03 January 2018 | Ken Casellas
Star filly Cott Beach is thriving after her brilliant victory last Friday night and trainer Kristy Elson is quietly confident that she will maintain her winning form when she contests the Perth Plasterboard Centre Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Cott Beach was untroubled to defeat her ten rivals in last week’s event restricted to three-year-old fillies, but is sure to find the going somewhat more testing this week when she comes up against six colts and geldings and one filly (Miss Sangrial).
“It will be tougher against the boys,” Elson said. “However, she should go okay. She has worked well this week and is feeling good within herself.”
Cott Beach, who has earned $176,568 from nine wins and five placings from 15 starts, will begin from the outside barrier in the field of eight on Friday night. She revealed dazzling gate speed from the outside barrier (No. 9) last week and burst to the front after 150m before setting a brisk pace and winning by more than a length from Beaudiene Beach Babe, with Miss Sangrial 5m farther back in third place.
Elson said that she would leave the tactics up to reinsman Nathan Turvey, who appears certain to make full use of Cott Beach’s sparkling early speed.
Miss Sangrial, trained by Michael Brennan, has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier and Chris Voak plans to take advantage of her good gate speed.
In last week’s race, Miss Sangrial, from barrier four, was a hot 5/2 on favourite, with Cott Beach at 4/1. However, Miss Sangrial was sluggish at the start and was easily passed in the early stages by Ella Gant Player and Cott Beach. She then had to work hard in the breeze before battling on into third place.
Voak is of the firm opinion that a false start was the reason for Miss Sangrial’s defeat. “At the first attempt at a start she felt a million dollars and felt as though she was going to lead,” he explained. “The second time, she wasn’t the same horse. She obviously was unsettled by the false start and didn’t want to get going.
“She didn’t feel like the same horse 50 metres from the release point. I don’t believe she’ll get crossed this week. If she leads I reckon she’ll be right in the finish and even if she does get crossed, she is a good sit-sprinter who is still capable of winning.”
There is also plenty of talent among the six colts and geldings, with the Mike Reed-trained Bechers Brook a winner at three of his four starts and Mistahmistah, trained and driven by Kyle Harper, looking set for a bright career after stylish wins at his only two starts.
Bechers Brook reappeared after a spell in fine style when he set the pace and won by more than two lengths from Extradite over 2190m at Northam last Saturday night. He dashed over the final quarters in 28.4sec. and 27.8sec. He will start from barrier four and will have many admirers.
Mistahmistah, a winner at Addington in July, made an impressive Australian debut at Gloucester Park three Fridays ago when he led from barrier one and sped over the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 27.8sec. to beat Speed Man and Cott Beach.
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