New Zealand-bred five-year-old Rakasinc is a noted frontrunner and he should give punters a flying start by winning the opening event, the 2130m R U OK? Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Rakasinc is ideally drawn at barrier two and Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey said that Emily Suvalko would be aiming to set the pace with the Changeover gelding who has won at four of his past five starts.
“We will just let him run; that’s the plan,” said Turvey. “He gets keen, and, hopefully, he’ll be able to cross the No. 1 horse Starlight Destiny. He’s a horse that you let him do what he wants to do, so we just let him run.”
Rakasinc broke the track record when he led and won by nine lengths from Right Royal Cheer, rating 1.56.1 over 2190m at Northam five starts ago. He has won at his past three outings, two at Northam and one at Narrogin.
He is a half-brother to the Christian Cullen pacer Rakarebel, who made a spectacular start to his West Australian career in 2011 when he revealed dazzling gate speed and relished setting the pace when he won at his first eight appearances in the State for trainer Gary Hall snr and reinsman Gary Hall jnr.
Rakasinc is unlikely to get all things going his way and is sure to be tested by the Hall camp’s inexperienced, but highly promising four-year-old Undercover Mac, who will start from barrier six. He was most impressive last Friday night when he charged home from ninth at the bell to finish second to Howard Hughes. That followed smart Gloucester Park wins at his two previous outings.
Others with claims on Friday night include the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Starlight Destiny and Blissfullabbey, who is racing keenly for Port Kennedy trainer Chris Willis.
Turvey also has sound prospects in the second event, the RWWA’S Racing Assist Pace, in which he will be represented by Jack William, who will be driven by Suvaljko from the prized No. 1 barrier.
Jack William started out wide at barrier eight last week when he was not suited by a slow early pace and finished tenth behind Baylan Jett.
“This is my third No. 1 barrier on a Friday night at Gloucester Park for 14 months, so I’m happy,” said Turvey, whose previous starters from the No. 1 barrier were winners, Live Like A Royal and Touch Of Success.
“Jack William is a frontrunner and he’s tough. He doesn’t try too hard when he’s back in the field. Three starts ago he kept Robbie Easton out (at the start) and then Robbie Easton sat on his back (in the one-out, one-back position) and couldn’t get near him. So, I think he’s got the form (to be hard to beat).”
Suvaljko will also team with Turvey in the third event, the Mental Health Awareness Pace, in which she will drive Carter Micheal from the inside of the back line.
“Carter Micheal is racing well and just needs a bit of luck,” said Turvey. “He won’t know himself, getting on the fence. It wasn’t a bad run last week when he raced in the breeze and finished third behind Our Alfie Romeo.”
Ken Casellas