19 April 2018 | Ken Casellas
Shannon Suvaljko, the State’s leading driver, is looking forward to driving smart three-year-olds Our Angel of Harlem and Golden State at Gloucester Park on Friday night and he gives both Mike Reed-trained pacers excellent prospects of winning.
Our Angel of Harlem is drawn awkwardly at barrier six on the front line in the 2130m Bridal Expo at Gloucester Park Pace, a prelude of the WA Oaks in which she faces a strong challenge from Liberty Rose, who has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier.
“From the inside draw, Liberty Rose is probably the one to beat,” Suvaljko said. “However, Our Angel of Harlem is versatile. We have a few options; she can lead, sit or breeze. And she’s spot on for the grand final (the $150,000 WA Oaks on May 4).”
Our Angel of Harlem won an Oaks prelude last Friday night when she started from the outside of the back line, settled at the rear and dashed forward after 900m to race outside the pacemaker Amelias Courage before getting to the front 80m from the post and winning by a neck from Amelias Courage, with Lady De la Renta in third place.
She sprinted home over the final 400m in 27.5sec. and rated 1.58.1 over the 2536m journey. Friday night’s 2130m event will pose no great problems for Our Angel of Harlem, but Suvaljko said that the filly’s favourite distance was 2536m. “That’s her best distance; it gives her time to relax,” he said.
Leading trainer Gary Hall sen. spoke with confidence about Liberty Rose’s chances on Friday night, saying that the filly was talented and tough and that he was confident she would set the pace and prove very hard to catch.
The New Zealand-bred Liberty Rose won impressively at Pinjarra and Gloucester Park at her first two starts in Western Australia before a broken carrier strap forced Gary Hall jun. to retire her mid-race in last week’s event won by Our Angel of Harlem.
The Michael Brennan-trained Miss Sangrial will have admirers and should run a bold race after she had no luck in last week’s prelude when she was cast back in the field behind a tiring runner in the final circuit. Miss Sangrial, to be driven by Chris Lewis, will start and should enjoy a perfect passage behind the expected pacemaker Liberty Rose.
The Colin Brown-trained and driven Amelias Courage should clinch a start in the Oaks final with another stout-hearted performance. She will start from barrier five on the front line and should be in a prominent, forward position throughout.
Golden State will start out wide at barrier eight in a field of nine in the www.gloucesterpark.com.au Pace over 2130m spoke with confidence about the New Zealand-bred colt’s prospects in an event which is likely to be dominated by Golden State, his stablemate Bechers Brook and the Aiden Warwick-trained Sweet N Fast.
Golden State began brilliantly from barrier eight in the 2536m WA Derby last Friday week and he set a solid pace before wilting in the final stages to finish eighth behind King of Swing. He was an all-the-way winner over 2130m two starts before that.
“Golden State doesn’t have to lead,” Suvaljko said. “He’s probably better if you don’t have to use him from out there (barrier eight). There’s nothing between him and Bechers Brook and most of the time Golden State can beat Bechers Brook over 2130m.”
Bechers Brook, who will again be handled by Dylan Egerton-Green, should prove hard to beat, even from the outside barrier (No. 9). He was most impressive in the WA Derby when he charged home, six wide, from 11th on the home to finish a head second to King of Swing.
Adding considerable interest to the race will be the appearance of Christian Cullen gelding Sweet N Fast, who will be driven by Aldo Cortopassi for trainer Aiden Warwick. Sweet And Fast possesses good gate speed and there is a strong chance he could be set alight in the early stages. His four WA starts have produced three wins and a second placing.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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