20 September 2018 | Ken Casellas
Veteran injury-plagued pacer Jason Rulz has managed just one win in moderate company at Narrogin from 19 starts in Western Australia.
But at his second appearance after a 14-month absence he has the credentials to outclass his rivals in the $22,000 Chicago Bull Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Michael Brennan-trained ten-year-old has matched strides in a 79-start career with star pacers of the calibre of Adore Me, Christen Me, Tiger Tara, Border Control, Ohoka Punter, Devendra, Lennytheshark, Smolda, Beaudiene Boaz and My Hard Copy.
Jason Rulz won the Group 2 Pelorus Classic at the Waterlea Raceway when he finished powerfully to defeat Christen Me in January 2013. Then, two months later, he finished sixth behind Christen Me, Smolda and Restrepo in the Chariots of Fire at Menangle.
At his second WA start he finished second to Beaudiene Boaz in the Group 2 Bunbury Cup in November 2015 before contesting the Inter Dominion championship in November and December that year when his best efforts were fourths in heats behind Devendra and Lennytheshark and second to Major Crocker in a consolation of the championship.
His only Australian win came in a 2636m stand at Narrogin in May 2017 when he started off the 50m mark and produced a powerful burst for young reinsman Michael Grantham to defeat Machrie and The Real Nadal.
Grantham was again in the sulky when Jason Rulz reappeared after an absence of 14 months in a 2631m stand at Pinjarra on Monday of last week. He began off 50m and was last in a field of eight at the bell before battling on, out wide, to finish fifth, four and a half lengths from the winner Hillbilly Time. He is sure to have derived considerable benefit from that performance and should carry far too many guns on Friday night for the opposition which includes four other ten-year-olds and the 13-year-old Celestial Ruler.
Jason Rulz, who will be driven by Corey Peterson has drawn perfectly at barrier one.
His chief rivals appear to be five-year-old Bravo Tex and ten-year-old Im Lisart, each of whom is racing with admirable enthusiasm.
Bravo Tex will be handled by Gary Hall Jnr for Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice and will start from the outside of the back line. He is a solid, hard-working stayer and is capable of a bold showing after placings behind Rocknroll Beachboy at Bunbury and Arthur Lowe at Gloucester Park at his past two outings.
Im Lisart, trained by Terry Ferguson, will be driven by Chris Voak and should be prominent from the inside of the back line. He has a losing sequence of 15, but certainly looks capable of fighting out the finish.
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