“She worked super this morning (Tuesday) and all we need is that little bit of luck,” said ace trainer Kim Prentice when assessing Soho Vesper Lind’s prospects in the $27,000 Win A Behind The Scenes Experience Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Soho Vesper Lind will be driven by Mitch Miller and is favourably drawn at barrier two.
“I’m not sure that she will lead, but she will be close to them (all the way),” said Prentice. “I’m sure she will hold her own against the boys. Two starts ago she just got nutted, going 1.55.3 (when beaten a short half-head by Rebline over 2130m).”
This week Soho Vesper Lind should appreciate a significant drop in class after having finished fifth behind star mares Penny Black, Aardiebytheseaside, Wonderful To Fly and Heavenly Gipsy over 2130m last week when the final 400m sections were run in 27.9sec. and 27.7sec.
Toughest for Soho Vesper Lind to beat is likely to be the Jocelyn Young-trained and driven Insta Gator, who will need to be at his top to overcome the disadvantage of starting from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
Insta Gator caught the eye last Friday week when he sustained a powerful burst from the rear to hit the front 250m from home before wilting late to finish a close third behind Ardens Horizon and Lil Happy Fella. A week earlier Insta Gator enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before taking the lead 30m from the post and fading to finish a 2m second to Mikis Pride over 2536m.
Also likely to be prominent in Friday night’s race is the Greg and Skye Bond-trained four-year-old Thelittle Master, who will start from barrier two on the back line, with Deni Roberts in the sulky. This will be the gelding’s first start for 14 weeks.
“He is working well after a well-deserved break,” said Thelittle Master’s driver Deni Roberts. “He was consistent last time in, and this is a good draw, and he should be close enough.”
Roberts is also looking forward for a strong showing from Thelittle Master’s stablemate Tualou, who will start from the No. 6 barrier in the $27,000 $9 Pints Every Friday Pace over 2536m.
Tualou has won at eight of his 19 starts and he is capable of a bold showing at his first appearance for 17 weeks.
“We had a few issues with him during his previous campaign, but this time he has been a lot better,” said Roberts. “He is definitely fit enough and his work on Monday was good.”
Sweet Vivienne, trained and driven by Chris Voak, looms large as a major danger to Tualou, with Voak saying: “She is going very well and can win. She finished sixth behind Penny Black last week but probably would have won if she had not met with early interference.”
Leading trainer Michael Young has two runners in Friday night’s event, with Emily Suvaljko choosing to drive the polemarker Heez A Vibe ahead of Princess Katie, who will be driven by Gary Hall jnr from barrier two.
Heez A Vibe has set the pace and won at four of his past five starts --- three at Kellerberrin and one at Bunbury --- with Suvaljko saying: “This is a winnable race for him, whether we’re in front or sitting.
“He used to be a good Friday night horse before losing form,” she said. “So, he has gone back to Kellerberrin to get a bit of confidence back, and it seems to have worked. He has been running good sectionals at Kellerberrin but has been getting fired up which is a concern over 2500m on Friday night.”
