Im Themightyquinn
Superstar Im Themightyquinn looks certain to enjoy another stroll in the park when he contests the Ford Territory Pace over 2100m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He will start from the outside (No. 7) on the front line and Gary Hall jun. should guide him to another easy victory to stretch his winning sequence to ten --- and his winning run on the Gloucester Park track to 17.
This will be Im Themightyquinn’s last or second last start in WA before he contests the $400,000 Victoria Cup at Melton on December 15.
The winner of 42 races from 87 starts has not been seriously challenged at his three appearances at Gloucester Park in this campaign after resuming from a spell following his triumph in the interdominion championship on March 2.
Russley Rascal, trained by Greg and Skye Bond and driven by Colin Brown, looks the obvious runner-up. Russley Rascal, who will start from the outside of the back line, scored in good fashion at his first three runs after a spell (in September-October) before finishing a game third behind Im Themightyquinn and Lombo Navigator over 2506m last Friday fortnight.
YANKEE DREAM TO WARM UP FOR $100,000 MARES CLASSIC
Quality mare Yankee Dream will make her West Australian debut and will warm up for the $100,000 Nepean Conveyors Mares Classic on Friday week when she contests the Ford Ranger Handicap, a stand over 2503m, at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred six-year-old, trained by Victorian Dean Braun, will start from 20m and will clash with smart last-start winners Dalvey Gold (20m) and Machnifico (10m). She will be driven by Chris Alford.
She has earned $261,989 from 15 wins and 18 placings from only 53 starts. Only two of her wins have been in stands --- by a nose over 2170m in New Zealand in February 2010 and by a head over 2240m at Melton last February.
Her only other appearance in a stand in Australia was at Melton last May when she galloped at the start and finished sixth behind the brilliant Make Mine Cullen.
Dalvey Gold, trained and driven by Aldo Cortopassi, should prove a formidable opponent. He maintained his splendid form at Gloucester Park on Monday afternoon when he raced wide early and then worked hard without cover before winning by a head from the pacemaker Topnotch Dan after dashing over the final 800m in 57.1sec.
Machnifico resumed after an eight-month absence when he enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before finishing solidly to score by a half-length from Car Fifty Four over 2631m at Pinjarra last Monday week. He covered the final 800m in 57.1sec. and took his record to 12 starts for seven wins and two placings.
