Forrestdale trainers Greg and Skye Bond and No. 1 stable driver Ryan Warwick are riding high after landing five winners from six starters at Northam on Tuesday night and harness racing punters would be well advised to follow the stable throughout the ten-event program at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The stable will have 11 runners (plus two emergencies) and it should produce the best bet of the night in up-and-coming New Zealand-bred six-year-old Char Do Neigh, who is in dazzling form and has the ability to overcome the wide barrier (No. 7) and prove too strong for his 11 rivals in the 2130m second heat of the Slater Gartrell Sports Schrader Pace.
Char Do Neigh has been most impressive since arriving in WA from New Zealand and his first five starts in the State have produced four wins and a fighting second to the pacemaker Rub of the Green after racing wide early and then in the breeze.
The Bettor's Delight gelding was not extended when he set the pace and won from Three Kings at a 1.56.8 rate over 2130m last Friday night. His chief rivals this week appear to be Ideal Justice (barrier six) and Northern Assassin (barrier one).
Ideal Justice, a winner at nine of his 15 starts, reappeared after a ten-month absence at Gloucester Park last Friday night when he was the only runner off the back line and trailed the pacemaker Billies A Star before surging forward to get on terms with the leader 90m from the post. However, his fitness gave out slightly in the final stages of a 56.7sec. final 800m and he was a gallant second, just a neck from the winner. He is sure to be improved by the outing.
Northern Assassin cannot be underestimated from the prized No. 1 barrier. The WA-bred six-year-old, trained in Busselton by Peter Bell, is a speedy beginner and noted frontrunner who could take plenty of catching. Ryan Bell, son of the trainer, will be in the sulky and he is sure to attempt an all-the-way victory.
Northern Assassin’s recent form has been quite sound. His past six starts have produced one second (beaten a head by Lord Lombo after a very tough run over 1609m at Bunbury), two thirds and three fourths.
Apart from Char Do Neigh, the Bonds have excellent prospects with last-start winners Ima Tragedy and Assassinator in race five, Phoenix Warrior (race seven), Bungalow Bill (eight) and Gaz Wannabet (nine).
The Bond stable had six starts at Northam on Tuesday night and was successful with Kinda Black, Risk, Cerato, Messi and Stroganoff, all driven by Warwick.
The camp was celebrating a tremendous milestone of training 200 winners in WA this season. This was achieved at Bunbury on Monday afternoon when Warwick was successful with 11/2 chance Pay Me Cullen, who overcame the back mark of 70m to finish boldly from eighth at the bell to beat the pacemaker and hot favourite James Coburn by a neck over 2503m.
The Bonds now look set to take out the title as the State’s leading trainers this season. The stable has landed 205 winners and leads from Gary Hall sen. (183 winners) and Courtney Burch and Justin Prentice (each with 76 winners).
Ken Casellas