Oldbury horseman Kim Prentice is lavish in his praise of Soho Tribeca and declares that the talented young American Ideal stallion is spot on for harness racing four-year-old feature events at Gloucester Park in the coming weeks.
Soho Tribeca will make his debut at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he will start from the No. 4 barrier in the field of eight in the $21,500 Check In With TABtouch Pace over 2130m.
He should prove to be a star bet on the ten-event program after his splendid all-the-way victory over Franco Rayner and Chicago Bull in the $25,000 Four-Year-Old Classic at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
Prentice cleverly dictated the terms of that race in front and Soho Tribeca gave a sample of his class by sprinting over the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 26.5sec.
“I was very rapt with the horse, first-up, in the way he went about it,” Prentice said. “Over there (in Victoria) he used to pull and be a bit frantic. However, he drove absolutely beautifully and he has trained on great.
“I knew he would run a really good race and he did just what I expected and now, knowing, hopefully, that he can relax like that, he doesn’t have to lead. He’s a real good stayer as well. I’ve changed quite a bit of gear. I’ve removed the head check, taken the Dollies off and put a different bit on him.
“He’s the best horse I’ve ever had to handle, by far. For a stallion, he goes out into a paddock with a little pony and they play all day. Everything I get him to do, he does, and when he goes to the track he knows what he’s there for … and he can run.”
Soho Tribeca was bred and is owned by West Australian Robert Watson, who sent him from Victoria to be trained by Prentice about seven weeks ago. The American Ideal horse has had 30 starts for ten wins, ten seconds and three thirds for earnings of $132,960.
“After this week’s run we’ll be looking at the major events for four-year-olds,” Prentice said. “His main aim is the Golden Nugget (on December 9), but first he will contest the McInerney Ford Classic on Friday of next week. I haven’t spoken to Robert yet about whether he should run in the $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship on December 2.
“Robert has always said that Soho Tribeca was a very immature horse. But since he’s been here he has muscled up and got a lot more solid.”
Soho Tribeca is out of Tasmania mare Pixel Perfect, whose dam Amarillen’s first foal was Villagem, an outstanding pacer who was retired with a record of 109 starts for 25 wins and 27 placings for stakes of $626,585. His major wins included three group 1 events — the Vicbred Super Series for three-year-old colts and geldings in June 2009, the Chariots of Fire at Menangle and the Australasian Breeders Crown for four-year-old horses at Melton in 2010.
Soho Tribeca, named after Tribeca, a neighbourhood in Lower Manhattan, New York, looks superior to his seven rivals in Friday night’s race in which last-start winners Mighty Major and Commander Chapel will be strongly fancied to fill the minor placings.
Prentice also has excellent prospects of winning the opening event on Friday night, the Westbred pace over 2130m, with four-year-old Mister Versace, who will start from the inside of the back line.
Mister Versace, trained by Annie Belton, has resumed after a spell in excellent form and the Bettors Delight gelding impressed in winning at a 1.56.5 rate over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Monday afternoon.
Mister Versace sustained a strong burst from sixth (three wide) at the bell to take a narrow lead 300m from home and go on and win by a head from the gallant pacemaker Chelsea Royale. Mister Versace finished strongly when a head second to Our Magical Miracle over 1684m at Pinjarra the previous Monday.
Ken Casellas