Greg and Skye Bond, last season’s leading trainers in Western Australia, have struck a purple patch, with nine winners at four meetings in the space of five days and they will be looking for further successes with their seven runners at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
One of their best prospects will be Swimbetweentheflags in the Premier Suzuki Handicap, a stand over 2503m.
Swimbetweentheflags warmed up for this assignment with a smart all-the-way win in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night when she defeated Art Connoisseur after dashing over the final quarters in 28.7sec. and 28.9sec.
Her 26 starts, all in stands, have produced eight wins and eight placings. This victory followed stable successes with Bracken Ridge and El Jacko at Gloucester Park last Friday night, Veejay Viper, Assassinator, Kinda Black and Change Stride in Kalgoorlie on Saturday night and Commander Chapel at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon.
Ryan Warwick (Swimbetweentheflags) and Aldo Cortopassi (Art Connoisseur) are likely to be involved in an early battle for the lead.
Swimbetweentheflags led from the No. 1 barrier on Tuesday night and was tracked throughout by Art Connoisseur, who began well from barrier four off the front and finished strongly with an inside run. The barriers will be reversed on Friday night and Cortopassi hopes that this will give him a decided advantage. Art Connoisseur is a good frontrunner who has won at three of his past five starts.
Swimbetweentheflags and Art Connoisseur will have to contend with Im Riddick, who is in splendid form for trainer Mike Reed. Im Riddick will start from 10m and Mark Reed should quickly have the seven-year-old in a position to strike.
Im Riddick started from 20m and he had virtually no hope when the leader Mapua Legend reeled off final quarters in 27.9sec. and 28.8sec. He performed strongly with excellent seconds to the pacemaking Bashful Compton on each of the two previous Friday nights.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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