Friday night’s bumper 11-race card at Gloucester Park will see the running of the annual $50,000 Group 2 Mount Eden Sprint (1730m), highlighted by a mouth-watering clash between superstar duo Chicago Bull and Shockwave.
The pair have sets tongues wagging nation-wide off the back of an exciting new rivalry this spring, which currently sits at one win apiece after $1.97 million earner Chicago Bull turned the tables on his younger opponent in the Group 2 Stratton Cup (2130m) on October 2, three weeks after Shockwave defeated him by the shortest of margins in the James Brennan Memorial Pace (2536m).
An intriguing speed battle also looms over the mile of Friday’s feature event after Chicago Bull drew the pole position, with Shockwave drawn directly outside him in barrier two and noted front-runners Vampiro and Convert Denario coming out of gates seven and eight respectively.
Vampiro is one of two Greg and Skye Bond runners engaged in the race, with stablemate and Listed Winter Cup winner Ocean Ridge set to race second-up from a spell.
Talented duo Bletchley Park and Simba Bromac will also be starters, while Argyle Red will be looking to land back-to-back Mount Eden Sprint wins after taking out last year’s edition.
Michael Heaton