Boyanup trainer-reinsman Cody Wallrodt is happy with Babyface Adda’s form and is hoping the WA-bred five-year-old will return to the winning list when he starts from the No. 2 barrier in the 2536m Thewest.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Babyface Adda is a good frontrunner whose most recent success was six starts ago when he led and beat Henwood Bay over 2130m at Gloucester Park two months ago.
However, Wallrodt, who races the Rich And Spoilt gelding on lease, is mulling over his possible tactics for Friday night’s race.
“The 2536m makes it a bit harder,” he said. “We’ll have a look and see if we can cross (to the front) and if we do, then maybe hand up to something better. On the other hand, if I think he is going good enough in the lead I’ll consider holding the lead.”
Babyface Adda, who has won over 2503m and 2569m, has raced over 2536m for two thirds and three ninth placings.
He gave a solid performance when third behind Carrera Mach and Bettor Be Oscar in a fast-run race over 2130m last Friday night. He started from the outside of the back line, settled four back on the pegs before moving to the breeze after 550m and then gaining the one-out, one-back trail at the 1200m. He went three widen 450m from home to move to second approaching the home turn and then fought on doggedly to finish third.
At his previous appearance, over 2130m on New Year’s Eve, Babyface Adda impressed when he raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before being hampered by a flat sulky tyre at the 400m. He managed to take a narrow lead 100m from the post and finished second to the fast-finishing Bracken Sky.
Babyface Adda meets solid opposition on Friday night, with Aiden de Campo’s Bettor Be Oscar and the Robbie Williams-trained and driven Triroyale Brigade looming as two of his most dangerous rivals.
Bettor Be Oscar, who will start from the No. 5 barrier, has bright prospects of ending a losing sequence of 13. He has worked hard in the breeze at his past two starts for second placings behind Jack William and Carrera Mach.
Triroyale Brigade continues to race keenly and will pay to follow. He was checked and broke early and caught the eye when he was eighth at the bell and switched five wide 220m from home before running home strongly to be fourth behind Bettor Copagoodone last Friday night.
Trainer Gary Hall snr will use Maddison Brown’s concession to enable Antero to contest this event, and the six-year-old, a smart last-start winner over Pocket The Cash and Roll With Me, will have many admirers.
Hall will also use Brown’s concession to enable Diego to run in the 2130m third event. Diego, a winner at four of his past six starts, is ideally drawn at barrier two and looks capable of setting the pace and holding Waltzingwithsierra and Patrickthepiranha at bay in the closing stages.
