Baldivis trainer-reinsman Nathan Turvey is the State's leading driver with 13 wins after the first month of the 2015-16 season and he has bright prospects of giving punters a flying start to the Gloucester Park meeting on Friday night by winning the opening event, the TABtouch Pathway Pace, with lightly-raced mare Royal Myth.
"This will be her first run at Gloucester Park and she should go well," he said. "From her draw (barrier two on the front line), I hope she can lead and her times for the last halves on country tracks have been good.
"She is not just a frontrunner and she doesn't have to lead to win."
Royal Myth has been successful at her first two starts in her current campaign, leading and winning from Thirsty Work over 1730m at Kellerberrin and then settling in last position before dashing forward to race in the breeze 1300m from home, taking the lead with 400m to travel and holding on to win narrowly from Mon Lamour at a 1.58.1 rate over 1780m at Northam on Tuesday of last week after final quarters in 27.6sec. and 28.5sec.
Six-year-old Royal Myth is already proving a bargain for Turvey and Gary Mawdesley, with her eight starts in WA producing six wins, a second and a fourth for stakes of $27,063. Her wins have been at Bunbury (four), Kellerberrin and Northam.
This represents a good early return after she was purchased for $8000 in New Zealand about a year ago. She had managed just one well-beaten third placing from four starts in New Zealand, but Turvey was fully prepared to gamble because the mare is a half-sister to former smart pacer Machnifico.
Machnifico was prepared by Grant Williams in 2011-12-13 when he raced 18 times for eight wins and four placings. Turvey was working for Williams and he drove Machnifico eight times for two wins (at Pinjarra and Gloucester Park) in November 2012.
"You wouldn't look at her going on her form in New Zealand," Turvey said. "Grant and I had a pretty big opinion of Machnifico and I thought it would be worth the risk, buying Royal Myth." Machnifico had many setbacks and injuries and was retired after earning $53,352 from eight wins and four placings from only 19 starts.
Turvey has a healthy regard for four-year-old El Comacho, will start from the outside of the back line in Friday night's event for Oakford trainer Bryan Cousins and reinsman Kim Prentice. El Comacho recently resumed racing after a four-month absence and has impressed with easy victories at Gloucester Park and Narrogin.
Others with good claims include stablemates Eastwood Crystal and Kinda Black, who are racing keenly for Greg and Skye Bond.
Eastwood Crystal won four in a row on country tracks before her last-start third behind Nuala and Sovereign Faith over 2130m at Gloucester Park when she set the pace. Kinda Black has won at five of his past nine starts, including a last-start victory over 2150m in Kalgoorlie last Saturday night after working hard in the breeze.
Wanneroo trainer Debbie Padberg will be represented by former New South Wales pacer Bettorbeastar, a winner at seven of his 37 starts. He will start from barrier five on the front line with Morgan Woodley in the sulky.
Ken Casellas