “She is getting better all the time and is capable of graduating to top mares’ company. She definitely has the raw ability to get there.”
Dior Mia More gave a sample of her ability last week when she sprinted over the final quarters in 27.4sec. and 28.4sec. That was her sixth win from just 11 starts.
She is unlikely to have things all her own way this week when she clashes with in-form pacers Khun Ratha, New World Order and Bettor Not Bitter.
The Andrew de Campo-trained Khun Ratha has a losing sequence of 17, but is knocking on the door and is poised to return to winning form. He has had unwound spirited finishing bursts at each of his past four starts for three fourths and an extremely close second to Aussie Delight.
New World Order has excellent potential and looks set for a successful campaign for Mt Helena trainer Ray Williams and reinsman Nathan Turvey. He has been placed at each of his four starts since resuming from a winter spell.
Gotta Go Gabbana is handily drawn at the No. 2 barrier on Friday night. Her four runs since resuming after an absence of six months have produced two wins at Pinjarra and a most encouraging head second to Full Package over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon.
Ima Rocknroll Legend, trained by Gary Hall Snr, looks one of the night’s best bets. He has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of starting from the outside (No. 9) in the Merry Christmas From Gloucester Park Pace.
He warmed up for this week’s assignment by running home powerfully from 11th at the bell to dead-heat for second behind Ruling Gold last Friday night.
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