Eight-time West Australian leading trainer Ross Olivieri holds the whip hand in the www.gloucesterpark.com.au Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night when his runners Kiwi Bloke and Jimmy Mack have bright prospects of fighting out the finish.
Kiwi Bloke, a standing-start specialist, will begin from the inside barrier on the front line and Chris Voak is sure to attempt an all-the-way victory. However, the New Zealand-bred six-year-old is likely to face a serious challenge from Jimmy Mack, who will start from the 10m line.
Kiwi Bloke disappointed when a hot favourite from the back line in a 2130m mobile event last Friday night. He raced in sixth position in the one-wide line, but lacked sparkle and finished a disappointing seventh, seven lengths behind the winner Ideal Investment, who had managed just one win from his previous 63 starts in ending a losing sequence of 36.
However, Kiwi Bloke’s previous form in stands was hard to fault. Jimmy Mack, an eight-year-old who has won 11 times from 22 starts, is unreliable in standing start events. But if he begins safely for Chris Lewis, he is sure to prove hard to beat.
Jimmy Mack reappeared after a ten-month absence when he contested 2096m stand last Friday week. He galloped out and did well to sustain a solid three-wide run from sixth at the bell to finish an encouraging third behind rank outside Allwood Peacemaker and Kiwi Bloke.
Ten-year-old Attack On Command is racing with plenty of enthusiasm for Baldivis trainer Jason Woodworth and reinsman Aiden de Campo. He is the lone backmarker off 20m and is capable of causing an upset. A veteran of 171 starts, Attack On Command has recorded promising seconds to Maximum Demand, the Dali Express and Sarah Goody at three of his past four starts.
Allwood Peacemaker was a strong-finishing winner in a stand two starts ago and will have friends from barrier three on the front line. Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice will be looking for a strong performance from the inexperienced four-year-old Always An Honour, who has raced only 13 times for seven wins and three placings.
Always An Honour (Gary Hall Jnr) raced in the breeze before fading to seventh behind Allwood Peacemaker last Friday week. He finished strongly to score an effortless victory in moderate company in a 2503m stand at Bunbury at his previous outing.
