Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice has given punters an important lead by opting to drive The Revolution ahead of stablemates Choccy Mac and Atlastalone in the Kim Prentice Medal Metropolitan Junior Driver Lauren Jones Westbred final at the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Prentice has been the regular driver of the three stablemates and punters were highly impressed with the qualifying heat wins of Choccy Mac and The Revolution, with bother pacers recording a mile rate of 1.57.9.
The other heat winner, Gives Me Chills, rated 1.58.5.
Prentice is understandably disappointed with the barriers allocated to his runners.
Atlastalone will start from barrier six on the front line, The Revolution from barrier eight and Choccy Mac from the outside of the back line.
“I was tossing up between The Revolution and Choccy Mac ahead of Atlastalone,” Prentice said.
“Choccy Mac is probably the better horse, to be honest. But The Revolution is getting stronger and stronger and there is not a heap between them.”
In a qualifying heat last Friday night The Revolution started from barrier four on the front line and raced wide early before getting to the front after 500m.
He went on to win easily from Soho Aintree and Max Meridius.
A week earlier Choccy Mac started from the outside of the back line when he surged home, three wide, from sixth at the bell to take the lead on the home turn and win by a half-length from Shirlz Sensation.
“From barrier eight this week I’m not a hundred per cent sure what I’ll do with The Revolution,” Prentice said. “I’ll determine my tactics after coming out of the gate and I’ll have a look at what the others do on our inside."
"The Revolution doesn’t need to lead; he’s a really good sit and kick horse."
“Brayden Green will drive Choccy Mac and Tom Buchanan will be on Atlastalone.”
Looming as dangers to The Revolution and Choccy Mac are Gives Me Chills, Vultan Tin, Max Meridius and Shirlz Sensation.
The Michael Brennan-trained Gives Me Chills is in sparkling form with four wins from six starts since resuming from a spell and he is nicely drawn on the inside of the back line.
The six-year-old’s regular reinsman Chris Voak is on his way to America for a holiday and Brennan has engaged champion reinsman Gary Hall jun. to drive the gelding.
Gives Me Chills started from the inside of the back line in a qualifying heat last Friday fortnight when he was able to burst to an early lead after an early scrimmage. He went on to win narrowly from Hells Kitchen.
Four-year-old Vultan Tin fared well in the random draw and, from barrier one on the front line the Phil Costello-trained gelding will have many admirers.
He warmed up for the race in impressive fashion at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon when he finished powerfully from 12th at the bell to be third behind Bhagwan and Deluxe Edition.
Ken Casellas