Prominent breeder Mike Howie has high hopes of winning the $30,000 Gold Bracelet for the second year in a row when Aiden de Campo drives Secret Reaction in the Group 3 feature event at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Howie bred Some Copper Beach, who started from the No. 1 barrier and was driven by de Campo for a smart all-the-way victory in the Gold Bracelet 12 months ago.
Howie bred and trains Secret Reaction, who is awkwardly drawn at barrier six in Friday night’s 2130m event for two-year-old fillies but is racing keenly. She was a $41 outsider from the outside of the back line in last Friday night’s group 1 Westbred Classic in which she was eleventh at the bell and finished strongly, out wide, to be sixth behind the brilliant Black Jack Baby.
“It was a really good run,” said de Campo. “They got home really quickly (with final quarters of 29.5sec. and 26.7sec.) and she ran on five and six deep. It’s a tricky draw at six this week, but I was super happy with her run last week.”
At her previous outing, Secret Reaction started out wide at barrier seven and raced three wide early and then in the breeze before winning by more than four lengths from Lady Bella Anne.
The improving Barry Howlett-trained filly Just For Love looks certain to be a strong favourite after drawing the prized No. 1 barrier. She also started from barrier one in last week’s Westbred Classic when Jocelyn Young trailed the $1.10 favourite Black Jack Baby throughout before finishing a good second to Black Jack Baby.
Just For Love also started from the No. 1 barrier in the Diamond Classic two starts earlier when she set the pace before wilting to finish seventh behind Always An Angel. Then she started from barrier five and enjoyed the one-out, one-back trail before finishing strongly to win a $6000 event at Gloucester Park, beating Bettor Beach Belle by almost three lengths.
Owner-trainer Shane Quadrio has decided to bypass the Gold Bracelet and set Black Jack Baby for the rich Golden Slipper the following Friday.
“She has pulled up very well after her win last week and I want to save her for the Slipper and give her the best chance against the colts and geldings. I’ll work her on Saturday and sprint her up the following Wednesday to have her ready for the big race.”
Jett Star, the unbeaten New Zealand-bred colt prepared by Greg and Skye Bond, was involved in a dramatic race at Gloucester Park on Tuesday afternoon when he raced keenly in the score-up and his nose struck the mobile barrier, caused him to gallop fiercely and lose six lengths.
He then worked his way forward to the breeze and was on the outside of the pacemaker The Swiss Maestro when that colt inexplicably broke into a gallop 850m from home and dislodged reinsman Kyle Harper after locking wheels with Aussie Scooter, a stablemate of Jett Star, who was driven by Dylan Egerton-Green.
Jett Star then found himself in front, a length clear of his nearest rival, but was unable to maintain that advantage when Aiden de Campo drove Dominus Factum through on his inside to take up the running.
Jett Star then continued to work in the breeze before getting to the front 110m from home. He then had to fend off a spirited late challenge from Seeryanfly and won by a head at a 1.55.4 rate over 2130m. It was an impressive performance, with a fast lead time of 36.3 and final three quarters in 28.8sec., 27.4sec. and 28.5sec.
Jett Star was unaffected and uninjured, and his victory was a great trial for the Golden Slipper on Friday week.
