Star driver Deni Roberts is not fazed that powerful mare Aardiebytheseaside has drawn awkwardly out wide at barrier eight in the $50,000 Trotsynd Christmas Belles over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“We can work across (and get into a forward position),” she said. “Drawing inside Penny Black (barrier nine) is a help, and Aardiebytheseaside can win again --- after her success last week when she enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back.”
Aardiebytheseaside, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old trained by Greg and Skye Bond, boosted her earnings to $621,052 last Friday night when she began from barrier five and enjoyed a perfect trip before sprinting over the final 400m in a sparkling 27.1sec. to win by a half-head from Madam Publisher.
Penny Black, to be driven by Emily Suvaljko for trainer Michael Young, faces a stern test from the outside of the front line, but her class should enable her to fight out the finish. She will appreciate dropping back to mares’ company after competing against Minstrel, Magnificent Storm, Mister Smartee and company and being unplaced in rich feature events on the past three Friday nights.
Young, who also has Heavenly Gipsy (Gary Hall jnr; barrier seven) and Princess Katie (Shannon Suvaljko; barrier five) engaged in Friday night’s race, is pessimistic about the chances of his runners, saying: “From barrier nine Penny Black probably can’t win.”
Heavenly Gipsy set the pace from barrier three in a 2130m event last Friday night before wilting to finish third behind Aardiebytheseaside and Madam Publisher. “I’d say Heavenly Gipsy will be driven cold and come with one (late) run,” said Hall.
Same Valour, trained and driven by Aiden de Campo, caught the eye last Friday night when she started from barrier seven and raced in sixth place before finishing strongly out wide to be fourth behind Aardiebytheseaside.
