27 June 2019 | Tim Walker
Golden State will have his fast class credentials tested in this Friday night’s Announcing Rock N Roll World New Sire To Allwood Stud Farm Pace (2130m) at Gloucester Park, where he has drawn barrier one.
The Mike Reed-trained four-year-old had his first foray into the Free-For-All ranks in last week’s Winter Cup, where he never got into the race from the wide gate.
However, there will be no place for Golden State to hide this Friday night when he takes on Chicago Bull in the $25,000 event.
The barrier draw has opened up endless possibilities for this week’s Free-For-All, with King Of Swing, Vultan Tin and Chicago Bull set to have key roles to play early in the piece from barriers two, eight and nine respectively.
Golden State’s driver Mark Reed will have a crucial decision to make in the early stages as to whether he tries to hold the front, or to take a sit on one of the more seasoned campaigners.
King Of Swing, to be driven by Stuart McDonald looms as an obvious candidate to press forward in the early stages, while Vultan Tin may also find himself prominent throughout the race.
Gary Hall Jnr has elected to stick with Chicago Bull, who has scored three wins from four starts this campaign.
Chicago Bull was absent from last week’s Winter Cup, which saw stablemate Tact Major return to the winners list, while Tommy Be Good and Im Soxy filled the minor placings.
Tact Major, Tommy Be Good and Im Soxy are all set to line up again in this week’s event from barrier 11, six and 10 respectively.
Ryan Warwick teams up with Im Soxy again this week and from the exact same barrier draw.
The Brian Clemens-trained gelding has finished top five in each of his 12 runs this campaign.
It’s that model of consistency that has Warwick confident he can match some of the best pacers in the state.
“Probably the last 12 months he has been really good,” Warwick said.
“He’s had 10 days off here and 10 days off there and he’s actually got better as a racehorse.
“He’s a bit more calculated and smarter about some of the moves he makes.
“His run last week was probably as good as you can go.”
Warwick said while barrier 10 wasn’t ideal, there were some positives to it again this week.
“Golden State is quick, he’s very quick, so he can hold the front,” he said.
“The Hall’s have got a bit of power, so that always makes a difference.
“King Of Swing’s a bully, but if he’s not in front he’s tended to show that he’s not as good.
“Obviously Chicago Bull is the best horse we’ve got in WA.
“If it’s run at a decent tempo, it will give us a chance to see where we are at.”
Lauren Jones, who drove Tact Major to victory last week, will team up with Zennart this week and said Hall Snr helped her make the call.
“It makes it a bit hard for me with my two favourite horses in the same race,” she said.
“If Zennart brings the right Zennart he will definitely be right there, but it just depends how the race is run.”
Michael Grantham teams up with Tact Major, while Dylan Egerton-Green gets the opportunity to drive Hall Snr’s other runner in the race Whozideawasthis.
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