Outstanding young reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green will be aiming to maintain his perfect record behind Wesley when he drives the speedy five-year-old in the 1730m Worldwide East Perth Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bunbury trainer and part-owner Sarah Wall engaged Egerton-Green after the horse’s regular driver Kaiden Hayter was suspended for 17 days last Friday night for causing interference in the Nights of Thunder final.
Hayter has formed a splendid alliance with Wesley and has driven the horse at his past nine starts and at 14 of his past 15 starts. Egerton-Green has driven Wesley only twice for all-the-way victories over 2100m at Bunbury and 2185m at Pinjarra in December 2017.
Wesley is a specialist sprinter, having won twice over 1609m and once each over 1684m, 1730m and 1823m.
He revealed typical early brilliance when he started from the No. 4 barrier in the final of the 1730m Nights of Thunder last Friday night when he zoomed past As Happy As Larry to take up the running after 100m. After a blistering opening quarter of the final mile in 27.8sec., Wesley ran the next three 400m sections in 29.6sec., 28sec. and 29.6sec. Benhope Rulz, who raced in the breeze, took the lead on the home turn and Wesley wilted to finish seventh.
His effort in a qualifying heat the previous week was full of merit. From barrier four he raced in the breeze and fought on doggedly to finish fourth behind Bettor Aim, who rated a sizzling 1.52.4.
There is plenty of speed inside Wesley this week, with Bronze Seeker at barrier one and Good Times Ahead at No. 2. Tanaka Eagle (barrier six) and Debt Free Charlie (seven) can also muster considerable early pace.
Egerton-Green also has several other sound each-way prospects on the program, including the Greg and Skye Bond-trained El Jacko in the $50,000 City of Perth Cup. El Jacko looks ideally suited from barrier two on the back line. He maintained his excellent form when he raced three back on the pegs and flew home along the inside to finish a half-length second to Rocknroll Lincoln in the 2936m WA Pacing Cup last Friday week.
His other drives Touch of Success, Talkerup, Hy Leexciting, Ultimate Major and Kid Colossus will have admirers.
