Smart youngster Lady Willoughby will warm up for a bid to win the rich Breeders Crown for three-year-old fillies in Victoria late this month when she contests the $18,000 Cleanteligent Westralian Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She is due to leave Perth by air next Tuesday before contesting the semi-final of the Breeders Crown at Ballarat the following Saturday.
The rich final will be decided at Melton on Sunday August 30.
Lady Willoughby, trained at Byford by Ross Olivieri, is a smart and seasoned performer who has raced 28 times for ten wins, six placings and $87,103 in stakes.
She faces a hard task on Friday night from the outside barrier (No. 9) against several top-flight fillies, including Nuala, Foxy Dame, Massive Attack, Sea Me Smile, La Mia Juliette and Bettors Gem.
Lady Willoughby was unlucky when fifth behind Sea Me Smile at Gloucester Park last Friday week.
She started out wide from the No. 8 barrier and was forced to race three wide for the first 500m before moving to the breeze outside Donegal Kahlum.
She then overraced badly before pulling her way to the front 600m from home and then wilting in the final stages.
The brilliant Nuala, trained by Gary Hall sen. and making her first appearance for four months, will be attempting to retain her unbeaten record.
A winner in grand style at each of her seven starts, she is awkwardly drawn out wide at barrier eight.
But she has the class to overcome that disadvantage.
Nuala, to be driven by Clint Hall, warmed up for her return to racing with a smart win in a 2150m trial at Byford on Sunday morning when she narrowly beat another outstanding filly, Tricky Styx.
Hopeland trainer Debra Lewis holds a strong hand with Massive Attack (barrier four) and Sea Me Smile (six).
Her husband Chris has opted to drive Massive Attack, who was narrowly beaten by Sea Me Smile over 2130m last Friday week.
Gary Hall jun. has been engaged to handle Sea Me Smile.
The Peter Tilbrook-trained La Mia Juliette (a fast-finishing winner at Pinjarra on Monday) and the Mike Reed-trained Foxy Dame cannot be underestimated in a most interesting event which should produce abundant action.
Ken Casellas