Slick Chapel, a $30,000 bargain from New Zealand, will reappear after an absence of five and a half months at Gloucester Park on Friday night and he should prove one of the best bets on the ten-event program when he starts from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the Australian Visa Specialists Pace over 2130m.
The Mach Three six-year-old, trained by Gary Hall sen., is a talented frontrunner and Clint Hall will be aiming for an all-the-way victory.
“His fitness is a bit of a worry, but he’s working quite well and should prove hard to beat,” Hall sen. said. “He’ll roll along and whatever sits outside of him will have a bit of pain. He’s had a lot of leg problems, but he has none at the moment.”
Injuries have restricted Slick Chapel to 29 starts in Western Australia in just less than four years — for 12 wins, seven placings and stakes of $133,353, a good return for his $30,000 purchase price.
Slick Chapel has not raced since he started from the No. 8 barrier and was restrained to the rear before sustaining a powerful three-wide burst which carried him to victory over Change Stride at a 1.56.2 rate over 2130m at Gloucester Park last November.
Adding further interest to the race will be the return of American Ideal five-year-old Billies A Star, who will be driven for trainer Michael Brennan by Michael Grantham from the inside of the back line. Billies A Star, a winner of 11 races from only 25 starts, has not raced since finishing last behind Lovers Delight and Lennytheshark in an interdominion championship heat at Gloucester Park on December 4.
He has not been produced in recent trials, but is capable of a bold showing from his favourable draw.
Four-year-old Ima Connoisseur is well drawn at barrier two and he is sure to be prominent. He led from barrier four last week when a close second to stablemate Denny Crane over 2130m. He possesses sparkling gate speed, but it is doubtful whether he will be able to cross Slick Chapel.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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