Reinsman Mitch Miller describes four-year-old pacer Soho The Real Deal as a big, strong and handsome horse, and he expects him to start the Gloucester Park program on Friday night with a flourish by winning the opening event, the 2130m Free Entry Pace.
Soho The Real Deal is prepared by master trainer Kim Prentice, who produced the gelding in fine fettle for his West Australian debut in a 1140m Dash For Cash event at Bunbury last Saturday week.
Soho The Real Deal began speedily from out wide at barrier seven and was trapped five wide early before working out three wide, getting to the front in the final 20 metres and winning by a half-length from the pacemaker Mister Kopa in a blanket finish involving five horses.
“It’s those sorts of races you can’t take much form out of,” said Miller. “Not many horses can race three wide with the speed that was on and still win. Even though it was only a one-lap race, it was still a big run, first-up.
“He has good gate speed and a big motor, and he has been driven positively most of his life, and he is not afraid to do the hard work.”
Soho The Real Deal is by former millionaire superstar pacer Soho Tribeca and before his WA debut victory he raced 16 times in Victoria for two wins and 16 times in New South Wales for five victories.
Ace trainer-reinsman Gary Hall jnr predicts a strong performance from New Zealand-bred five-year-old Double Parked, who will begin from the awkward No. 6 barrier in the Bridge Bar Open This Sunday Pace.
A winner of five races in New Zealand, Double Parked should appreciate a drop in class after his first two WA appearances resulted in a sixth behind Golden Lode and a strong effort in finishing third behind Rumble Strip last Friday night after racing wide early and then without cover.
“He should go better again, and I’ve got to go forward, obviously,” said Hall. “I reckon he can work in the breeze and win, the way he is going.”
Promising four-year-old Boy Blue has drawn out wide at barrier No. 8 in the Book Into Steelo’s Pace, but trainer-reinsman Chris Voak is supremely confident the Rock N Roll Heaven gelding will prove superior to his eleven rivals.
Boy Blue reappeared after a five-month absence when he raced wide early and then enjoyed the one-out, one-back position before exploding away from the rest of the field and winning a 2185m event by more than seven lengths at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
“He bolted in with the ear plugs in,” said Voak. “He is on target for the major feature events for four-year-olds later in the year.
“I have been aiming at improving his strength during this preparation. I want him to be a tougher horse than he has been. From barrier eight on Friday night, I will keep rolling forward and the horse will do his share of the work.
“At Pinjarra he was three deep for the first 550m and then snuck into the one-one before I pulled him out three deep at the 800m and he ran home in 28sec. and 27.8sec.
“Boy Blue is the best horse I have in the stable, and I expect him to prove that in the summer carnival.”
