23 July 2020 | Ken Casellas
Serpentine trainer Matt Scott is delighted at Rock Me Over’s form since resuming from a spell and rates the experienced five-year-old as an excellent each-way prospect in the Westside Auto Wholesale Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Rock Me Over, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko from the favourable No. 2 barrier in the field of seven, has finished solidly for fourths behind Chicago Bull at his two starts after an absence of three months.
“They have been super runs and I’ve been more than pleased by the way he has come back,” said Scott. “And this week he doesn’t have to take on Chicago Bull and Handsandwheels. I was happy with his first-up run when they went slowly early and sprinted home.”
“And last week Nathan (Turvey) couldn’t get the ear plugs out in the last lap. So, he probably didn’t sprint as quick as I thought he would. I expect him to go quite well this week.
“I don’t think Rock Me Over has enough speed to cross Robbie Easton (barrier one), and Thereugo (barrier four) might get to the front. We’d love to be on the fence; Rock Me Over is an opportunist and he’ll be each-way all day.”
Robbie Easton, trained by Gary Hall Snr and to be handled by Gary Hall Jnr, should prove hard to beat at his first appearance for three weeks. The New Zealand-bred four-year-old is a good frontrunner and should take plenty of catching.
Scott also is upbeat about the prospects of Clarenden Hustler, who will be driven by Suvaljko from the inside of the back line in the Perth Plasterboard Centre Pace.
“He won first-up at Bunbury (when he trailed the pacemaker Allwoods Rocknroll and finished gamely to win by a head from Minimum Wage last Friday night) and he should be improved by the run. He loves the pegs and is an each-way chance.”
Clarenden Hustler should gain a perfect run behind the likely pacemaker Our Virtuoso, who is sure to be strongly fancied from the No. 1 barrier. The Shane Quadrio-trained four-year-old warmed up in good style when a fighting second to Atmospherical in a 2550m Byford trial on Sunday morning.
“He still needs a bit of fitness, but this is not a super strong field,” said reinsman Chris Voak. “Our Virtuoso’s trial was okay, and I expect him to be in the finish.”
Scott also expects a solid performance from Twentynine Twelve, a New Zealand-bred seven-year-old who has a losing sequence of 19 and will start from the No. 1 barrier in the Simmonds Steel Pace, with Suvaljko in the sulky.
Twentynine Twelve also started from the No. 1 barrier last Friday night when he led for the first 250m before taking the sit behind Ultimate Offer. He battled on when second to Ultimate Offer.
“Twentynine Twelve led over 2536m two weeks ago (when he faded to ninth behind Power And Grace) and I thought he went a little bit unders compared to his trackwork,” said Scott. “Last week we decided to sit on Ultimate Offer and I’m undecided this week whether to lead or take a sit. I’ll leave it up to Shannon.”
Twentynine Twelve is sure to be tested by Our Rhythm N Blues, Rebel With A Grin, Im Rocknroll Magic and Boom Time.
Dylan Egerton-Green will drive Rebel With A Grin from barrier six. The four-year-old’s past seven starts have been in stands (for three wins) after his first 11 starts in WA were in mobiles for four wins. Egerton-Green has driven the gelding twice, for wins in stands at Pinjarra and Gloucester Park.
The Debra Lewis-trained Im Rocknroll Magic (Chris Lewis) is awkwardly drawn at barrier seven, but should be prominent after his excellent first-up second to Forgotten Highway in the BOTRA Cup last Friday night. The gelding’s off-side sulky wheel was contacted in the early stages and the tyre became deflated during the race.
Chris Voak is bullish about the prospects of the Ross Olivieri-trained Boom Time, who will start from the inside of the back line. “He should get a soft run on the pegs,” he said. “Boom Time went really well last week (when fourth behind Pierre Whitby) and if he gets a split in the last lap he will be very dangerous.”
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