New Zealand-bred five-year-old Billies A Star is a comparative novice who will be having only his 19th start when he contests the Ross North “A Reputation Built On Excellence” Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
However, he has the ability to prove the master of his seven older and vastly more experienced rivals, who between them have had exactly 500 starts.
He is an M2-class pacer who needs to show good form to be chosen in the final 30 pacers to compete in the $1.8 million TABtouch interdominion championship series at Gloucester Park and Bunbury in November and December.
Trained at Pinjarra by Michael Brennan, Billies A Star is awkwardly drawn at barrier six and his clash with up-and-coming six-year-old Erskine Range (barrier eight) should prove to be a major highlight on the ten-event program.
Erskine Range’s trainer-driver Colin Brown has a healthy respect for Billies A Star, who has the advantage of starting from a more favourable barrier.
Chris Voak, who will drive Billies A Star, declared: “I’ll be searching for the lead. Much will depend on what the drivers of the five horses drawn inside of him want to do, but Billies A Star has got very good gate speed and he likes to go forward off the arm.
“He led and beat Phoenix Warrior first-up over 2636m at Narrogin two months ago and he’s got a good enough form line to be a leader in this race, and if he gets to the front I would be disappointed if he didn’t win. He is nominated for the Inters, so you would expect him to run a good race.
“At his latest outing, in a stand at Pinjarra, he galloped and lost ground at the start and I was criticised for my drive (after he finished fifth at 5/1 on). I probably over-drove him a tad (dashing forward to race in the breeze), but I thought he was good enough to do that. Looking back at the times (final four quarters in 30sec., 28.7sec., 28.8sec. and 29.4sec.) maybe I did over-drive him a bit.
“However, I’m sure he will be better for that run and returning to mobile racing he won’t be losing 60 to 70 metres at the start. At his previous run he drew barrier six and I sat back until the final 600m before letting him run home. He did well to finish third to Waylade after a final 400m in 27.8sec. Had he drawn to lead I think he would have given Waylade something to chase.”
Brown said he expected Erskine Range to prove hard to beat, even from the outside barrier. The chestnut is a brilliant frontrunner and has impressed with stylish all-the-way victories over 2130m at his past two outings, his first runs after an absence of 11 weeks.
“He’s not just a frontrunner,” Brown said. “He’s versatile and is tougher than he is brilliant. He rated 1.54.6 when he won over 1684m at Pinjarra last October after racing three deep on a wet track. He rated 1.54 11 months earlier when he raced wide early and then without cover. So he’s not a one-trick pony.
“I also thought his effort in the Pinjarra Cup (on June 1) at the end of his previous campaign was full of merit when he finished fourth against some top horses.
“The 2536m of Friday night’s race won’t worry him. He’s pretty hard in condition. The outside barrier is a worry, especially with Billies A Star drawn inside of him. Billies A Star has ability and Voaky knows how to rate you out of a race. So we’ll be up outside him earlier than later, I would think. This will be a great test for us.
“We’re hoping Erskine Range will get into the top 30 for the Inters. He will have a week off in the paddock after this week’s race.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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