Ryan Warwick is setting a cracking pace in the race for leading driver this season. Photo by www.gloucesterpark.com.au
Ryan Warwick is setting a cracking pace in the race for the title of Western Australia’s leading driver this season and is very close to notching his century of winners for the season.
He has six excellent drives at Gloucester Park on Friday night, all from the powerful stables of leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, starting with Gaz Wannabet in race two, the Westral Security Doors and Screens Pace, a 2130m mobile event.
His other drives, Robyns Raider (race four), Jungle Jewel (five), Condrieu (six), Hit It Rich (seven) and Bungalow Bill (eight) all have sound each-way prospects.
The 37-year-old Warwick leads the 2016-17 drivers’ premiership table with 95 wins (and 75 placings) from 295 drives. He holds an eight-win advantage over Chris Lewis, with Gary Hall jun. (78 winners) in third position.
Gaz Wannabet, a New Zealand-bred four-year-old, is an extremely versatile and consistent pacer with a record of ten wins and 11 placings from just 31 starts.
The Bettors Delight gelding warmed up for Friday night’s assignment with a fighting victory in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night. He started off the 10m mark and broke into a gallop (after an earlier false start had been declared) before Warwick urged him forward, three wide, in the first circuit.
Gaz Wannabet then raced without cover outside the pacemaker Another Ayjay before getting to a narrow lead 400m from home. He then revealed excellent tenacity in staving off a spirited late challenge from stablemate Assassinator to win by a nose. The final quarters were run in 28.2sec. and 29.5sec.
At Gloucester Park the previous Tuesday Gaz Wannabet set the pace and dashed over the final 800m in 56sec. when second, beaten a head by Ohoka Darcy over 2130m.
In an even field of nine on Friday night, Gaz Wannabet is sure to meet stiff opposition from James Galleon (barrier two), Irockmyworld (one) and the Nathan Turvey-trained mares Our Gamma Lady (six) and Bethany Aitch (four). James Galleon has been forced to race without cover at his past three starts and on Friday night Gary Hall jun. will be anxious to get to an early lead and then dictate terms.
However, Chris Lewis will be attempting to hold up from the No. 1 barrier and set the pace with the Peter Anderson-trained Irockmyworld, a smart frontrunner. Irockmyworld raced without cover early and then was shuffled back to fifth before getting to the lead 250m from home and fighting on to finish second to Soho Chelsea last Friday night.
James Galleon, trained by Gary Hall sen., has managed only one placing (a third behind Mister Daytona and Pay Me Cullen) from five starts in his current preparation, but still boasts a splendid record of 18 starts for eight wins and three placings.
Another runner who will be fancied is the Garry Butler-trained six-year-old Letztorqueaboutyou, who reappeared last Friday night after an absence of 18 months when he flew home from last at the bell to be an eye-catching third behind Soho Chelsea.
