A back line draw for star juvenile Rich Yankee has thrown the $100,000 Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings wide open at the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
But it should not prevent the brilliant Jesse Moore-trained gelding from continuing his winning ways.
Rich Yankee has revealed dazzling gate speed from front-line draws to burst straight to the front and then romp to victory at his past two outings, over 2185m at Pinjarra and over 2100m in the group 1 Pearl Classic at Bunbury three Fridays ago.
Before those two easy victories Rich Yankee revealed his wonderful versatility when he started out wide at barrier seven in a 2185m event at Pinjarra.
He was restrained to the rear before surging home from last at the bell to win by just over two lengths.
His average winning margin in his past three starts is 10.7m.
Rich Yankee will start from the No. 12 barrier this week which is the No. 3 barrier on the back line under the new Gloucester Park formation of nine off the front and three off the back.
Rich Yankee will follow out speedy beginner Rocknroll Whitby and Aiden de Campo should be able to settle the gelding in a prominent position before he makes his charge.
Rich Yankee's back-line draw has raised the hopes of the connections of polemarker Johnny Disco and the impressive up-and-coming Lightning Jolt.
Chris Lewis is likely to attempt to set the pace with Johnny Disco, who will start from the No. 1 barrier.
The Ross Ashby-trained gelding warmed up for this week's classic in fine style when he scored by four lengths in 1.56.9 over 1609m at Bunbury last Saturday night. He started from the back line and finished boldly from eighth at the bell.
Lightning Jolt, trained by John Oldroyd, gave a sample of his class when he came from sixth at the bell to win easily against moderate opposition, rating 1.57.5 over 1609m at Bunbury last Saturday week.
He was an all-the-way winner over 1730m at Gloucester Park three starts earlier.
Ken Casellas