Waylade has improved further

19 November 2014 | Ken Casellas
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Gary Hall Junior

Gary Hall Junior

Up-and-coming four-year-old Waylade is poised to complete a winning hat-trick in the space of 15 days by proving too fast and too strong for his rivals in the $125,000 McInerney Ford Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Champion trainer Gary Hall sen. is highly optimistic, particularly after the inexperienced New Zealand gelding drew favourably at barrier two on the front line in the group 1 classic over 2536m.

“He will definitely go better this week,” Hall said. “He’s getting better with every run and hasn’t reached his peak yet. But by Friday night I reckon he’ll be at his peak, and he should maintain peak form for the Golden Nugget a fortnight later.”

Waylade has been most impressive in winning a prelude of the Nugget and the $40,000 Four-Year-Old Championship over the past two weeks and he is firmly on target to complete a clean sweep of the rich four-year-old classics by winning the McInerney Ford and the Nugget.

“He has always shown a bit of ability, but until now he hasn’t revealed that sort of depth,” Hall said. “He’s got fitter and a bit more mature --- and he’s shown a lot more depth. He’s certainly got the speed; his 27.7sec. down the back last week proved that.”

Waylade has started from the No. 4 barrier at his past two starts and has been untroubled to score after racing without cover in both events. From the No. 2 barrier this week Gary Hall jun. is likely to make a bold bid for the early lead and to set the pace.

Drawn on his inside is classy stablemate Soho Lennon, a winner at eight of his 24 starts. He is a versatile pacer who should be prominent.

Hall sen. advised punters to disregard Soho Lennon’s eleventh placing in the Four-Year-Old Championship last Friday night when the gelding started from barrier five and was restrained to the rear by Lauren Jones. Soho Lennon was eleventh at the bell and was forced wide in the final circuit before a wheel of his sulky became locked with a wheel of stablemate Classic American’s sulky on the home turn.

“Soho Lennon was off the track in the final lap and even though he wasn’t going to run anywhere before locking wheels, I’d recommend that you forget that he even raced,” he said. “I’d say he’ll be an improver.”

Hall has three other runners in Friday night’s classic --- A Boy Named Rosie, Classic American and VC Manoeuvre.

A Boy Named Rosie looks certain to figure in the finish after drawing favourably on the inside of the back line. He should be poised behind the leaders throughout. Last week he enjoyed a perfect sit in the one-out, one-back position when a sound fourth behind Waylade.

VC Manoeuvre raced three back on the pegs last week before finishing boldly into second place. He will start from the outside of the back line and should be running home strongly. Classic American is not well drawn at barrier four on the back line. He will need luck, but is also capable of unwinding a powerful late burst.

Hall sen. has won the McInerney Ford Classic (previously known as the 6PR Classic) as a reinsman with Love of Glory (1990), Valley Champ (1993) and Slick Vance (1995). He trained Love of Glory and he also prepared McInerney Ford winners in The Falcon Strike (2001) and Im Themightyquinn (2008).

Forrestdale trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who prepared 16/1 chance Condrieu when he led from barrier five and finished second to the 5/2 equal favourite Chilli Palmer in last year’s McInerney Ford Classic, have two sound candidates in Bettor Offer (barrier five) and Jumbo Jet (four).

Bettor Offer, to be driven by Colin Brown, has wonderful potential and has won ten times from 23 starts. He started from barrier two on the back line last Friday night when he settled down in eighth position before sustaining a powerful three-wide burst to finish third behind Waylade and VC Manoeuvre. He won in fine style at each of his three previous outings.

Jumbo Jet (Ryan Warwick) notched his eighth win from 18 starts when he gave a solid frontrunning display to win a 2130m Pathway last Friday night. He rises considerably in class and will be at lucrative odds.

Serpentine trainer Stephanie Smith has Hugh Victor racing with plenty of enthusiasm and Morgan Woodley should have the gelding in a prominent position (after starting from the No. 3 barrier) before asking him to produce a strong finish. Hugh Victor started from barrier six last week when he was a 94/1 tote outsider who was on the pegs in tenth place at the bell before finishing strongly into fifth place.

 

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