Promising three-year-old Messi is prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond. Photo by Paceway Photos
Promising three-year-old Messi, surprisingly beaten for the first time in a seven-start career when second to Starlight Brigade at Albany last Saturday night, gets his chance to make amends and return to the winning list when he contests the $18,000 Grace Smedley Pace over 1730m, at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, the New Zealand-bred Messi carried all before him and was touted as a leading prospect for the WA Derby this year when he won in good style at his first six starts in a race (two as a two-year-old and four this season).
He was favourite at 7/4 on when he started from the back line last Saturday night at his outing for two months. He raced in seventh position in the first lap before Ryan Warwick sent him forward, three wide, to move into the breeze outside the pacemaker Starlight Brigade.
Messi got to the front, by a neck, at the 1200m mark, but was unable to cross to the front. He fought on gamely, but wilted in the closing stages to finish more than three lengths behind Starlight Brigade. He is sure to be improved by his first-up effort.
However, he will need to be close to his top against some smart three-year-olds, including the only filly in the race, the Mike Reed-trained Beach Goddess, who will be driven by Colin Brown from the coveted No. 1 barrier on the front line.
Beach Goddess won four times from eight starts as a two-year-old and she reappeared after an absence of seven and a half months in a 2130m event last Friday night in which she started out wide at barrier seven. She raced on the pegs in fifth position before fighting on to finish fourth behind stablemate Maczaffair.
She is a smart frontrunner and Brown is likely to attempt an all-the-way win. The David Thompson-trained Allmightyjoelouis has resumed after a spell in fine style and demands plenty of respect. He will start from barrier six and looks set to fight out the finish.
Allthemightyjoelouis will be handled by Gary Hall jun., who has excellent winning prospects with Soho Chelsea, Ideal Alice and American Boy.
