New Zealand-bred five-year-old Glenferrie Rustler has a losing sequence of 14, but he has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of starting out wide from the No. 8 barrier on the front line and win the 2536m Westralian Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The gelding has not been successful since scoring over 2230m at Globe Derby Park last January. However, his recent form for Wanneroo trainer Debbie Padberg has been extremely encouraging.
He was most unlucky when a fighting second to talented three-year-old Ima Connoisseur in a 2130m Pathway last Friday night. A 16/1 chance, he started out wide at barrier seven and raced three wide until getting to the breeze 950m after the start. He refused to give in and finished almost four lengths ahead of the third placegetter Themightynadal. That took his record to 54 starts for 19 wins and 20 placings for earnings of $80,539.
At his previous start, over 1730m a week earlier, he trailed the pacemaker Blissfull Boy before finishing fast to be a 2m second to star three-year-old Beaudiene Boaz.
Glenferrie Rustler’s only serious opposition should come from Machs A Pearler, who notched his eighth win from 62 starts when he dashed to the front 400m after the start, set a solid pace and sprinted over the final 400m in 27.4sec. to beat The Arsonist by more than two lengths over 2692m at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon.
However, Machs A Pearler faces a stern test from barrier nine on the front line.
Chris Voak, who will again be in the sulky behind Glenferrie Rustler, has sound prospects in the following event, the final race, the 1730m Westralian For Over 25 Years Westbred Pace for three-year-olds in which he will handle Bettors Gift, who is trained at West Swan by his mother Linley.
At Gloucester Park last Friday week Bettors Gift began from the No. 9 barrier on the front line and was restrained back to last in the field of nine before he sustained a spirited three-wide burst which took him to the lead 80m from the post. However, The Thinking Man flew home to defeat Glenferrie Rustler by a half-head.
Toughest for Bettors Gift to beat over the sprint trip appear to be Maybe Special (barrier one) and Playin With Magic (two). Maybe Special fought on from fifth at the bell to finish third behind Artistic Edge over 2130m last Friday night. That followed a win, a second and a third from her four previous outings. She is trained by Nathan Turvey, who took his season’s tally to 47 after preparing and driving Wynberg Terror and Smart By Design for wins at Northam on Tuesday night. He also drove Hells Kitchen to victory for trainer Maryann White.
Playin With Magic, trained at Byford by Sharon Gossage, set the pace when second to Artistic Edge last week. She will be better suited over the shorter distance of this week’s race.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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