Sparkling gate speed should prove a vital asset for promising filly Bettors Destroya when she starts from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the final event, the 2130m Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was produced in fine fettle by Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice for her first run for six months when she began speedily from barrier three, set the pace and won by a length from Nevermindthechaos over 1609m in 1.56.2 at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park on December 11.
Bettors Destroya is sure to be improved by the run, and she will need to if she is to hold out some talented rivals, including Miss Boudica, Nevermindthechaos, Newsy, American Arma and Rumour Has It.
Miss Boudica, to be handled by Michael Grantham from barrier six for trainer Michael Brennan, looms as a serious threat. She impressed at her first appearance for almost eight months when she enjoyed the one-out, one-back trail before finishing with a powerful burst to be second to Starlight Dream three Tuesday ago. A winner at five of her 12 starts, Miss Boudica looks set for a bright career.
Nevermindthechaos is in outstanding form for trainer Michael Young and reinsman Shannon Suvaljko, and she looks set to fight out the finish after starting from the No. 4 barrier. She followed seconds behind Troopingofthecolor and Bettors Destroya with two easy victories at Gloucester Park.
Newsy (eight wins) and American Arma (five) are smart fillies in good form but will need some luck from the two outside barriers. Adding interest to the race will be the return to action of the Debra Lewis-trained Rumour Has It, a winner at six of her 16 starts.
Prentice and Hall also have strong claims in the second-last event, the 2130m Retravision, Your Fujitsu Air Conditioning Specialist Pace, in which five-year-old Know When To Run will start from the No. 1 barrier.
Know When To Run reappeared after a month’s absence when he enjoyed the one-out, one-back trail and finished strongly to be a short half-head second to Dominus Factum over 2242m at Narrogin on Tuesday of last week.
His toughest rival is likely to be Infatuation, who was most unlucky when tenth, 22 lengths behind the winner Tiza New Day last Friday night, after meeting severe interference 150m from the finish.
