Connections with American Eyes Photo by Northam Harness Racing Club
Inexperienced four-year-old American Eyes lost few admirers when she finished third at her first appearance at Gloucester Park last Friday night, and she should prove hard to beat when she contests the $9 Swan Draught Pace over 2130m on Friday night, despite drawing the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
The Gary Jones-trained mare impressed greatly last week when she began from barrier eight and raced wide early before working hard in the breeze and finishing with great determination to figure in a three-way photo finish, with the frontrunning Loch Tay gaining the nod by a half-head from Delulu, with American Eyes a nose back in third spot. The final 400m sections were covered in 28.4sec. and 28.6sec.
Maddison Brown will again drive American Eyes, who is likely to receive the strongest opposition from Up And Alive (barrier eight), Diamondsareforever (six) and Diamond World (seven).
American Eyes is a versatile performer who has raced only six times for four wins, one second and one third placing.
Up And Alive, to be driven by Joey Suvaljko for trainer Aiden de Campo, is sure to appreciate dropping back to mares’ company after his splendid third behind smart geldings Brought To Light and Spitfire over 2130m last Friday week when the final 800m was covered in 55.8sec.
Diamondsareforever and Diamond World were not disgraced when they met in the Harry Capararo Pace for four and five-year-old mares last Friday night, with Diamondsareforever trailing the pacemaker Loch Tay and finishing fourth behind her, while Diamond World raced four back on the pegs and finished sixth.
They will be fierce rivals again this week, with Diamondsareforever prepared by Ross Olivieri, whose wife Jemma Hayman trains Diamond World, who will be driven by Chris Voak.
Ryan Warwick will handle Diamondsareforever, a mare he has driven seven times for three wins, one second, two thirds and one seventh placing.
Delulu, who settled down in last position and was seventh at the bell, impressed last week when she flew home to finish an extremely close second to Loch Tay. This week Delulu, to be driven by Deni Roberts for co-trainers Greg and Skye Bond, will have many admirers, even though she has the disadvantage of starting from the outside of the front line in the 2130m Christmas In July Pace.
Bunbury trainer Bob Mellsop has engaged Gary Hall jnr to drive Gully Gum for the first time when the gelding begins from the No. 4 barrier. Gully Gum is capable of improving on disappointing unplaced efforts at his four starts in his current campaign.
Hall also will drive the Mellsop-trained Yawoma from barrier two in the 2130m Bridge Bar Pace in which he is favourably drawn at barrier No. 2, with his most serious rivals appearing to be the trio on the back line --- Rox The World, Kinky and Franco Mecca.
