Classy New Zealand-bred three-year-old Runkle Crunch will make his Australian debut when he contests the $21,000 HTA Rent A Gen Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is a nice horse who has been here for about three months,” said his trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo. “He will run a nice race, first-up, from a wide draw (No. 9 on the front line).
“I’m not sure of my tactics. We will see how things play out. We will be pushing towards a WA Derby campaign later in the year. He raced ion the Great Northern Derby in New Zealand two starts ago, and I think he is going to be a versatile horse with a lot of high speed.”
Runkle Crunch’s most recent run was in a 1700m event at Alexandra Park on May 16 when he was restrained from barrier three in a field of five and settled in fourth place before dashing forward to hit the front 400m from home and finishing a 2m second to the favourite Greased Lightning, who rated 1.54.9 after covering the last 800m in 57.8sec. and the final 400m in 27.7sec.
At his previous outing, three weeks earlier, in the 2700m Great Northern Derby at Alexandra Park he began from the No. 2 barrier, enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before being switched three wide with 450m to travel and plugging on to finish fourth, 13 lengths behind the winner Marketplace, who rated 1.56.1.
Runkle Crunch will clash with several in-form three-year-olds on Friday night, including the Greg and Skye Bond-trained smart pair of Bettor Fortune (barrier five) and Rumble Strip (the sole runner on the back line).
Deni Roberts has opted to drive Bettor Fortune, a winner at his first two starts in Australia --- rating 1.59.3 when he raced in the breeze and beat Beatitlikebeca over 2242m at Narrogin, and then when he enjoyed the one-out and one-back trail before easily beating Mad Monday over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday of last week when he rated 1.57.3 after final quarters of 28.2sec. and 27.3sec.
Rumble Strip, to be driven by Stuart McDonald, resumed after a spell in fine style when he set the pace and won by four and a half lengths from Its Maa Time over 2190m at Northam last Saturday week.
“Bettor Fortune is Vampiro’s little brother, and I’ve got a lot of time for him,” said Roberts. “He is going to be a nice horse, but this is a big step up for him. He is capable of handling the rise in class.
“Rumble Strip is going very well, and he and Bettor Fortune are probably our top two seeds as three-year-olds at the moment.”
Dylan Egerton-Green has two runners in Friday night’s event, Major Miki Whitby and Captain Stirling. He will drive Captain Stirling, a winner at three of his 17 starts, with Trent Wheeler taking the drive behind Major Miki Whitby.
“Both three-year-olds will be racing first-up, and they have been working very well,” said Egerton-Green. “Major Miki Whitby has come on really well in this campaign and I’m sure he will run a bold race.”
Six-year-old Cee Dee Three is performing in fine style for trainer Chris Playle and reinsman Kyle Harper. And he looks very hard to beat inn the opening event, the 2130m Hoist Torque Australia Pace over 2130m. He is sure to appreciate a drop in class and has the ability to overcome the awkward draw at barrier No. 6.
However, Emily Suvaljko, who will drive Hi Suga Rush for leading trainer Michael Young, is confident that the Sweet Lou five-year-old will put in a strong performance at his return to racing after a ten-week absence.
A winner at eight of his 21 starts, Im Suga Rush will be tested from out wide at barrier seven. “I drove him on the track for the first time today (Tuesday) and he worked good against one of our newcomers who we think is pretty exciting,” said Suvaljko.
“He has good gate speed, and we will be going forward, hoping to get to the top.”
