15 February 2018 | Ken Casellas
Promising six-year-old Hot Fraternity has finished second from unfavourable barriers at his past three outings and will have to contend with the outside barrier (No. 9) in the 1730m TABtouch, The Brand That Funds The Industry Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His young reinsman Bailey McDonough is quietly confident that Hot Fraternity, prepared by his grandfather, Bunbury trainer Frank Bonnett, has the ability to overcome the awkward and challenging draw.
“He’s going really good when bad draws haven’t helped him,” he said. “He’s got another bad draw on Friday night, but it is a weaker field than the ones he has been racing in and he gets his chance to break through for a win.
“I like him over the short 1730m trip. In the sprint races he travels well in running and seems to finish off a lot stronger on the bit. On Friday night he should land close enough to them (after the start) in the field of ten. Hopefully, he can make a move or track another horse up (as the race develops).
“He was really good when second to Wesley at Bunbury last Saturday night.”
In the Bunbury race over 2100m, Hot Fraternity started from barrier six and was restrained to the rear. He raced in eighth position until McDonough switched him three wide with a lap to travel. He sustained his three-wide effort to move to second at the 250m mark before fighting on grimly to be second to Wesley, with the final 400m being covered in 27.5sec.
He started out wide at barrier nine at his previous outing, over 2536m at Gloucester Park and he impressed in sustaining a strong burst, out wide, and finishing second to Greenngold, with final sections of 28.7sec. and 29.1sec. He led from barrier five when beaten in the final stride by the fast-finishing Messi a week before that.
McDonough, one of the State’s up-and-coming drivers, will handle outsiders from the Tony Svilicich stable in Looks Promising (race one) and Shardons Rocket (RWWA Cup) before driving the Bonnett-trained Estilo in the final event, the Chinese New Year Fireworks Night Pace over 2536m.
Estilo has been unplaced at his past nine starts since McDonough drove him to victory over 2100m at Bunbury early last November.
“Dean Miller drove Estilo when sixth behind Wesley at Bunbury on Saturday night and he said that he got home really well,” McDonough said. “I think he can hold up early and then I’ll assess my options from there. He’s definitely a top-four chance.”
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