12 March 2020 | Ken Casellas
Mt Helena trainer Ray Williams has brought Dreamy Nights back from a spell in splendid form and the New Zealand-bred six-year-old has excellent prospects of completing a winning hat-trick by setting the pace and holding his rivals at bay in the 2130m DTS Security fence Specialists Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Reinsman Aldo Cortopassi was delighted when Dreamy Nights drew the prized No. 1 barrier and he plans to jump the gelding straight to the front and then dictate the terms of the race.
“From No. 1 he won’t have to use a lot of speed,” Cortopassi said. “There’s no horse quicker than him off the arm; nothing will cross him off the gate. His past two runs have been very good and his main danger this week looks to be Jack William, who from barrier ten should be sitting on his back.”
Jack William revealed strong staying virtues when he raced in the breeze and won from the fast-finishing One For Dave Andme over 2130m last Friday night when he covered the final 800m in 56.5sec. and rated 1.57.6. He also won from the breeze, beating Three Bears at Pinjarra at his previous outing.
The Ross Olivieri-trained Iceenothink (barrier seven) also has claims. He is a talented sit-sprinter who has impressed with his strong finishing bursts at several recent outings.
The in-form Cortopassi has several other good drives on the 11-event program, including Naval Aviator (race two), Im Soxy (race five), Oneonthewood (race eight) and Our Shelley Beach (race 11).
“From barrier two on the back line I’ll have options with Naval Aviator,” said Cortopassi. He is capable of winning, with a bit of luck. I’ll have options — whether to kick through early (in the one-wide line) or race three back on the fence.
“I’ll be driving Im Soxy for the first time and he has not a bad draw at barrier two on the back line. He should get a nice soft run; he went to the line well when third behind Talktomeurmattjesty last week.
Olivieri said that he was confident that Im Full of Excuses would prove hard to beat in that event. He will be driven by Chris Voak from the No. 3 barrier.
“He has been knocking on the door and his run (when second to Vampiro) in the Pinjarra Cup was huge,” Olivieri said.
Olivieri also has sound claims in the opening event, the DTS Farmnlock Fence Pace, with the enigmatic Dennis, who will start from the No. 1 barrier with Mitch Miller in the sulky. Dennis was a most unlucky fourth behind Jack William last week when he was hopelessly blocked for a clear passage until the final 50 metres.
“Dennis is a capable frontrunner and he might try to lead this week,” Olivieri said.
Cortopassi was engaged to drive Oneonthewood for trainer Joshua Dunn after Chris Voak opted to handle Jason Woodworth’s ten-year-old Attack On Command in the 2503m DTS 40,000 Stock Lines Under One Roof Handicap.
Voak drove Oneonthewood, an 11-year-old veteran of 221 starts, when he caught the eye in a 2130m mobile event on Tuesday evening in which he was restrained early and finished strongly, out six wide, from eleventh 300m from home to be fifth behind Bettor Be Oscar. He is also a good standing-start performer who is capable of a bold showing from the 20m mark.
Voak drove Attack On Command when the gelding started from 30m and ran home solidly to win from The Lightning Strike over 2631m at Pinjarra two starts ago.
Cortopassi is looking forward to driving the Mike Reed-trained regally-bred Our Shelley Beach from barrier six in the final event, the Direct Trades Supply Pace for two-year-olds.
The New Zealand-bred Our Shelley Beach will be making his debut and should be prominent. “He gives promise of being a nice horse,” said Cortopassi. “I know what he can do, and he can only get better from the experience.
“John Oldroyd broke him in and educated him and got me to drive him in trials. He’s got a lot of speed, but I’ll probably drive him quietly and see what happens. Mike has been good enough to leave me on.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
