Jaspervellabeach, a star two-year-old last season when his four wins from six starts included the Group 2 Champagne Classic and the Group 1 Golden Slipper, will reappear after a four-month absence when he contests the www.sefsolutions.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Coolup owner-trainer Kristy Elson has a few concerns about the colt following his roguish behaviour in recent trials. But the style in which he set the pace and coasted to victory in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Sunday morning was a strong indication that he has sound winning prospects despite drawing the outside barrier in the field of seven.
He began speedily from barrier four and charged straight to the front. After a modest pace in the first lap Jaspervellabeach dashed over the final 400m sections in 29.7sec. and 27.8sec. to win, unextended, by a length from Livin La Bamba.
“I have trialled him twice (at Pinjarra) when his first trial wasn’t impressive at all,” said Elson. “Then I trialled him again last Sunday when I took the blinds off him because he had the blocks on, and I put him in an open bridle.
“He went straight to the front and ran good time. But he was looking around and is getting a bit bully. So, I’m not sure if he is just mucking around and it will be interesting to see how he goes (in race conditions) on Friday night. I’m not sure whether he’s mucking around just because it’s trials and not at the races or whether he’s getting a bit older and a little bit silly.
“I’m not sure how he will go on Friday night. It sort of depends on what he does from the outside barrier. It will depend on how Nathan (Turvey) feels after he has warmed up. He’s a lovely horse, but I’m not putting too much pressure on him. I just want to see how he goes.
“He might need to be gelded. But, hopefully, he’s just been mucking around at trials and knows when it’s pay day. We’ll see.”
Elson will also be represented in Friday night’s event for three-year-olds by Secret Operation, who will start from barrier six with Gary Hall Jnr in the sulky. Secret Operation disappointed at his third outing after a spell when, from barrier three, he raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before wilting to finish a well-beaten seventh behind Rock me Over in a fast-run 2130m event on Tuesday evening.
That followed easy wins at Gloucester Park over 2130m and 1730m at his two previous outings, after resuming from a spell. It is possible the colt was a little underdone and should be capable of an improved effort on Friday night when Macz Brother, a half-brother to star mare Maczaffair (63 starts for 21 wins, 19 placings and $507,497) and the speedy Golden State (30 starts for 12 wins, six placings and $146,028) should prove hard to beat at his Gloucester Park debut.
Macz Brother, trained by Mike Reed and to be driven by Michael Grantham, has raced three times for wins at Pinjarra and Northam and a third placing behind Hotfoot It at Pinjarra.
At his most recent appearance Macz Brother began from the back line in a 1780m event at Northam last Saturday week when he settled in seventh position, was eighth at the bell and charged to the front with 420m to travel before winning by five lengths from Pocketfulofpepper.
Ace trainer-reinsman Colin Brown will be keen to add to Adda Pocket Rinse’s record of three starts for three wins when he drives the Rich And Spoilt gelding. Adda Pocket Rinse possess excellent gate speed, but could find it difficult to cross to the front from barrier five.
Adding considerable interest to the race will be the return to action of Some Copper Beach, the only filly in the event who will start from the No. 4 barrier for Capel trainer-reinsman Aiden de Campo. Some Copper Beach was a star two-year-old last season when her ten starts produced five wins, two seconds and a third.
Ken Casellas