Champion trainer Gary Hall sen. is not fazed at Waylade’s surprise defeat as a 5/2 on favourite last week and is urging punters to retain faith in the richly-talented and lightly-raced five-year-old when he contests the $50,000 group 2 Mount Eden Sprint at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Waylade had a tough run last Friday night when he raced three wide early and then in the breeze and was a fighting third in a three-way photo to the pacemaker and stablemate Northview Punter and the fast-finishing Smokey The Bandit in a 2130m event run in heavy rain.
This week Waylade will start from barrier four and looks certain to have to do plenty of work. But Hall is confident that Waylade will be a big improver this week.
The stylish stallion will again be handled by Gary Hall jun. and he is full of hope that Waylade will give him and his father their fifth success in the Mount Eden Sprint, after successes with Bengeeman in 2002, The Falcon Strike (2006) and Im Themightyquinn (2011 and 2012).
The Hall stable holds a powerful hand in this week’s rich 1730m sprint, with Waylade (barrier four), Classic American (No. 3), Crusader Banner (No. 5), Northview Punter (No. 7) and My Hard Copy (No. 8).
“Waylade is my main hope,” said Hall sen. “His run last week was good; Northview Punter is nearly unbeatable when he leads and Waylade had to work hard out of the gate (from barrier three) to hold Lovers Delight. Waylade likes to be balanced, not bustled. But he had to be bustled and then they went too slow. It was very slow for that class, and he was still getting to the line late.
“Drawn four this week, I think Waylade is the one to beat. Northview Punter (Lauren Jones) can’t win from a wide barrier, Crusader Banner (Kim Prentice) has good gate speed and is a chance, so, too, is Classic American (Justin Prentice), who is the fastest horse over 1730m in the State, with a rate of 1.52.6, while My Hard Copy (Clint Hall) can be dangerous if it is a truly-run race. His fourth to Northview Punter last week was a good effort.”
Waylade, who has raced only 19 times for 13 wins and five placings, will meet plenty of stiff opposition, apart from his four stablemates. Smokey The Bandit is perfectly drawn at barrier one for Busselton trainer Michael Callegari and reinsman Ashleigh Markham, Tuxedo Tour (barrier two) is a stylish frontrunning sprinter who has led and won twice over 1730m from his past three starts, Libertybelle Midfrew (six) unwound a powerful late burst to win first-up from The Parade last Friday night and the versatile Bettors Fire (nine) can never be underestimated.
Callegari and Markham are hoping to go a bit better than they did when Dredlock Rockstar, a 40/1 outsider, charged home from five back on the pegs to finish third to Bettors Fire in the Mount Eden Sprint two years ago. Smokey The Bandit was seventh on the pegs at the bell before he thundered home to finish a head second to Northview Punter over 2130m last Friday night.
Smokey The Bandit is widely regarded as purely a smart sit-sprinter. But he possesses good gate speed and he led and won three times over 2100m in much weaker company at Bunbury in 2013. Callegari and Markham will weigh up the possibility of leading on Friday night.
Trainer-reinsman Kyle Harper reports that Bettors Fire is in excellent shape for his return to racing after an absence of nine weeks. The New Zealand-bred seven-year-old warmed up for the Mount Eden Sprint with a convincing and impressive trial win over 2150m at Byford on Sunday morning.
“It was a very good trial and I was really pleased with him,” Harper said. “I’ve had some issues with him over the past two to three weeks … just soundness issues and he wasn’t pacing right. He had a few niggles here and there and we’ve been working tirelessly to remedy them.
“He wasn’t pacing quite right and was just a little bit off his game. But on Sunday he was back to his old self. It was a four-horse trial and he sat back in last place, with Tuxedo Tour leading up, followed by Kiwi Legend and My Samantha Jane.
“I think Bettors Fire rated 1.58.5. I pulled out going into the back and they ran home in 56sec. and I reckon he went close to 55sec., with a final quarter in 27sec. He went to the line jogging and it was probably the best he has ever felt for me.
“Hopefully everything is back on track. Barrier nine is a tricky draw and we’ll be dropping out and sitting up for just one run. I hope he hits the line good and he’s not impossible. Do I think he can win? Yes. Do I think he will win? No. This will be more of a fitness run than anything.
“A poor trial last Sunday week had as all panicking. I’ve had his legs checked out by the vets and there is nothing to worry about at this point. I think he had given himself a bit of a kick in the paddock and a lot of icing and little bit of TLC has done the trick.”
Bettors Fire drew the No. 1 barrier when he led all the way and won the 2013 Mount Eden Sprint from Im Victorious at a 1.53.8 rate in 2013. Last year he was a 21/1 tote chance when he started from the outside of the back line in the field of 12 when he finished powerfully from the rear to be third behind the pacemaker Sensational Gabby in the Mount Eden Sprint.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
