Redcliffe Test Awaits Young
Jocelyn Young will be hoping Steno can end a run of five consecutive second placings in Saturday’s Princess Of The Bay (1780m) at Redcliffe.
Steno again had to settle for the runner-up position at Albion Park last week, where she was beaten by Eye Keep Smiling for a third consecutive start.
With no Eye Keep Smiling in this week’s $20,000 event, Steno looks set to get her best opportunity of returning to the winner’s list.
Young said she was pleased with how Steno had performed on East Coast, despite not registering a win.
“I had a look at her sectionals last night and she ran the fastest last half again on the weekend,” Young told Racing WA Harness.
“She couldn’t do any more from where she was.
“The horse has been super and settled in everywhere she’s gone.”
Steno has drawn the inside of the back line for her first assignment at Redcliffe, with the other major hope in the race Rylee Rhayne Bow in front of her.
Young said she was unsure what to expect going to Redcliffe to drive for the first time.
“It’s going to be different for me,” she said.
“What I’ve been told is you don’t make too much ground there.
“She’s drawn behind (Chantal) Turpin’s horse and I know they have a high opinion of it.
“The worst-case scenario from that draw is she will have a soft run.”
Young said she was trying to make the most of every opportunity presented to her on the East Coast.
“I’ve been really lucky to be mixing with good trainers and good people,” she said.
“I have to pinch myself at how lucky I am to be here.
“The experience could be a once in a lifetime one, so I wanted to take the opportunity to do it.”
While Young will be out for success in Queensland on Saturday, she will also be hopeful of having a winner at Gloucester Park on Friday night with Caberneigh or Peaceful.
Caberneigh was run down in the closing stages by Codename Marcus in his most recent start at Gloucester Park on June 17.
The gelding has drawn barrier eight in Friday’s NSW Blues Under 22’s State Cricket Team Pace (1730m).
While Caberneigh has been consistent to start his campaign, Young said she hoped he would be able to score another win soon.
“His first-up run was super,” she said.
“I drove him at Pinjarra when he won those couple of starts in good time but wasn’t super impressive.
“It’s probably a good race for him on Friday night, but I’m not sure how we get into it.”
Young’s other runner Peaceful lines up in the Free Entry Fridays At Gloucester Park Pace (1730m) from barrier eight as well.
Young indicated the mare would likely need the run but had been working well ahead of the assignment.
Lightning’s Lewis Test
Exciting pacer Im Lightning Banner faces one of his toughest tests to date in tomorrow night’s Lewis Pace (2130m).
Im Lightning Banner ended his last campaign with four consecutive wins, including a win over Nullarbor and Fremantle Cup runner Waverider at his most recent start in January.
He faces the likes of fellow progressive pacers Soho Shakedown, Heavenly Gipsy, Louie Dior and No Noney in tomorrow night’s $30,000 event.
Trainer Dylan Egerton-Green, who also drives the four-year-old tomorrow night, said he was pleased with how Im Lightning Banner was progressing ahead of the first-up run.
“He’s going nicely,” Egerton-Green told Racing WA Harness.
“Hopefully we have him fit enough for this first-up.
“There’s a few in there that have good form, but they are also first or second-up.
“He’s stepped up to what he’s promised.
“It’s taken a bit of time for him to put it all together and hopefully he can come back in the same form.”
Im Lightning Banner will start from barrier six in the feature event, with Dark Eyes, Soho Moonraker and Soho Shakedown among the key chances drawn inside him.
Egerton-Green said while Im Lightning Banner possessed good gate speed, he expected there would be plenty of early tempo tomorrow night.
“I don’t know what to make of the draw,” he said.
“Both of Kim Prentice’s runners have gate speed, so we will just have to assess it out of the gate.”
Egerton-Green said he hoped to get Im Lightning Banner to four-year-old feature races later in the year.
Meanwhile, Egerton-Green said he was confident Grand Couteau could make a winning return in The West Australian Pace (2130m) tomorrow night.
The four-year-old hasn’t started since she was unplaced behind Water Lou in last year’s Diamond Classic (2130m).
Egerton-Green said he expected the mare to prove too classy.
“This is a good race that has popped up for her,” he said.
“She raced the best three-year-olds at the time and was comfortable racing them.
“She should be right amongst it.”
