Gary Hall - will drive Machtu for his father tonight
Champion trainer Gary Hall sen. is confident that Machtu will lead his stable charge for honours in the group 1 feature events for four-years late this year and he said he expected the powerful son of Mach Three to remain unbeaten in his current campaign when he runs in the $22,500 Ross North Homes Spring Pace at Gloucester Park on tonight.
Machtu, to be driven by Gary Hall jun., is favourably drawn at No. 2 on the front line in the 1730m Spring Pace. However, with the speedy Blissfull Boy drawn on the pole, Machtu could be set the task of racing without cover.
Blissfull Boy a seven-year-old veteran of 126 starts (for 15 wins) possesses sparkling gate speed and is a noted frontrunner.
“This will be Machtu’s first start in open-class company,” said Hall sen. “Things could be a bit difficult if he has to breeze outside Blissfull Hall. But Machtu should win. I’d like him to lead, but he can win in the breeze, just like he did when he raced on the outside of Bettor Offer over 2130m last Friday night --- and bolted in.”
Machtu, an expensive $250,000 purchase, has won convincingly at Gloucester Park at his three appearances after resuming from a spell to boost his earnings to $96,687 from ten wins and two placings from 15 starts.
Hall has no hesitation in declaring Machtu as the best of his 17 four-year-olds, all of whom are in line to contest the group 2 $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship on November 14, the group 1 $125 McInerney Ford Classic on November 21 and the group 1 $175,000 Golden Nugget Championship on December 5.
Crusader Banner and High Courage, four-year-olds from the Hall stable, were most impressive when they scored effortless victories over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night.
Crusader Banner settled at the rear, dashed forward in the middle stages to work without cover and then took the lead 450m from home and sprinted the final 400m in 28.7sec. to win by a five lengths at a 1.58 rate. High Courage set the pace and won by three lengths from Ohoka Cooper at a 1.57.7 rate after final sections in 28.4sec. and 28.6sec.
Machtu should be one of three Hall four-year-olds to win on Friday night. Elegant Christian and Classic American will be odds-on fancies for the Ross North Group Pathway Pace and the third heat of the Complete Homes Warwick Pace, respectively.
“They have both won at each of their past two starts and should continue in winning vein,” Hall said.
Elegant Christian has won at eight of his ten starts and from barrier two for Clint Hall should prove too speedy for the smart gelding Bettor Offer from the stables of Greg and Skye Bond.
Classic American has overcome wide barriers to win very easily at Pinjarra and Gloucester Park at his past two outings. His ideal barrier at No. 2 should prove a winning advantage over another four-year-old Burning.
“I’ve got 17 four-year-olds and whether they all measure up for the feature races remains to be seen,” said Hall sen. “I rank Machtu ahead of Elegant Christian and Classic American. The others are headed by Soho Lennon, VC Manoeuvre, Crusader Banner and High Courage.”
Hall has seven of the 12 runners in the $19,500 Developwest Unit Developments Pace over 1730m. He leans towards the speedy Heez Orl Black, to be driven by Lauren Jones from the favourable No. 2 barrier. His other runners are The Ragpickers Dream, Some Kinda Tactics, Jaccka Felix, Rowchester, Dashing Christian and Soho Highroller.
