Noted speedster Thereugo is ready to end a losing sequence of ten, according to veteran reinsman Lindsay Harper.
Seven-year-old Thereugo will start from barrier four and Harper plans to use the gelding’s explosive gate speed in a bid to wrest the early lead from another brilliant frontrunner in Mad Robber, who had drawn perfectly at barrier one.
Mad Robber, a nine-year-old prepared by Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr, gave further proof of his excellence as a frontrunner when he began fast from the No. 1 barrier, set the pace and sprinted the final 800m in 55.7sec. to win by just under two lengths from Charlie El and Roman Aviator.
Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr, who guided Mad Robber to his easy victory last week, is serving a ten-day suspension for causing interference and Stuart McDonald is certain to prove more than an able substitute.
McDonald will be anxious to win the start and then dictate terms in front. But Harper believes that Thereugo has the necessary speed to assume control soon after the mobile barrier sends the field of seven on its way.
“This appears to be a drop in class,” said Harper. “Thereugo has been racing against some quality horses. However, this is not a bad field, but it looks like that my horse should get across to lead and prove hard to beat.
“Thereugo begins very fast from the 2130m start. They all seem to begin faster in the back straight than they do in the front straight. I’ll be aiming to get to the front and if I do, I won’t be handing up.”
Thereugo, a 33/1 outsider from barrier seven in much stronger company in a 2130m event last Friday night, revealed his customary early brilliance when he charged to the front after 120m.
King of Swing, a dual group 1 winner and with earnings of $474,977, was set alight by Gary Hall Jnr after a lap and burst past Thereugo and into the lead 1000m from home. King of Swing went on to win by two lengths at a 1.54.4 rate from Simba Bromac, with Thereugo fighting on doggedly to by a half-head away in third place.
Harper said that he had previously not handed up the lead when driving Therego, who is prepared by Sue Wiscombe. “But last week Michael Grantham came off the pegs and into the breeze with Mighty Flying Deal soon after the start and challenged me.”
Thereugo withstood the challenged from Mighty Flying Deal and Harper said that after Mighty Flying Deal had been in the breeze for about 600m, he (Harper) was backing off the speed when King of Swing emerged with a sparkling burst from the rear.
“I thought better of it (attempting to retain the lead) and so I let King of Swing go,” Harper said. “I had never handed up with Thereugo before and I don’t intend to do so this week.
“Thereugo’s recent runs have been very good and they point to a win. Last week the mile rate for the 2130m was 1.54.4 and a fortnight earlier Thereugo sat outside the leader and fought on to be fourth, with the winner Bettor Reward rating 1.54.6 for the 1730m.”
Despite Harper’s confidence, Mad Robber is sure to have an army of supporters who insist that punters who ignore the No.1 barrier do so at their own peril. These aficionados also can point to the fact that Mad Robber has led all the way for six of his 15 wins and that he has started from the No. 1 barrier eight times at Gloucester Park for four wins, one second and three unplaced efforts.
