Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred five-year-old The Arsonist is ready to break through for his first success in Western Australia, following his eye-catching performance at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week.
He was a 10/1 chance from the outside (No. 9) on the front line and was restrained to last in the field of ten before storming home with a powerful late burst to finish third behind Rycroft and Pelusiac over 2130m when the final 800m (off the front) whizzed by in 56.8sec.
The chestnut, trained by Gary Hall sen., has had seven starts in WA for three seconds and two thirds and will pay to follow.
He will start out wide at barrier eight in the 1730m Gate Bar and Bistro Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and has the ability to overcome this disadvantage.
His chief rival appears to be the polemarker Maddy White, who will be driven by Aiden de Campo for Hopeland trainer Mike Howie.
Maddy White has a splendid record of 46 starts for 11 wins and 18 placings. She is a proven frontrunner who could take plenty of catching.
Ken Casellas