Former Victorian pacer Mirragon is blessed with sparkling gate speed and champion reinsman Chris Lewis aims to use this vital asset in a concerted bid to win the $51,000 Rock N Roll World at Allwood Stud APG Consolation final for four-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mirragon, trained by Debra Lewis, will start from the No. 3 barrier in the 1730m sprint in which the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Poisedtopounce has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier.
“Mirragon doesn’t have to lead, but over the sprint we will be coming out,” said Lewis. “There’s no point in going back at the start. He is a good sprinter.”
Mirragon started from the No. 1 barrier and was untroubled to set the pace and win a qualifying heat three Tuesdays ago. He rated 1.56.7 over the 1730m when he dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.6sec. and 27.5sec. to win by 4m from Poisedtopounce, who trailed him throughout.
Poisedtopounce has good gate speed and there is likely to be a spirited tussle for the early lead.
Mirragon arrived in Western Australia in January with a losing sequence of ten. He has flourished for the Lewis stable, with his ten WA starts producing five wins and two seconds.
Blythewood trainer Michael Brennan will be represented by Valentines Brook (barrier four) and The Code Breaker (seven). He said that both pacers were going “super well” but would need some luck from awkward barriers in the field of seven.
Brennan is also looking forward keenly to contesting the $350,000 finals of the APG classics for three-year-olds at Melton on May 29 with quality filly Miss Boudica and smart gelding Pinny Tiger.
Miss Boudica maintained her splendid form with a strong victory at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park last Saturday night which improved her record to nine starts for four wins and four placings. Pinny Tiger finished an excellent fifth behind Mighty Ronaldo in the WA Derby last Friday night and has a record of four wins and seven seconds from 16 starts.
Brennan said that Miss Boudica and Pinny Tiger would have their final starts before travelling to Victoria either at Pinjarra next Monday or Gloucester Park the following day.
