28 December 2018 | MICHAEL COURT
HE might not have the strike-rate of high-profile reinsman like Todd McCarthy and Chris Geary.
Yet ace reinsman Jim Douglass continues to rack up the winners, most of them for trainer Ian Wilson, and the jockey-sized freelancer is poised to add to that tally at Bankstown tonight.
Douglass has a strong book of drives on the eight-race Bankstown card and could easily land the first two winners after being booked for the favourites in both the openers.
The consistent Lani Kai Beach has drawn gate two in Race One and the TAB has subsequently opened the Ian Wilson-trained gelding as the $2.50 favourite over the 1740m journey.
Desperately unlucky at his recent starts since scoring at Penrith in September, Lani Kai Beach is a dream horse for his owners as he has brought home a cheque at his past 12 starts and he gets his chance to break back into the winners’ circle tonight.
Douglass has an even better chance of success in Race Two where he will handle the odds-on favourites Shezallapples for Menangle trainer David Thorn.
A winner at Menangle four starts back, Shezallapples will actually be having the first Bankstown start of his 44-race career, which has returned nine wins and 18 placings.
The mare is perfectly-drawn tonight and with the scratching of polemarker Berling, Douglass now has options of either trying to lead all the way or taking a sit and waiting for a crack at them in the straight.
With two of her biggest dangers, Flirtatious Heart (3) and Kleened Out (4) drawn right beside them, Douglass will be able to use all his renowned patience and wait for a shot at them in the straight before releasing the brakes on a talented mare who has earned cheques at her past six starts.
If Douglass gets his confidence up he could get a serious crack at making it a hat-trick when he steers $6 pop Flying Pegasus for Wilson in Race Three.
Flying Pegasus is a veteran of 137 starts and has an excellent record from limited opportunities at Bankstown.
The gelding hasn’t won a race there since scoring in April, 2016 but has run four second placings and fourth thirds there as well in the past two seasons and obviously relishes the 805m circuit.
Douglass has other solid chances including Smoking Zak ($41) in Race Five, Mega Alexander ($21) in Race Seven and his other top hope, the ‘foolproof’ trotter Good Job, who seldom misses stepping away from the standing start and gets his chance for an all-the-way win in Race Eight, where he is listed as a $13 chance.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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