Former Victorian pacer Thats Perfect will make his West Australian debut when he has his first start in a stand in the 2503m Meat Me At The Post Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He will be driven by leading reinsman Chris Voak for Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri when he begins off the back mark of 20 metres.
An older full-brother of WA Pacing Cup fancy Perfect Major, Thats Perfect faces a significant test at his first appearance since January 10 this year when he led from barrier three and wilted to third behind Kasbah Kid, who rated 1.54.3 over 2240m at Melton. The gelding was a winner at Melton three starts before that when he was fractious in the mobile score-up, took the lead after 350m and won by two lengths from Maestro Bellini, rating 1.56.9 over 2240m, with a final 800m in 55.7sec.
A winner at 14 of his 34 starts, Thats Perfect showed his class with wins in two Group 2 events at Globe Derby Park when he beat Clarenden Valour by two lengths in the Southern Cross final for two-year-old colts and geldings in July 2017 and when he beat the same horse by nine lengths in the Southern Cross final for three-year-olds in July 2018.
Olivieri produced Thats Perfect at the Byford trials last Sunday morning when the gelding qualified to contest a standing-start event. He began brilliantly and burst straight to the front after starting from the outside of the six-horse trial.
Later in the morning Thats Perfect started from barrier six in a 2150m mobile trial in which he began speedily and dashed to the front after 200m before setting a solid pace and winning convincingly at a 1.58.9 rate from Cant Refuse. The final three quarters were run in 29.8sec., 29.1sec. and 28.6sec.
“There are no stands in Victoria, but we thought he would be a good stand horse,” said Olivieri. “The trial was okay, and I think he will improve with the trial. He will improve on whatever he does on Friday night when from 20m we’re hoping that he’ll make up 10m in the first 20m. Triroyale Brigade is racing well and looks one of the hardest to beat.”
Other runners worthy of serious consideration include the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Kilowatt Kid and Terry Ferguson’s experienced mare Bettorgrinanbarit.
Kilowatt Kid, to be handled by Ryan Warwick, will start off the 10m mark at his first appearance since he was an odds-on fancy off 40m and did not show up when sixth behind The Party Boy over 2116m at Pinjarra on August 31.
Bettorgrinanbarit’s recent form in stands has been excellent. She ran on from fifth on the pegs at the bell to finish second to Yes Hes A Ladies Man over 2116m at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon. That followed a sound second to Disco Under Fire at Pinjarra and a fast-finishing victory over Sarge on the same track at her two previous starts.
