Astute harness racing trainer Mike Reed has high hopes of celebrating his move this week from his long-time training establishment in Hazlemere to a new stable complex in Henley Brook by winning the $25,000 Mount Eden-No Dill Christmas Handicap at Gloucester Park with the dependable stayer Im Riddick.
Im Riddick will start from the back mark of 20m in the 2503m event and the gelding is sure to prove hard to beat after close-up second placings on each of the past two Friday nights.
Two weeks ago Im Riddick started from 10m and settled down in tenth position before surging forward in the first circuit to race without cover for almost two laps. He finished determinedly, but was beaten by a half-head by the pacemaker Gallileo. Last Friday night he started from 20m and was ninth at the bell before flashing home, out five wide, to be a neck second to Bettor Party. The final quarters whizzed by in 28sec. and 28.1sec.
An overdue win by Im Riddick would give Reed his second success in the Mount Eden-No Dill Christmas Handicap. He won with Golden Resonator, driven by his son Mark, in 2003. Mark Reed has also won the race behind Hot Cam in 2001 and Aliveandwell in 2009.
Bettor Party again looms as the hardest for Im Riddick to beat. The Eric Chabros-trained six-year-old is tough and resilient. He worked hard in the breeze for almost two laps before winning from Im Riddick last week when he started from the 10m mark.
This week Im Riddick will start on terms with Bettor Party and again the geldings look set to stage a spirited battle.
Chris Lewis has won the Mount Eden-No Dill Christmas Handicap a record four times — with Phar From A Fake (2005), OK Windermere (2006), Sneakyn Down Under (2008) and Chief Thundercloud (2014). At the time of writing Lewis had not decided which pacer he would drive this year.
Evergreen standing-start performer Bartowski looks set to be the pacemaker from the No. 2 barrier on the front mark and Gary Hall jun. will give the opposition something to chase. Bartowski excels when he is leading and he has realistic prospects of ending a losing streak of 20 for Serpentine trainer Matt Scott.
Hall has won this event with Fac Et Spiro (2007) and Alzona (2010). Frontmarker Fac Et Spiro was favourite at 5/4 when he led and beat stablemate Vintage Concerto and Alzona was a co-backmarker off 50m and favourite at 5/2 when he surged home from ninth at the bell to defeat stablemate Ohoka Rebel.
Stuart McDonald is in splendid form in the sulky and he will partner the Peter Anderson-trained Rocky Marciano, who has not enjoyed much luck when unplaced at his past three starts. The six-year-old was driven by McDonald when he worked in the breeze for almost two laps before winning a 2503m stand from Sonic Classic and Tanaka Eagle five starts ago.
Young trainer Ryan Cummins has two runners, Everton VC and False Promise, who will start next to each other off the 10m line. Both veterans are solid and reliable standing-start performers.
Everton VC, who will be making his first appearance for almost seven months, has a unique record. He has never contested a race from behind a mobile barrier. All his 47 starts (three in New Zealand and 44 in WA) have been in stands for 12 wins and 13 placings.
by Ken Casellas