The Bond juggernaut looks set to sustain its relentless dominance of harness racing with crack sprinter Galactic Star poised to prove mighty hard to beat in the $25,000 Pat Cranley Memorial over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Some pacing aficionados contend that Galactic Star is a better stayer than a sprinter, pointing to his head second to Assassinator in the 2902m Easter Cup last year and six wins over distances ranging from 2503m to 2631m but the New Zealand-bred six-year-old is a splendid sprinter, having won twice over 1609m at Bunbury in 1.53.1 and 1.53.8 and twice over 1730m at Gloucester Park, rating 1.52 and 1.55.4.
He is awkwardly drawn at barrier six in the field of nine across one line and Ryan Warwick will seriously consider giving Galactic Star time to settle before sending him forward. Galactic Star began off the 10m mark in a $30,000 standing-start feature event at Pinjarra on Monday of last week and he settled down in seventh place before he surged forward to take the lead after 800m. He covered the final quarters in 28.3sec. and 27.8sec. and won by a neck from stablemate Rock Diamonds. That was his first appearance since August 24 and he is sure to have derived great benefit from the outing.
Galactic Star and his smart stablemate Vampiro are still on track to contest the Interdominion championship in Victoria next month.
Greg and Skye Bond, who prepare Galactic Star, will also be represented in Friday night’s event by evergreen veteran Our Jimmy Johnstone and up-and-coming five-year-old Rock Diamonds.
Our Jimmy Johnstone is handily drawn at barrier three and will be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green. The ten-year-old resumed after a spell in fine style last Friday week when he raced wide early and then enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before running home strongly to be an eye-catching second to Vampiro in the 2130m James Brennan Memorial.
A winner of 27 races, Our Jimmy Johnstone is a smart sprinter who rated 1.54.3 when he led from the No. 2 barrier and won the 1730m Members Sprint at Gloucester Park in May of last year, rating 1.54.3 and beating Beaudiene Boaz by one length.
Another proven sprinter in this week’s race is Tricky Styx, who will be driven by Aiden de Campo from the prized No. 1 barrier. The Jesse Moore-trained seven-year-old mare is in good form and looks the likely leader. She has had eight starts over 1730m for four wins and has also won over 1609m, 1684m and 1780m.
The Bond stable which was successful in the Cranley Memorial with Motu Treasure in 2010 and Midnight Dylan in 2013, is setting a cracking pace and leads the trainers’ premiership with 50 winners from 109 starters. This gives them a 26-win lead over Gary Hall Snr. Warwick also has a commanding lead on the drivers’ premiership table. He has driven 52 winners from 113 starters and leads by 18 from Chris Lewis.
The Bonds also have strong claims in several events on Friday night. Apart from Galactic Star and Our Jimmy Johnstone, the Bond camp has excellent prospects with Our Max Phactor, Dodolicious, Mighty Conqueror, Lincs Tiger and Infinite Symbol.
