Busselton horseman Aaron Beckett has been rewarded for his outstanding form for owner-trainer Barry Howlett at the recent Albany carnival by gaining the drive behind the bold-striding Talktomeurmattjesty in the $25,000 Intersport Slater Gartrell Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This will be the first time the 36-year-old Beckett has driven the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old, who has bright prospects of winning his 13th race at his 36th start.
Talktomeurmattjesty is a smart frontrunner who is sure to appreciate the distinct advantage of starting from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the 2130m event.
Talktomeurmattjesty has begun from the No. 1 barrier five times over 2130m at Gloucester Park for three all-the-way victories, a second to Chicago Bull in the Stratton Cup last October and fifth behind Rocknroll Lincoln when he raced with a trail on both occasions.
Beckett is hoping for a similar result this week to what he achieved when he was offered the chance to drive Dredlock Rockstar for the first time after regular reinsman Ash Markham was under suspension. That was in the Parliamentarians Cup in November 2013 when Beckett drove Dredlock Rockstar to an all-the-way win.
Howlett had little hesitation in engaging Beckett this week after Beckett had landed seven winners for him at Albany last month scoring with Shadow Magic, Another Mouse and Dancing With Mach on February 1, Smart Fortune, Another Mouse and Rock Dance on February 8 and Smart Fortune on February 15.
Talktomeurmattjesty, who led and won from Benhope Rulz and Naval Aviator three starts ago when he gave his rivals little chance by sprinting over the final quarters in 28.5sec. and 27.2sec., will clash with four last-start winners in Handsandwheels, Vincenzo Peruggia, Major Catastrophe and Caviar Star, as well as Always Arjay, who followed a strong Gloucester Park win over Our Jimmy Johnstone and Vultan Tin with an excellent effort when a last-start second to El Jacko in the Pinjarra Cup after working hard, out three wide and then in the breeze.
The Andrew de Campo-trained Handsandwheels is in top form but is not ideally drawn at No. 2 on the back line. He is a noted frontrunner, but he is also capable of sitting back in the field before unwinding a spirited finishing burst.
An indication of the consistency of Handsandwheels is that he has finished out of the top four only twice from his past 29 starts. The five-year-old was not extended is leading all the way from barrier one and winning easily from Vincenzo Peruggia and Lord Willoughby in easier company last Friday night.
Ten-year-old Major Catastrophe bounced back to form and ended a losing sequence of 19 when he worked hard without cover before getting up to snatch victory from hot favourite Im Soxy over 2536m last Friday night. Again, he appears most likely to do most of the bullocking work in this week’s race.
Caviar Star looms as a very strong winning chance after the four-year-old trained by Gary Hall Snr has raced eight times this season for five wins and three seconds. He is favourably drawn at barrier three and should fight out the finish.
Hall said that this would be a testing time for Caviar Star. “He’s up in class and is unlikely to be able to get the lead from Talktomeurmattjesty,” he said. “However, he is going well and is really strong.”
Hall will also be represented by Overboard Again and Whozideawasthis, who impressed at his second outing after an absence of nine months when he finished strongly from tenth at the bell to be an eye-catching second to The Bucket List last Friday night.
Vincenzo Peruggia is racing in grand style for veteran Byford trainer Tony Svilicich, with his past nine starts producing four wins and four seconds. The five-year-old warmed up for Friday night’s assignment in good style at Gloucester park on Tuesday night when he worked hard in the breeze before winning from the fast-finishing Valbonne.
