A powerful burst which saw Mad Monday charge home from sixth with 500m to travel to finish a head second to the pacemaker Yawoma in a 2130m event at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening was a pointer to his prospects in the Westral Quality since 1973 Pace on Friday night.
Mad Monday, trained by Greg and Skye Bond and driven by Deni Roberts, will begin out wide from barrier eight, and his clash with Captain Stirling (barrier nine) should provide plenty of fireworks.
He began from the No. 5 barrier on Tuesday, and he raced in the one-out and two-back position before Roberts switched him three wide at the 400m. He sprinted strongly to just fail to overhaul Yawoma, who rated 1.56.1, with final 400m sections of 27.7sec. and 28.8sec.
“He went really good, and it was a very good trial for Friday night,” said Roberts.
Ace trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green is looking for a strong effort from Captain Stirling, who will be making his first appearance since his eye-catching performance in the group 1 WA Derby three Fridays ago.
From barrier seven, Captain Stirling, a $41 outsider, dashed forward three wide early to move to third before Egerton-Green was forced to restrain him back to last in the field of twelve.
Captain Stirling was still last at the bell before he made up ground along the inside and then charged home, out four wide, to finish second to Runkle Crunch.
“It’s pretty tricky from out there this week,” said Egerton-Green. “But I expect him to go well, as well as his stablemate and last-start winner Full Swing Denario, who will be driven by Trent Wheeler from barrier seven.”
Plenty of interest will also surround the New Zealand-bred Beaudiene Hunter, who is owned and trained by Tony Giglietta and will be driven by Chris Voak from the No. 5 barrier.
Beaudiene Hunter impressed with a very easy win in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week which followed his failure at Gloucester Park 15 days earlier when he was retired after breaking into a gallop.
He worked hard without cover at his three previous outings for seconds to Troubadour and Charivari and a smart Gloucester Park victory over Hunger Strike and Fabulous Dream.
“Beaudiene Hunter is a very nice horse, but I don’t think we will see the best of him until another preparation,” said Voak. “He is very quirky; he hangs and is a bit immature.”
Voak is also looking forward to driving Fat Louie, who will be resuming after a spell when he begins from the No. 6 barrier in the $21,000 Westral Roller Shutters Pace over 2130m.
Fat Louie is a New Zealand-bred four-year-old who has raced ten times for four wins and four placings. “He has had some lameness issues, but he has overcome them and is working up really well,” said Voak. “He led in a recent standing-start trial at Pinjarra and won easily, coming home in 27.4sec. He worked very well this morning (Tuesday), and I’d like to be able to lead on Friday night.”
