WA Derby winner King Of Swing will have his final start in the state at Gloucester Park on Friday night, after trainer Gary Hall Snr revealed the enigmatic pacer will head to the east coast to continue his racing career.
The five-year-old has won 10 of his 33 starts since winning last year’s Derby, but has been winless from his past 10 starts.
Hall Snr said he felt the bigger track at Menangle would suit King Of Swing better than Gloucester Park’s half-mile track.
“He’s going to be trained by Luke McCarthy,” he told RWWA Harness.
“We think he’s better suited at the mile track.
“He’s going over there next week.”
King Of Swing’s final start will be in the Catalano Truck & Equipment Sales Kenwick Pace (2130m) from barrier six, where he meets a strong field headlined by the in-form pair Mighty Flying Deal and Mighty Santana.
The son of Rocknroll Hanover has struggled in races where he hasn’t been able to lead and his fate will likely be determined early in the race on Friday once again.
Gary Hall Jnr has the drive behind King Of Swing, while Stuart McDonald drives Hall Snr’s other runner in the race Overboard Again from barrier four.
Hall Snr said Overboard Again’s form was good enough to be considered a live chance in the $20,000 event, but his fate also relied on a good barrier like King Of Swing.
“Overboard Again is a winning chance,” he said.
“He’s going well, but they both need barrier draws those horses.
“That race is not overly strong and I think they are both each-way chances.”
Hall Snr has a strong hand in the Catalano Truck & Equipment 4YO Championship (2130m) as the build up to the Golden Nugget goes up another gear this week.
Robbie Easton (barrier two), Wildwest (six) and Eloquent Mach (11) carry Hall Snr’s hopes to score his first win in the $50,000 event since Beaudiene Boaz in 2015.
Wildwest shapes as the one to beat in the Group 2 feature, despite a tricky draw in barrier six.
The gelding is unbeaten from eight starts in his career to date and enhanced his credentials for the Golden Nugget with a tough win in the 4YO Classic at Pinjarra.
Hall Snr said he was impressed with Wildwest’s Pinjarra win, but conceded he may have to sit in the breeze again this week if he’s to continue his winning ways.
“I thought it was a great run, he hammered to the line,” he said.
“The last 50m was very strong and I think Junior was sitting back knowing it was Pinjarra and you’re an open shot if you’re sitting in the breeze.
“If he had it over again he might have gone for the leader a bit earlier.
“Friday night it’s another tricky draw, so he’s going to be facing the same sort of situation I’d say.”
Eloquent Mach was unplaced as favourite in the same race at Pinjarra and Hall Snr said he hoped for a much stronger performance from barrier 11.
“He was disappointing,” he said.
“He showed gate speed, which he normally does and he was a bit lacklustre.
“We’ve changed his work a bit…he seems to be a little bit brighter.”
Hall Snr said he expected Robbie Easton, to be driven by Maddison Brown, to sit on the speed from barrier two and put in a strong performance.
