Boyanup trainer-reinsman Justin Prentice sounded an ominous warning to the connections of Major Reality’s rivals in the $125,000 Westral Mares Classic over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he said that Major Reality ran times on his home track that not many other horses were capable of recording.
After Major Reality had given a bold frontrunning performance from the No. 1 barrier to win the 2130m Norms Daughter Classic last Friday week Prentice said that he was delighted with the ease in which Major Reality ran such fast times in training.
“She probably needed the run and I think that there is more improvement in her,” he added.
The clash between Major Reality, the2015 WA Oaks winner, with Dodolicious, the 2016 WA Oaks champion, the richly-talented and highly impressive A Piccadilly Princess (winner of the Victoria Oaks and the New Zealand north island Oaks early this year), outstanding open-class performers Tricky Styx, Ideal Alice and The Parade as well as up-and-coming mares Sheer Rocknroll and Bettor Be Supreme promises to be a highlight on a magnificent ten-event program.
Dodolicious, whose 25 starts have produced 15 wins and seven seconds, has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier and Ryan Warwick will be keen to make full use of her gate speed in a bid for an all-the-way victory which would give leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond their second success in the Mares Classic, after Luke McCarthy had driven Baby Bling to a decisive win over Aussie Made Lombo in the group 1 feature event in November 2012.
At her most recent outing Dodolicious started from barrier two and had a tough run in the breeze before wilting late to finish fifth behind the pacemaking Major Reality in the Norms Daughter Classic. The final quarters were run in 28sec. and 27.1sec.
At her previous start, Dodolicious raced without cover before winning from Mon Lillies over 2130m.
It will be interesting to see whether Prentice makes a strong bid to outpace Dodolicious and take up the early running or whether he will be content to control the tempo of the race from the breeze.
A Piccadilly Princess was a certainty beaten when second to Ideal Alice in the 2130m Parliamentarians Cup last Friday night. She trailed the pacemaking Ideal Alice and was hopelessly blocked for a clear passage in the final circuit. She went to the line full of running, but with nowhere to go. A week earlier she gave a sample of her class when she finished with a devastating sprint to win easily from Ideal Tyson and Johnny Disco over 2536m.
Star New Zealand trainer-reinsman Mark Purdon will be anxious to slot A Piccadilly Princess into a favourable forward position in the one-wide line before setting her alight in the final stages. She has won at ten of her 21 starts and looks destined for a wonderful career.
Ideal Alice, to be driven by Gary Hall jun. from barrier No. 5 for trainer Gary Hall sen., also is likely to be held up for a late charge. She notched her 17th win from 46 starts when she was untroubled to lead and win from A Piccadilly Princess last Friday night.
