Switching from a mobile last week to a stand at the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park this Friday night would prove no problem for the oddly-named Znana, said Baldivis trainer Nathan Turvey when assessing the five-year-old's prospects in the 2503m Phil Putland Memorial Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The South Australian-bred Znana has taken his time to show his worth for Turvey, who happily declared that the Art Major gelding had turned the corner when he drove him to a good all-the-way win in a 2130m mobile event at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
"It has taken a while to work him out and his form hasn't been that flash," Turvey said. "But he's turned the corner; he's getting better.
"The stand won't worry him. He begins quickly and I've always thought that stands would suit him. He raced in a stand at Pinjarra four starts ago when he raced four back on the pegs and did not get clear until late when he finished strongly to be a well-beaten second to Norvic Nightowl.
"If he manages to jump to the front on Friday night he will stay in front. However, his racing pattern over east suggests that he performs better with a sit."
Znana has earned $70,723 from 11 wins and 17 placings from 70 starts.
All his 56 starts in Victoria and South Australia were in mobiles.
He has had 14 starts in WA for one win and four seconds for stakes of $10,195.
Znana is the only foal out of former star mare Ananz and his unusual name is derived from spelling his dam's name backwards.
Ananz raced 127 times for 30 wins, 26 placings and $527,844 in prizemoney.
She won at each of her first 12 starts as a two-year-old in 2008 when her wins included the group 1 Gold Tiara at Bathurst, the group 1 New South Wales Sires at Menangle, the group 2 Tatlow Stakes at Moonee Valley and the group 2 Southern Cross Classic at Globe Derby Park.
In 2010 she won the group 1 Queen of the Pacific at Melton.
Znana was recommended to Turvey by Victorian racecaller Dan Mielicki and he was sold to Turvey and Peter Ensel for about $16,000.
Ken Casellas