Pinjarra trainer Michael Brennan declares that The Bucket List has never been better and he is confident that the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old will prove hard to beat in the $23,000 Media Guild Cup over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“The distance and the small field (eight runners) will suit and he will be right in the race,” Brennan said.
Michael Grantham will drive the gelding, who will start from the No. 6 barrier and will clash with up-and-coming star Beaudiene Boaz, brilliant mares Libertybelle Midfrew and Tricky Styx and exciting prospect Heez On Fire.
“The Bucket List was in real good form during his previous preparation, but he’s come back a whole lot better this time, for sure. He’s a top-line little horse who really stepped up at his latest start when he smashed the clock in his final sectionals trying to take ground off Bettors Fire.
The Bucket List raced without cover for much of the first lap before gaining a perfect sit, one-out and one-back, in the group 3 Howard Porter Memorial over 2130m last Friday week.
After a third quarter of the final mile in 28.7sec., Bettors Fire sprinted over the final 400m in 26.9sec. and beat The Bucket List, who finished with great determination, by a neck.
The Bucket List won at his two previous starts, by a nose over Our Ideal Act over 2692m at Pinjarra and by a length over Flyalong Falcon in a 2503m stand.
“I’ll leave the tactics up to Michael,” Brennan said. “Let him decide when the arms go back. There’s plenty of options; he can breeze and he can sit.”
The Bucket List, who has had 61 starts for 18 wins and 25 placings for stakes of $234,105, has been ranked No. 46 for the TABtouch interdominion championship series in November and December. “Hopefully he can climb up the rankings and make the final 30,” Brennan said. “He deserves to run in the series.”
Looming large as a major threat to The Bucket List is the brilliant Beaudiene Boaz, who will boost his earnings past the $1 million mark if he finishes first, second or third.
Beaudiene Boaz, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old who has won at 22 of his 32 starts, will begin from the outside (barrier eight) in Friday night’s Cup. His trainer Gary Hall sen. has won the Media Guild Cup with The Falcon Strike (2003), Kotare Flame (2007), Washakie (2008) and Our Arlington (2014).
Gary Hall jun., who will drive Beaudiene Boaz, has been successful with The Falcon Strike, Kotare Flame, Washakie and the Kevin Keys-trained Tuxedo Tour (2015).
Beaudiene Boaz has overcome a setback in his preparation and will be making his first appearance since he was restrained from the outside barrier, raced at the rear and was forced out wide in the final circuit when a well-beaten ninth behind Our Jimmy Johnstone over 2130m on August 5.
“He seems to have recovered from whatever was affecting him last time,” Hall jun. said. “He had some sort of lung bug.
“He’ll need the run, but he’s working good enough to win. He’s had a few good hit-outs at home and it will be just a matter of getting him to do something from behind (instead of setting the pace as he has in many of his wins).
“It’s a small field, but a good field. The Bucket List is flying and the mares are getting a free-kick (drawing the No. 1 and No. 2 barriers under the preferential conditions for mares).
Libertybelle Midfrew (barrier one) and Tricky Styx (two) will have many admirers. Each is a smart frontrunner.
Libertybelle Midfrew showed a welcome return to form last Friday night when she started from barrier six and finished strongly from seventh at the bell to be third behind Bettors Fire and Copagrin in the 2130m Spring Pace.
Tricky Styx, a winner at 18 of her 41 starts, raced three back on the pegs in fifth position and was hampered for room in the home straight when a sound fourth behind Bettors Fire last Friday week.
Adding considerable interest to the race will be the return of the WA-bred seven-year-old Heez On Fire, who has not raced since finishing last behind El Machine last February. The winner of 16 races from 30 starts, he is now trained by octogenarian Bill Horn.
Heez On Fire, who has been affected by leg problems, has impressed in three trials at Pinjarra in July and when second to Another Vinnie in a Pinjarra trial last Sunday week.
At his previous trial appearance (over 2185m) Heez On Fire won from The Bucket List after sprinting over the final quarter in a sizzling 26.4sec. He won trials at each of the two previous Sundays, with final quarters in 27.8sec. and 27.5sec.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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