Former New South Wales pacer Nutbush Girl is poised to extend her winning sequence to five when she begins from the No. 3 barrier in the opening event, the $21,000 Barbagallo Motoring Excellence Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The four-year-old American Ideal mare has dashed to an early lead, set the pace and won in fine style at her past four starts, three at Gloucester Park and one at Pinjarra, since failing at her WA debut in a 1177m sprint at Pinjarra on September 22 for Oakford trainer Shane Tognolini and reinsman Kyle Harper.
“She just keeps getting better with every run and the reports are that she is working better,” said Harper. “Her only blemish here was when she finished sixth at her first start in WA when she wasn’t eating the best.
“Since that run, she has been eating and working better and on Friday night she should be able to find the front and prove hard to beat. She gets a bit keen, but over the short trip I don’t think that will worry her too much.”
Harper is also looking forward to driving former star pacer, seven-year-old Lavra Joe from barrier three in the $31,000 Barbagallo Aston Martin Free-For-All over 2130m.
Lavra Joe, trained by Ray Jones, resumed after a nine-month absence at Gloucester Park last Friday night when he began from out wide at barrier eight and raced at the rear before finishing 11TH behind Minstrel.
Harper has driven Lavra Joe to three Free-For-All wins, and this week he will be handling the powerful gelding for the first time since he finished a neck second to Jumpingjackmac over 2130m at Gloucester Park on December 6 last year.
“Lavra Joe would have gained some fitness from last week’s run (when driven by Maddison Brown) and I’m looking for him to be placed behind Magnificent Storm,” said Harper.
Eight-year-old Magnificent Storm, a winner at 40 of his 66 starts, looks unbeatable from the prized No. 1 barrier, and he should give Aiden De Campo an armchair drive.
“He is resuming after a bit of a let-up, and he should lead and I don’t expect he will cop too much pressure.”
