by Ken Casellas
The three big zero’s alongside Ohoka Darcy’s name in the opening event, the $18,000 Book Your TABtouch Inter Dominion Hospitality Now Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, should not deter punters from supporting the New Zealand-bred five-year-old.
Yes, it is true: Ohoka Darcy, prepared at Ravenswood by Nathan Turvey, has finished last at his past three starts and he has been beaten by 150m, 85.4m and 124.1m – a combined total of 359.5m.
At the end of May Ohoka Darcy resumed after a short spell when he gave an impressive display to win by five lengths from A Bit Ruthless after being checked and breaking into a gallop and then racing three wide for most of the 1776m journey.
He then raced in the first week of June, July and August when he galloped at the start of a stand and finished a distant last at Gloucester Park and then broke in running in mobile events and finished last at Narrogin and Gloucester Park.
“He raced three wide the trip for his first-up win at Wagin,” Turvey said. “He went really good, but I don’t know whether that hurt him a bit. After that, he got a bit agitated and started going rough and galloping. So, I turned him out to freshen him up.
“I took him to the trials at Pinjarra on Sunday and I didn’t push him. I just wanted him to go to the line feeling good. He did and felt real good (in finishing fourth behind Lady Dupree in a field of five).
“He will start from barrier one on Friday night and is a capable leader. I’ll play things by ear. It doesn’t look good, looking at his numerical form. But at his latest start he was going to run third behind Vultan Tin and Sprinter before he galloped.”
Ohoka Darcy won at three of his eight starts in New Zealand and his 23 starts in Western Australia have produced eight wins and four placings. He is sure to meet extremely stiff opposition on Friday night from the speedy five-year-old Just Bet On Black, who is trained and driven by Colin Brown and will start from the No. 3 barrier on the front line.
Brown’s team has been firing lately and smart punters are sure to rally to support Just Bet On Black, who possesses excellent gate speed and has a fine record of ten wins and eight placings from only 27 starts.
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