Ace trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo has a high opinion of inexperienced two-year-old Amalfi Knight, whose clash with the Greg and Skye Bond-trained In Rare Air in the Slay The Day Pace over 1730m should provide plenty of excitement.
Amalfi Knight caught the eye at Gloucester Park four Tuesdays ago when he settled down in tenth and last position before sustaining a powerful three-wide burst to hit the front 250m from home and win easily from stablemate Last King Of Capel.
“He is a really nice two-year-old and I have a lot of time for him,” said De Campo. “He has a lot of high speed, and he has drawn inside (barrier five) his main dangers In Rare Air (seven) and Chugach (eight), and if he lobs in front of them, I expect he will be very hard to beat.”
Star driver Deni Roberts is expecting a strong showing from In Rare Air, saying: “He goes very good.” In Rare Air has made a flying start to his career, with his four starts producing two wins and two seconds.
Chugach, trained by the Bonds and to be driven by Tom Nally, has shown good promise with two wins and three seconds. But he faces a stern test from the outside barrier in the field of eight. Chugach’s stablemate The Final Offer, to be driven by Stuart McDonald from the No. 1 barrier, is capable of a strong showing. He ran home strongly to win from Last King Of Capel at Gloucester Park at his latest appearance.
De Campo trains and drives the enigmatic five-year-old Frisky Styx, who will reappear after a two-month absence when he starts from the outside barrier (No. 9) in the Be Like Charlie Pace over 1730m.
Frisky Styx is expected to open favourite, despite being unplaced at his six starts this year, with De Campo expressing his frustration, saying: “On ability he should win, but what’s between his ears is your guess as good as mine. He ran a good trial at Pinjarra, but he lets you down so many times.”
In the 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week Frisky Styx performed in fine style when he raced in sixth position in the Indian file affair and made up many lengths on the pacemaker Xceptional Arma in the last lap to finish second (beaten three lengths) to that pacer, who rated 1.56.5, with final quarters of 27.8sec. and 28.1sec.
The best bet on the ten-event card should prove to be the Michael Young-trained and Emily Suvaljko-driven Lincoln Lou, who should have no problem in overcoming the wide draw at barrier eight in the Our Nini Eileen Mary Pace over 2130m.
“He should be winning,” said a confident Young. “If we have Derby aspirations he should be beating these horses.”
