Emily Suvaljko likes Royal Essence

29 July 2021 | Ken Casellas | Photo Credit: Hamilton Content Creators
Logo

Outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko will be in action in eight of the ten events at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and she considers that her best winning prospect is Royal Essence, a three-year-old filly who has won only twice from 17 starts and will be resuming after a 16-week absence.

Royal Essence, trained by Nathan Turvey, has drawn ideally at the No. 1 barrier in the TABtouch Lounge On SEN Track 657 Pace in which she will clash with the brilliant Black Jack Baby, who has amassed $200,770 from 13 wins, five seconds and one third from 26 starts.

“Royal Essence is quite quick off the gate, and she will be leading and will love the mile,” said a confident Suvaljko. “I think she will be my best drive of the night.”

The New Zealand-bred Royal Essence has not raced since finishing sixth behind Benesari Lane in the WA Oaks on April 9. She showed promise at her three previous starts which produced a second and a third behind Newsy and a half-length second to Unconditional.

Royal Essence will have to be at her top to beat Black Jack Baby, who will start from the outside barrier in the field of eight. Black Jack Baby was not extended in winning by three lengths from Our Star Billing over 2130m last Friday week when she began speedily from the outside barrier (No. 6), burst to the front after 80m and, after a leisurely time over the first 1200m, sprinted home with quarters of 27.9sec. and 27.5sec.    

Star reinsman Chris Voak has a high opinion of Black Jack Baby, but he admitted that the sprint trip could make life somewhat difficult for her. “It looks a tough draw for her over the 1730m, but she is a class filly, and I might fire her out and try to get a forward spot,” he said. “She’s got a really good chance.”

With Royal Essence and Lamour Dottie (barrier five) fast beginners, Voak will have the option of restraining Black Jack Baby at the start and relying on her devastating finishing sprint.

Lamour Dottie, trained in Boyanup by Dennis Roche, is in splendid form with her past five starts on South-West tracks producing three wins and two placings. She started from barrier four when Voak drove her to an all-the-wain victory over 2100m at Bunbury last Saturday night. Emily Suvaljko drove her when she finished fast to win over 2185m at Pinjarra five days earlier.

Roche has engaged in-form driver Deni Roberts to handle Lamour Dottie on Friday night.

Turvey’s No. 2 runner, Captains Beachbabe, a winner at four of her 16 starts, will start out wide at barrier seven with Chris Lewis in the sulky. Captains Beachbabe has worked hard in the breeze at her past two outings for a half-head victory over Rumour Has It at Pinjarra and a well-beaten third behind Black Jack Baby and Our Star Billing at Gloucester Park.

Byford trainer-reinsman Donald Harper will be looking for strong efforts from his stable runners Our Star Billing and Star For Me. He will handle Our Star Billing, a winner of three races, from barrier six, and his brother Kyle will handle Star For Me from the No. 4 barrier.

 

Related News

28 March 2024
New HRV chair Adam Kilgour on challenges, opportunities
Newly appointed Harness Racing Victoria chair Adam Kilgour says his passion for a challenge and the people in racing drives his desire to strengthen the industry. Kilgour was yesterday announced to replace Dale Monteith as the head of the board, on which he has served since 2018, and said he was eager...
28 March 2024
La sun of a gun emerges as Blackbook zeros in on breeding line
La Machane won 20 of her 61 starts and more than $330,000 for connections in Ross and Greg Sugars' care and the mare's making just as big an impression in the breeding barn. Having given us La Puddie ($137,179) and La Captain ($182,020), the Bettors Delight mare has another nice type in Benbullan, who...
28 March 2024
Jack ready to show off the next generation of stars at Bathurst
Nathan Jack has his next generation of stars ready to lead a northern assault on Bathurst's two-year-old Group 1s Saturday night, eager to emulate the stable's 2023 success.
28 March 2024
Steve Cleave's Little Black Book $200 game plans for Melton
Steve Cleave has looked through his Little Black Book to produce a $200 game plan for Easter Saturday night at Melton Entertainment Park.
28 March 2024
Jase and Snooze join Ryan for Burning Questions
Chris Svanosio and Jason Lee join Ryan Phelan to look ahead to a fantastic night of Easter Saturday racing from Melton Entertainment Park.
Click for more