The big question is: Can Campora break through for an overdue win in the Crystalpack Stakes? And the simple answer is: Yes, he certainly can end a losing sequence of 16.
Six-year-old Campora, trained by Gary Hall Snr, has been unplaced at his past ten starts and has managed just one win from his past 31 outings. However, he should relish the luxury of starting from the No. 1 barrier against moderate opposition in the 1730m sprint event.
He has been dogged by unfavourable draws in recent months and he showed his liking for the No. 1 barrier and his ability as a frontrunner when he set the pace for Lauren Jones and sprinted over the final quarters in 28.4sec. and 27.9sec. to win from Soho Chelsea and Chevrons Champion over 2130m late last July.
Looming as the toughest for Campora to beat is Touch of Success, who will be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green from barrier two.
Touch of Success, trained by Nathan Turvey, has a losing sequence of 12, but he showed signs of better things to come when he began from the back line and trailed the pacemaker Ohoka Darcy and ran home solidly to finish second to Caviar Star over 2130m last Friday week. He has set the pace in six of his 11 victories.
Two pacers with substantial losing sequences will be two of the best backed runners in the Kyra’s Canter Pace. They are Luis Alberto (with a losing run of 21) and Sea Me Smile, who boasts a losing sequence of 46.
Luis Alberto will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr from the No. 2 barrier and Sea Me Smile will be driven by Jocelyn Young from barrier three.
Luis Alberto showed little sparkle from barrier No. 1 in a 2536m event last Friday night and he raced in fifth place, three back on the pegs, before finishing a well-beaten eighth behind James Butt. A week earlier, he raced three back on the pegs and ran on solidly, out wide, to finish fifth behind Hasani.
Sea Me Smile enjoyed a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position in a 2130m event last Friday night when she battled on gamely to finish fourth behind Caviar Star.
Wanneroo trainer Debbie Padberg has two runners in this week’s event, Regal Ambition and Absolution, and both have realistic winning prospects.
