by Ken Casellas
The powerful Greg and Skye Bond stable appears to have a stranglehold on the $23,000 Retravision Online Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with three of the ten runners, Galactic Star, Superimposed and Condrieu, the only last-start winners in the race.
And the stable’s No. 1 driver Ryan Warwick has sent a strong message to punters by opting for Galactic Star, a brilliant four-year-old who has drawn perfectly at barrier one on the front line.
Galactic Star was most impressive last Friday night when he started from 10m and raced in fifth position with a trail before unleashing a powerful burst to take the lead 70m from the post on his way to winning by more than a length from New World Order over 2503m.
That gave the Bettors Delight four-year-old a winning record of 50 per cent — 15 wins from 30 starts — to go with his seven seconds and three thirds.
Warwick also drove Superimposed, a Jeremes Jet four-year-old, to a smart all-the-way victory over 2130m last Friday. That was the gelding’s tenth win from 34 starts. He will start from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night, with Dylan Egerton-Green in the sulky.
Ryan Bell will drive seven-year-old Condrieu from barrier five on Friday night after guiding the gelding to an easy all-the-way victory from Franco Rayner over 2130m on Easter Thursday.
Erskine Range, who showed a welcome return to form last Friday night when he set a solid pace and was overhauled in the final couple of strides by the fast-finishing Heez On Fire, faces a much tougher test this week from out wide at barrier No. 7 on the front line.
The Bond stable also holds a strong hand in the $23,000 Retravision Your Fujitsu Specialist Pace over 2130m with Vanquished (Ryan Warwick) and Risk (Mitch Miller) drawn to be prominent. Four-year-old Vanquished has good prospects of leading from barrier two and five-year-old Risk is handily drawn at No. 4.
They are sure to meet stiff opposition from the Michael Brennan-trained Billies A Star, who will be making his first appearance for six months. However, Billies A Star is at somewhat of a disadvantage from out wide at barrier No. 8.
Brennan has given the New Zealand-bred six-year-old a solid preparation, including three sound trials at Pinjarra earlier this month. He won a 2185m trial by seven lengths from Downtoafineart last Sunday, with final quarters in 27.2sec. and 29.1sec. A week earlier Billies A Star set the pace and won a four-horse trial by seven lengths, with final sections in 28.4sec. and 28.3sec.
Vanquished has been placed at his three starts since resuming from a spell and is ready to return to the winning list. He finished solidly from sixth at the bell to be third behind Condrieu over 2130m at his latest outing, on Easter Thursday.
Risk is a most consistent performer, with 14 wins and 16 placings from 44 starts and he can never be underestimated. He raced without cover when a fighting third behind Livura at Bunbury last Saturday night.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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