Suvaljko Hands Out a Tip

15 November 2018 | Ken Casellas
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Shannon Suvaljko, last season’s leading reinsman, has given punters a handy tip by electing to drive Regal Ambition in preference to Brookies Jet in the 1730m Garrards Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Regal Ambition, trained at Wanneroo by Debbie Padberg, has managed just one placing from his past 11 starts. But Suvaljko chose him as his drive after the seven-year-old drew the coveted No. 1 barrier over the sprint journey. He drove Brookies Jet for Serpentine trainer Matt Scott last Friday night when the gelding set the pace before wilting over the final stages of the 2536m event to finish fifth behind Ace Bromac.

Brookies Jet, a smart frontrunner who has been placed at four of his nine starts this season, will be handled by Chris Voak.

Regal Ambition is an honest performer and a good frontrunner, and Suvaljko will be anxious to get the horse to jump in front and then dictate terms. He is proving a handy acquisition for Debbie and John Padberg, who outlaid $12,000 to purchase him 12 months ago after he had won nine minor events in Victoria. He has raced 30 times for the Padbergs for two wins, four placings and earnings of $20,814.

Regal Ambition could be challenged for the early lead by the Graham Cummins-trained nine-year-old Blissntheblack, who has a losing sequence of 26, but has shown encouraging form in recent weeks with three placings from his past four starts. Blissntheblack was first out from barrier three in a 2130m event on Tuesday afternoon and then, after 200m, trailed the pacemaker Thisbeachrighthere before finishing a sound third to that pacer.

Suvaljko will also drive Cracka Star (race one), Three Kings (two) and Bad Round (seven) for the Padbergs. 

Cracka Star will appreciate a drop in class in a qualifying heat of the Retravision Kersley Pace, in which he will start from barrier No. 6. He raced three back on the pegs in sixth position before finishing solidly to be third behind Maczaffair and Eden Franco in the $30,000 York Cup last Friday night.

He will clash with in-form pacers Our Max Phactor, Tyler Brett and Ace Bromac, but is capable of a bold showing.

Our Max Phactor, a New Zealand-bred six-year-old is blossoming under the care of leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond and should prove hard to beat. He will start from the inside of the back line, with Ryan Warwick in the sulky.

Our Max Phactor has raced 78 times for 17 wins and 21 placings. He is unbeaten in eight starts for the Bonds in WA (six in stands and two in mobiles) and his average winning margin is 5m. He is unbeaten at six appearances at Gloucester Park.

Tyler Brett, trained and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, has resumed after a spell in fine form with a first-up victory over Kerrin Joseph and Thereugo at Pinjarra and a second placing behind Saying Grace at Northam after covering a lot of extra ground.

The Kyle Harper trained and driven Ace Bromac bounced back to his best form last Friday night when he was last in the middle stages before thundering home from eighth at the bell to win by two and a half lengths from Estocada over 2536m last Friday night.

 

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