Locally trained horses Bill Haley and Shockwave have received a significant boost of winning Friday night’s Retravision-Fremantle Cup (2536m) at Gloucester Park following last night’s barrier draw.
Bill Haley, who booked his spot in the race with a win in last week’s Free-For-All, drew barrier one, while last month’s Retravision-Golden Nugget winner Shockwave drew barrier two.
Gary Hall Jnr, a winner of the race on eight previous occasions, reunites with Shockwave for the first time since the 3YO Sales Classic last March with regular driver Aiden De Campo teaming up with Handsandwheels.
Chris Lewis, who has won the race six times, retains the drive on former Queenslander Bill Haley.
Defending champion My Field Marshal, who is yet to land in Perth for the $300,000 event, drew barrier four and retained favouritism with TABtouch at $2.75.
The other east coast representative in the race Alta Orlando drew barrier five and is the $4.40 second elect.
Bill Haley ($4.60) and Shockwave ($5.50) are the leading local chances in the market.
The training partnership of Greg and Skye Bond have four runners in the Group 1 race, after they had seven in it last year.
The quartet had contrasting fortunes at the draw, where Galactic Star ($7.50) fared the best with barrier 10.
Village Kid Sprint winner Vampiro will start from the outside of the front row in barrier nine, while Ana Malak will have the job in front of him from barrier seven.
El Jacko, second in last year’s WA Pacing Cup, drew barrier 11 alongside Galactic Star on the second row.
Meanwhile, Maddison Brown is set for one of the biggest moments in her short driving career to date when she teams up with the Gary Hall Snr-trained Herrick Roosevelt.
Brown, whose father Colin won the race in 2006, will have her first drive in the Group 1 event on Friday night.
Brown said she didn’t expect she would get the opportunity to drive in this year’s feature and was hopeful Herrick Roosevelt could overcome barrier eight.
“It was a bit of a surprise,” she told TABradio.
“Senior said he’d like to have me on, but obviously he had to speak to the owners.
“From the draw we will definitely be going back and if the two horses from the east come over it probably helps our cause.
“His form has been outstanding and I think that’s what got him into the race.”
Caviar Star is the other Hall Snr-trained runner in the race and has drawn nicely in barrier three for reinsman Stuart McDonald.
Friday night’s Fremantle Cup gets underway at 7.10.
