Former Victorian pacer Beltane has been strongly fancied when placed at Narrogin, Bunbury and Wagin at his first three starts in Western Australia and Ravenswood horseman Nathan Turvey is confident that the four-year-old can break through at his Gloucester Park debut by leading all the way in the final event, the Yes Loans Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“It’s the best I’ve had him; he’s got gate speed and is tough,” Turvey said.
Turvey, who owns and trains Beltane, has driven him at his first three WA starts, but has engaged champion reinsman Chris Lewis to drive him on Friday night when he will start from the No. 1 barrier in a field of nine.
After finishing second to smart mare Come Dance With me at Narrogin at his WA debut, Beltane had no luck at all at his next two outings when he raced three wide early and in the middle stages and then worked hard in the breeze before fighting on doggedly to finish third to Baylan Jett at Bunbury and then he had a tough run without trail when a fighting second to the pacemaker Hoiho at Wagin.
Beltane also covered extra ground and had tough runs when winning at his final three starts in Victoria before arriving in WA early last month. He showed his liking for leading when he won a 1720m event for two-year-olds at Melton in April 2017, and in July that year he set a track record, rating 1.57.4 when he sat behind the pacemaker and won over 2190m at Maryborough.
The Greg and Skye Bond-trained Lincs Tiger looks likely to be favourite and should prove hard to beat from barrier five. The four-year-old Lincs Tiger, a winner at eight of his 26 starts, is sure to appreciate a drop in class.
Anime, to be driven by Chris Voak for Coolup trainer Phil Costello, will have many admirers from the favourable No. 2 barrier. He has been racing in considerably stronger company and is set to fight out the finish. He is a smart sit-sprinter, but also possesses excellent gate speed and has led and won over 1684m at Pinjarra and twice over 2130m at Gloucester Park.
The Mike Reed-trained All The Whispers and Luis Alberto, prepared by Gary Hall Snr, are other runners with each-way prospects.
“All The Whispers has had a bit of a freshen-up, but he’s a bit of a hit and miss type,” said reinsman Mark Reed. “There’s two of him and if the real All The Whispers turns up, he’s a chance.”
Hall said that Luis Alberto was a horse who seemed to not like winning, but he said that the five-year-old (second to Free To Air last Friday night) could not be left out of calculations.
Hall is also looking forward to former smart New South Wales performer Lets Cut Loose making his West Australian debut when he starts from barrier five in the 1730m We Say Yes To Personal Loans Pace.
The seven-year-old New Zealand-bred Lets Cut Loose has not raced since finishing last behind Let It Ride over 1609m at Menangle on June 2 this year. He has performed well in good company at Menangle and should prove hard to beat, first-up.
