Mista Shark, described by his part-owner and trainer Michael Brennan as “a big, kind gentle giant,” will reappear after a 22-month absence when he contests the 2130m NYE At GP Brought To You By Retravision Pace on Thursday night.
The powerful New Zealand-bred seven-year-old will be driven by Michael Grantham from the No. 1 barrier and should take plenty of beating after an impressive win in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday December 9.
He has recovered from a damaged suspensory ligament which halted his career after he had started off 20m and finished second to Veiled Secret in a 2116m stand at Pinjarra in early February 2019.
Mista Shark started from, barrier four in the five-horse trial at Pinjarra. He raced three wide for the first 250m before being restrained to the rear before he made a fast move 250m later to burst to the front. The opening quarters were very casual (30.4sec. and 33.5sec.) before he dashed over the final 400m sections in 29.4sec. and 28.7sec. and won by seven lengths from Heez About To Rock.
“He’s a day-by-day proposition, but if he stands up and his body sticks together it will be an exciting time for us all,” said Brennan. “The desire, the ability and the speed is still there.
“He is a big, gross horse who is probably lighter than I’ve ever had him. He has done a lot of long, slow work to get fit over the past six months when we’ve been going steady-steady.”
Mista Shark had four starts in New Zealand as a three-year-old in late 2015 for a win and one placing before arriving in Western Australia in November 2015. His 29 starts in the State have produced 14 wins, five seconds and two thirds.
He won eight in a row between August 2017 and January 2018, with his victories including an easy triumph in the group 2 San Simeon final at Gloucester Park in December 2018 when he defeated El Jacko, Major Stare and Walkinshaw, rating 1.55.5 over 2130m.
Mista Shark certainly won’t have an easy first-up task when he clashes with the brilliant Howard Hughes and in-form performers in Waltzingwithsierra, Babyface Adda, Henwood Bay, Shadow Roll and Kilowatt Kid.
Howard Hughes, a talented New Zealand-bred three-year-old prepared by leading trainers Greg and Sky Bond and to be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green is expected to be a short-priced favourite from barrier four at his first appearance after a 16-week absence.
Howard Hughes was untroubled to win at his four starts in his previous preparation and he goes into this week’s event with the enviable record of 13 starts for ten wins, one second and two eighth placings.
The Katja Warwick-trained Waltzingwithsierra will also have many admirers. She will be driven by Emily Suvaljko from barrier six and should be storming home.
She charged home, out wide, from eighth at the bell to finish an eye-catching second to Justasec over 2130m last Friday night and was a fast-finishing winner over Henwood Bay and American Brave two starts before that.
Babyface Adda, trained and driven by Cody Wallrodt, also cannot be overlooked in discussions. She was tenth at the bell before finishing with a spirited burst to be fourth behind Vivere Damore and Patronus Star last Friday night.
Ken Casellas