Mark Reed Photo by Scott Hamilton Media
Ace reinsman Mark Reed is planning to adopt similar frontrunning tactics as he did with Aliveandwell in 2009 in a bid to win the $50,000 Mount Eden Sprint at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He is bubbling with confidence about the prospects of Maczaffair, a five-year-old mare who is trained by his father Mike.
Maczaffair, who will be reappearing after an absence of three and a half months, has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier and Reed said he was aiming to set the pace. “She’s flying and I expect her to run the race of her life,” he said.
Aliveandwell, a 3/1 chance prepared by Andrew de Campo, started from the No. 1 barrier in the 2009 Group 2 Mount Eden Sprint and Reed set a bold pace before the gelding romped home by just under two lengths from Amongst Royalty and Has The Answers, rating 1.54.8 over the 1730m trip.
Reed gave another dashing display in the sulky to land 12/1 chance Nebulizer a convincing winner over Admiral’s Avenue and Lord Marques in the 2000 Mount Eden Sprint.
Mares have a poor record in the Mount Eden Sprint (formerly the State Sprint Championship) which has been run 63 times, with only eight mares winning the race in Dainty’s Daughter (1970), Pyramus (1971), Virgil Queen (1977), Kiwi Cloud (1978), Line On (1986), Whitby Miss Penny (1992), Sensational Gabby (2014) and Libertybelle Midfrew (2016).
Libertybelle Midfrew, the 5/4 on favourite from barrier one, was trained by Mike Reed when she was driven by Shannon Suvaljko to an all-the-way victory over Run Oneover and Heez On Fire, rating 1.54.3 when the feature event was run over 2130m for the only time.
The New Zealand-bred Maczaffair has already amassed $384,442 in prizemoney from her 18 wins, eight seconds and two thirds from 41 starts and she looms large as one of the main contenders for the $125,000 Mares Classic at Gloucester Park on December 14.
Mark Reed reiterated that Maczaffair would be the pacemaker, declaring: “she’ll lead; she comes out on roller skates.””
If, as expected, Maczaffair sets the pace, Tricky Styx, the only runner off the back line and the only other mare in the race, should enjoy a perfect run behind Maczaffair. The Jesse Moore-trained Tricky Styx, to be driven by Aiden de Campo, sprinted home brilliantly to win over 1730m two starts ago. Then, last Friday week, she fought on solidly from sixth on the pegs at the bell to be fourth behind Chicago Bull in the 2130m Stratton Cup.
Maczaffair, like Tricky Styx, has a good record in sprint races. She has won at two of her four attempts over 1730m and has also won over 1609m and 1684m.
Rocknroll Lincoln (barrier two) and King of Swing (three) will have many admirers and each has strong each-way prospects. Rocknroll Lincoln, to be driven by his trainer Justin Prentice, has resumed after a spell in grand form with two impressive victories over 2130m.
Rocknroll Lincoln has yet to compete over a sprint trip in his 13 WA starts which have produced seven wins and three seconds. As a three-year-old in New Zealand he won at a 1.56 rate over 1700m at Cambridge in January 2017 when he started from the No. 2 barrier and sat behind the pacemaker Mark of Integrity before finishing solidly along the sprint lane to defeat that pacer.
Four-year-old King of Swing is the youngest and least experienced runner in the event and the stallion will be driven for the first time in a race by Stuart McDonald, who replaces Gary Hall Jnr who is in New Zealand preparing champion pacer Chicago Bull for a race at Alexandra Park on Friday week and the New Zealand Cup at Addington on November 13.
King of Swing, who boasts the fine record of 22 starts for 14 wins and six seconds, has a trick y draw at No. 3, but McDonald is confident he will prove hard to beat.
Gary Hall Snr, who prepares King of Swing, is seeking his seventh win in the Mount Eden Sprint, after successes with Bengeeman (2002), The Falcon Strike (2006), Im Themightyquinn (2011, 2012), Waylade (2015) and Chicago Bull (2017).
Chris Lewis, who will be in the sulky behind the Barry Howlett-trained Talktomeurmattjesty, has won the race five times with Village Kid (1987), Whitby Timer (1990), Flashing Star (1997), Sneakyn Down Under (2008) and Sensational Gabby (2014).
Talktomeurmattjesty is a brilliant sprinter, capable of overcoming the awkward draw at barrier seven. He resumed after a spell with an excellent second to Chicago Bull in the 2130m Stratton Cup last Friday week. He is sure to be improved by that effort.
Ryan Warwick, who won the Mount Eden Sprint behind Lookslikelightning in 2005, will have many admirers. He will handle the Greg and Sky Bond-trained Vampiro, who is not particularly well drawn at barrier six. However, Vampiro, a winner at 15 of his 36 starts, is capable of unwinding a spirited finishing burst.
Argyle Red, an all-the-way winner over Overboard Again and Mister Versace over 2130m two starts ago, will be having his first start for Pinjarra trainer Aiden Warwick. He will be driven by Aldo Cortopassi and his prospects slumped when he drew the No. 8 barrier.
