Few pacers have been as impressive in recent Tuesday meetings at Gloucester Park as the inexperienced three-year-old filly Wave Rebellion, who faces a moment of truth and a major test in a rise in class when she contests the opening event, the Retravision.com.au Pace over 2130m at headquarters on Friday night.
Wave Rebellion, trained and driven by Stuart McDonald, has won stylishly at her past two appearances, rating 1.54.4 when she won by five lengths from Miss Vincenza over 1740m on November 11, and rating 1.55.2 when she beat Hunger Strike by just over a length in a 2130m event a week later.
In the first of those wins Wave Rebellion began out wide at barrier eight and was last at the 1000m before starting a three-wide move at the bell and bursting to the front 550m from home after sprinting the second last 400m section in 27.7sec.
A week later Wave Rebellion started from the No. 5 barrier and settled down last in the field of eight before moving forward to enjoy a perfect trail in the one-out, one-back position. McDonald switched her three wide with 240m to travel before she got to the front on the home turn and went on to win comfortably with final quarters of 29.3sec. and 28.6sec.
McDonald explained that racing in stronger company on Friday night would probably suit Wave Rebellion. “She is a sit-sprint horse, so she needs a genuine tempo,” he said.
“This will be a good measuring stick to see where she’s at. She is pretty good and has real high speed, but whether she has a whole lot of toughness remains to be seen.”
Hunger Strike, trained by Nathan Turvey and driven by Chris Lewis, is a promising filly who has raced 35 times for six wins and 17 placings, and she is expected to set the pace from barrier one and take plenty of catching.
Fabulous Dream, Delulu and Reinette have excellent potential and will have many admirers.
Trainer Mike Reed said that he expected a forward showing from Fabulous Dream, to be handled by Shannon Suvaljko from the No. 5 barrier. She began from out wide at barrier eight on Tuesday of last week when she made an unsuccessful early challenge for the lead and then had a tough run in the breeze before finishing third behind Wave Rebellion and Hunger Strike.
Delulu, to be driven by Deni Roberts for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, notched her sixth win when she enjoyed an ideal trip in the one-out and one-back position before sprinting home to beat Koojan, rating 1.57.9 over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night this week. She will begin from barrier six on Friday night.
Trent Wheeler drives the Frank Nafranec-trained Reinette, who will start from the outside in the field of nine. She boosted her earnings to $262,126 from ten wins and six placings from 26 starts when she won the Westbred Country Derby from the smart gelding Elite Fleet at Pinjarra three Mondays ago.
Emily Suvaljko will drive Bull Shark Betty for Busselton trainer Chris Beckett, with the filly due for a change of luck after being placed at six of her ten starts this season. “Her latest run, at Pinjarra on Monday of last week was really good,” said Suvaljko. “She got pushed three wide at the 800m before knocking up late. I’ll be looking for a nice soft run and saving her up for one run.”
