Catch me if you can will be champion reinsman Gary Hall Junior’s mantra when he plans to take full advantage of the prized No. 1 barrier with One Off Delight in the $100,000 Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“The last time he led was four starts ago at Gloucester Park when he won pretty convincingly,” said Hall. “So, setting the pace will be my intention on Friday night.”
One Off Delight warmed up for this week’s assignment with a sound third behind Major Pocket and Slick Artist last Tuesday fortnight when he finished solidly after enjoying the one-out, one-back trail.
One Off Delight is the first foal out of New Zealand-bred mare Tiger Su, who won once from 11 starts in New Zealand and three times from nine starts in WA in 2012. Tiger Su’s dam Tigerish was an outstanding juvenile performer in New Zealand and retired with earnings of $491,957 from 15 wins and 21 placings from 79 starts.
The main dangers to One Off Delight appear to be Thisbeachrighthere and Murphys Bettor.
Thisbeachrighthere (barrier five) was a winner at Ballarat and Melton as a two-year-old and he has impressed with three wins and a third placing from five starts in WA for owner-trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
Thisbeachrighthere was untroubled to set the pace from barrier two and win by 8m from Arma Rich Girl over 2185m at Pinjarra three Mondays ago when he dashed over the final quarters in 27.9sec. and 28.1sec.
Murphys Bettor, an inexperienced gelding with two wins from eight starts, will begin from barrier four with Chris Voak in the sulky. He resumed after an absence of four months when he made most of the running and won easily from Kamendable Joe over 2190m at Northam on May 29.
“Murphys Bettor has had a bit of an interrupted campaign, but is certainly capable of winning,” said Voak. “He is one of those horses who does just what he needs to do. He’s a casual, cool dude.”
Murphys Bettor is prepared by Ross Olivieri, who has trained 98 winners this season and has several good each-way prospects among his ten runners on Friday night.
Highroller Joe, trained in Busselton by Jamie Howlett, has shown promise with three wins from nine starts and has each-way prospects from the inside of the back line. He impressed when he scored an easy win in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Sunday morning, with final quarters in 27.1sec. and 27.8sec.
