A seven-year-old pacer, an Inter Dominion championship finalist two years ago who has been placed in Group 1 feature events behind star performers Our Waikiki Beach, Lazarus and Chicago Bull will reappear after a three-month absence when he meets moderate opposition in the Vili’s Family Bakery Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He is the New Zealand-bred Bettors Delight gelding Cant Refuse, whose Eastern States owners decided to curtail his racing on the spacious Menangle track and give him a strong chance to prove his worth in Western Australia.
They chose Corey Peterson to train and drive the gelding because they were delighted when he took over the preparation of another of their pacers, Runaway Three, who had ten starts for him in March and April this year for three wins, two seconds, one third, three fourths and a seventh placing.
Cant Refuse has not raced since he worked hard in the breeze before wilting to a two-length seventh behind Scoob Operator over 1609m at Menangle on July 4.
“He has been here for a couple of months,” said the 20-year-old Peterson. “He had a couple of weeks off after arriving here and he should’ve raced at the start of September, but I had a few issues with abscesses.
“You can definitely tell he’s a good horse by the way he handles himself around the stables and his attitude to trackwork. When you pull him out, he just knows when to go and switch on.
“The owners considered that the mile racing at Menangle didn’t suit him, and it was thought he would be better suited over a longer trip. And he was on a Free-For-All mark in Sydney, whereas here he can win three more races before he gets to Free-For-All company.”
Cant Refuse, who has had 81 starts for 14 wins, 24 placings and stakes of $259,056, will start from barrier five in a 2536m event on Friday night, and Peterson said it was his intention to go forward at the start in a strong bid for the lead.
“I’d say we will press forward and see what they (those drawn inside of him) do early,” he said. “I’ll let him settle and then I think that all the horses drawn inside of us should hand up. I’ll drive him like the best horse.”
Cant Refuse won once from ten starts in New Zealand when prepared by Barry Purdon. His victory was as a three-year-old when he finished strongly along the sprint lane to gain the verdict in a blanket finish from Shandale, Kimani, Walkinshaw and Zach Maguire over 1700m at Alexandra Park.
He then was trained in Victoria by Matt Craven and by Craig Cross in New South Wales.
Cant Refuse warmed up for Friday night’s engagement in excellent fashion with an impressive victory at a 1.56.8 rate over 2185m in a trial at Pinjarra on Sunday morning. He raced three back on the pegs in an Indian file affair before Peterson dashed him to the front 650m from home.
Cant Refuse sped over the third quarter of the final mile in 26.5sec. and covered the final section in 28.7sec. to beat Rosies Ideal by three lengths, with Argyle Red two lengths farther back in third place.
“I was surprised that he ran that time down the back, because when I pulled him out, he didn’t feel like he was going that fast,” said Peterson. “As soon as he ran past the other horses he switched off. He needs a horse next to him to get him going.”
Cant Refuse was brought to Gloucester Park by Craven for three runs in March and April 2016 when he finished second to Chicago Bull in a WA Derby prelude, third to Chicago Bull in the Western Gate Classic and 4th behind Chicago Bull in the WA Derby final.
Earlier that year Cant Refuse finished fourth behind Lazarus in the Victoria Derby and second to the brilliant, unbeaten Our Waikiki Beach in the NSW Derby. He ran seventh behind Tiger Tara in the 2760m Inters final at Melton in December 2018 when he finished a nose behind the sixth placegetter Galactic Star.
