Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred pacer Eastwood Crystal looks set to manage a rise in class and score an all-the-way victory in the 1730m TABtouch Mares Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Colin Brown will replace the suspended Ryan Warwick in the sulky and he is sure to make the most of the coveted No. 1 barrier over the sprint journey.
Eastwood Crystal, trained at Forrestdale by Greg and Skye Bond, bounced back to her best form when she proved too smart for her moderate rivals in a C2 and better stand over 2116m at Pinjarra last Monday week.
She started from the back mark of 40m and was an 8/1 chance who well back in ninth place at the bell before she unwound a powerful finishing burst and got up in the final stride to defeat Donegal Chokin by a head.
Eastwood Crystal made the most of the No. 1 barrier three starts before that when Warwick guided her to an easy all-the-way victory over Awesome Desire over 2130m, with a final quarter in 27.9sec. The five-year-old has had only 16 starts for seven wins and four placings. Her ten WA starts have produced six wins and a third.
Byford horseman Aldo Cortopassi holds a strong hand in the race with experienced six-year-olds Showstopper and Dilingers Princess.
The versatile Showstopper will start out wide at barrier seven, with Cortopassi in the sulky and Dilingers Princess will start from the outside in the field of nine. She will be handled by ace Queensland reinsman Shane Graham, who is the leading driver in Australia this season with 84 winners. Graham also won the Australian Drivers’ Championship in the 2014-15 season with 259 winners from 1270 drives.
Showstopper has struck a purple patch, winning at each of her past four starts, one at Narrogin and the next three in Kalgoorlie. Dilingers Princess has won at four of her past seven starts and her63 starts have produced nine wins and 12 placings.
The Debbie Padberg-trained Lavra Florence will have admirers at her second outing after a spell. She will start from the No. 2 barrier and Chris Voak is likely to make use of her excellent gate speed. The Nathan Turvey-trained Robyns C C will be fancied from barrier four and Ross Olivieri will be looking for an improved performance from former Victorian performer Bonny Under Fire after her fading fourth behind Formyeyesonly at Bunbury at her latest appearance.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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