Ryan Warwick will be aboard Mister Daytona . Photo by www.gloucesterpark.com.au
New Zealand-bred stallion Mister Daytona boasts an outstanding winning record of 74 per cent and he has excellent prospects of continuing on his merry way by overcoming the outside barrier (No. 9) and winning the $25,000 Mike Lang Im Themightyquinn final over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The four-year-old continues to improve under the care of leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who have given the horse plenty of time to mature. He has had 19 starts (five as a three-year-old and 14 as a four-year-old). His education has included travelling far and wide and he has already won on six tracks --- Gloucester Park (five), Bunbury (three), Pinjarra (two), Kalgoorlie (two) and one each at Northam and Albany.
Rarely has he had the luxury of an ideal barrier and many of his wins have come after he has worked hard three wide and then in the breeze.
He is by outstanding American sire American Ideal, but there is little to enthuse over when studying his pedigree. He is the first foal out of Chara, who was unplaced at her only three starts. Chara’s dam Rebecca’s Knight raced 13 times for one win --- when she rated 2.12.5 in scoring by a head in a 2000m C0 event at her debut on the grass track at Westport in December 1992.
Mister Daytona started from the back line in a 2258m event in Albany last Saturday night when he started a three-wide move 650m after the start and then without cover before hitting the front 450m from home and winning by almost two lengths from Ohoka Squire. At Gloucester Park 11 days before that he raced three wide for much of the 2130m journey before dashing away to win by three lengths from Argyle Red at a 1.57 rate.
The Bonds, who prepared Galactic Galleon for his victory in the Im Themightyquinn final two years ago, hold a powerful hand in this year’s final. Their other runners are Mighty Major (Nathan Turvey), Pay Me Cullen (Chris Lewis) and Robyns Raider (Ryan Bell).
Mighty Major is favourably drawn at No. 1 on the front line, but he faces a stern test after he set the pace before wilting to eighth behind Mister Daytona at his most recent outing. Pay Me Cullen, a revitalised ten-year-old, looks sure to be prominent from barrier two. He gave a bold frontrunning display to score an easy win over The Real Nadal and Soho Wonder in a qualifying heat last Friday night when he sped over the final quarters in 28.4sec. and 27.7sec.
Robyns Raider, a seven-year-old on the comeback trail, caught the eye in a qualifying heat when he raced in sixth position and charged home along the inside to finish second to Shirlz Sensation.