Talented four-year-old King of Swing has a losing sequence of seven and has managed just one placing (a third behind Chicago Bull and Vultan Tin six starts ago, on May 31) but champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr has declared him a good thing to win the opening event, the 2130m On Track With Enda Brady Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His past five outings have resulted in a sixth, an eighth, a ninth, a tenth and an 11th placing. But he certainly looks the winner this week from the favourable No. 2 barrier on the front line.
“He just wins,” declared a confident Hall. “He will be leading and he and Wildwest are my best prospects at the meeting. Both will be short, and both should be winning.”
Last Friday night, King of Swing, the WA Derby winner in April 2018, was a 3/1 chance from the inside of the back line in a 1730m sprint at Gloucester Park. He raced in fifth position, three back on the pegs, and was hopelessly blocked for a run, finishing 11th behind Bettor Reward.
“There were a lot of unlucky runners in that race and I never got to let King of Swing go at all,” Hall said.
King of Swing, with earnings of $450,470 from 17 wins and seven placings from 37 starts, is one of five runners in Friday night’s race who is prepared by champion trainer Gary Hall Snr.
The other Hall runners are polemarker Mad Robber (Lauren Jones), Tuas Delight (Maddison Brown), Ideal One (Kyle Harper) and Speed Man (Stuart McDonald).
Mad Robber should enjoy a perfect trail behind King of Swing and looks a strong place prospect, while Speed Man is capable of overcoming a back-line draw and figuring in the placings. Speed Man impressed last Friday night when he thundered home from last at the bell to win easily by five lengths from Bob Wheel. That was the four-year-old’s 12th win from 36 starts.
“Speed Man has had a few niggling problems, but he’s definitely above average in our stable,” said Hall Jnr. “I’ve been impressed with his past few runs. No one thinks he’s much good, but he deserves respect.”
Hall spoke in glowing terms about New Zealand-bred three-year-old Wildwest, who is unbeaten after three starts. He will begin from the outside barrier in a field of nine in the Westate Timber Floors Pace over 2130m and should prove too good for the opposition, including promising stablemate Highly Flammable, a stylish last-start Pinjarra winner, Beaudiene Western and Bettor Be Oscar.
“I’ll settle Wildwest early and then move into it as we see fit,” Hall said. “Just with his speed, he could sit last and pull out at the 300m and win. But we probably won’t be doing that. I’d imagine he’ll beat Beaudiene Western again. Beaudiene Western’s form in New Zealand was good; he was able to stretch Major Trojan’s neck in one race over there.”
Small filly Remit Me Whitby warmed up for the Vale Jim Snooks Pace over 2130m in fine style with an emphatic victory at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night.
Remit Me Whitby, trained by Debra Lewis, will be driven by Jocelyn Young, who guided the filly to an excellent win by more than two lengths over Star In Art on Tuesday night, when she set the pace and sprinted over the final two 400m sections in 28.8sec. and 27.6sec.
Remit Me Whitby possesses good gate speed and her clash with the other filly in the race, the talented Star Fromthepalace, and smart youngsters Aristocratic Star, Marcotti, Bee Jays Boy and Pocket The Cash will be a highlight of the ten-event program.
