New Zealand-bred five-year-old Thats Rite should maintain his unbeaten record at Gloucester Park by setting the pace from the prized No. 1 barrier and proving too smart for his rivals in the $25,000 final of the Im Themightyquinn Pace on Friday night.
Clint Hall gave punters a strong lead when he chose to handle Thats Rite in preference to the exciting John Oldroyd-trained Mynameskenny in the 2130m event.
Hall has been full of praise for Mynameskenny after driving the four-year-old to two splendid wins and a very close second to Bhagwan at his past three starts.
However, it came as no surprise whatsoever when he elected to drive Thats Rite, who is an up-and-coming star in the Serpentine stables of leading trainer Gary Hall sen.
He is unbeaten at four appearances at Gloucester Park and has won at each of his past four starts (three at headquarters and one in Bunbury) by a combined total of 41.9 metres, an average margin of 10.25m.
Friday night’s final brings together a quality field, but Thats Rite simply appears to have an edge over the opposition, which includes several M0-class pacers destined for outstanding careers.
Apart from Mynameskenny, who will start from barrier six on the front line and will be driven by Chris Lewis, the field includes talented performers in Atlastalone, Glenferrie Rustler, Burning, Offtocullect, Bhagwan, Calais and Captain Under Fire.
Thats Rite warmed up for this week’s assignment with a dominant performance at Bunbury last Saturday night when he settled in fifth position before bursting to the front approaching the bell and racing away to win at a 1.56.9 rate by more than four lengths from Wills Boy and Our Ideal Act over 2100m.
The final three quarters whizzed by in 28.8sec., 29.3sec. and 28.4sec.
Eight nights earlier Thats Rite was untroubled to lead from barrier one and sprint over the final quarters in 28.3sec. and 27.3sec. to defeat Burning by just under two lengths at a 1.56.8 rate over 2130m at Gloucester Park.
Burning, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, raced three and four wide early and then worked hard in the breeze before fighting on gamely to finish second.
He will start from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night and should again be prominent.
Burning’s stablemate Offtocullect will be driven by Ryan Warwick from barrier five.
The five-year-old has resumed after an absence of 23 months in fine style, with a strong-finishing first-up victory at Pinjarra followed by an excellent second to Atlastalone at Gloucester Park last Friday night when he raced three wide for much of the way.
Atlastalone, trained at Boyanup by Justin Prentice, was most impressive at his first outing for a month.
He settled in ninth place before Prentice dashed him forward, three wide, after a lap to move into the breeze outside the pacemaker Captain Under Fire.
Atlastalone surged to the front 220m from home and coasted to victory.
“He felt like the winner a long way out and he hit the line really good,” Prentice said. “I think he should win a couple more up here (at Gloucester Park).”
Atlastalone’s prospects in the final diminished when he drew out wide at barrier eight.
However, Prentice is sure to put the eight-year-old into the thick of the action in the middle stages.
Bhagwan began speedily from barrier seven to burst to the front after 250m before setting the pace and winning easily from Ginas Ingot in a qualifying heat. But he faces a tougher task from No. 7 to get to an early lead in the final.
Likely to be prominent is the Debbie Padberg-trained Glenferrie Rustler, who is sure to be improved after his first two runs after a spell. He is handily drawn at barrier three.
Ken Casellas