Now they are hoping that Countess Krista, the first foal out of Wichita Gem, will triumph in the $100,000 DBC Tender Ridge State Sires Series final for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Countess Krista warmed up for the rich classic in fine style when she led from barrier one and won a qualifying heat over 1780m at Northam last Friday week.

Her prospects improved when she drew favourably at No. 2 for Friday night's big race, in which she will again be driven by Stephen Reed for Bunbury trainer Frank Bonnett, who prepared Sovereign Beejay for her victory in this event in 2004.

Countess Krista possesses good gate speed and should be able to set the pace in the 1730m event. She rated 2.3.7 when she was successful at Northam, and the filly drawn on her inside, on the pole, is the Sam Torre-trained The Lucky One, who started from barrier four and raced one-out and one-back before finishing strongly to win a 1780m qualifying heat from Lucky Angel at Northam last Saturday night, rating 2.5.8.

Though Wichita Gem was unplaced in the 2002 classic, she proved a handy pacer for the Bradleys, who retired her to the stud after she had earned $69,624 from her 13 wins and 11 placings from 66 starts.

Friday night's race became a more open affair after brilliant filly Batavia Touchngo drew the outside barrier, No. 9.

Batavia Touchngo was a 2/1 on favourite in the $100,000 Diamond Classic last Friday week when she began speedily, but was unable to wrest the early lead from the polemarker Pole Dancer.

She kept the pressure on the pacemaker Pole Dancer for most of the journey. The pace was a cracker, with the first three quarters of the final mile being covered in 29.8sec., 29.7sec. and 28.7sec. before she forged to a clear one-length lead with 350m to travel.

Batavia Touchngo looked certain to win before she wilted late and was overhauled 100m from the post by 85/1 outsider Centrefold Angel, who beat her by just over two lengths at a 1.58 rate.

Batavia Touchngo had won at each of her previous six starts and this week owner-breeder Ted O'Connor, trainer Kevin Keys and reinsman Gary Hall jun. will be hoping for an ounce of luck in their attempt to win the big race.

The Rich And Spoilt filly is extremely versatile and Hall will have many options. He may attempt to blitz the opposition at the start and burst to an early lead. He could also restrain Batavia Touchngo and save her up her a powerful finish, and another option would be to settle the filly before dashing forward to race on the outside of the leader.

Batavia Touchngo started from barriers seven and nine at her two starts immediately before the Diamond Classic and each time she worked hard without cover before racing away to score in convincing style.

Bunbury trainer John Graham has three runners in the classic, Miss Peggy Sue, So Not Blonde and Wendy Trunkey.

Miss Peggy Sue, owned by Debra Lewis, has drawn nicely at barrier three and is capable of a bold showing. She has unwound strong finishing bursts to win at Pinjarra and Bunbury.

Testing time for Spirit of Shard

Spirit of Shard, a brilliant winner at Gloucester Park last Friday night, faces a stern test when he clashes with fellow-New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Tee Pee Village in the 2130m DBC Talk About Taste Stakes on Friday night.

After a random barrier draw, Tee Pee Village will start from No. 2, with Spirit of Shard at No. 3, and this should be a distinct advantage.

Tee Pee Village possesses sparkling early speed and reinsman Chris Lewis is sure to make a determined bid to cross the polemarker Glencadam and set the pace, thus setting Spirit of Shard with the task of working hard and coming from the breeze, or a position farther back in the field, to win the 2130m event.

In his ten appearances over 2130m, Tee Pee Village has started inside barrier No. 6 only twice --- and on both occasions he set the pace and won.

Spirit of Shard is certainly not a noted frontrunner and Gary Hall jun. is likely to use the gelding's staying powers and determination to beat his talented adversary. Spirit of Shard impressed over 2130m last week when he was restrained from barrier eight, settled down in tenth position and was eighth at the bell before storming home to win by a length from Flaming Roadstar.

Tee Pee Village, owned by Neven Botica, will be at the forefront of Bunbury trainer John Graham's all-out assault on Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The gelding is one of eight Graham runners at the meeting. And, for good measure, Graham will have four starters at the TAB meeting at Bunbury on Friday night.

Glencadam will start from barrier one and reinsman Ryan Bell is sure to have the six-year-old in a forward position throughout. The gelding, a winner at 21 of his 50 starts, cannot be underestimated, particularly after he worked hard without cover and fought on gamely when third to Spirit of Shard last week.

Bell, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Monday by driving the Percy Johnson-trained Little Missmaturity to a runaway victory at Pinjarra, maintained his fine form by winning with Ima Crackerjack at Narrogin the following night.

City Slicker poised for a big effort

New Zealand-bred three-year-old City Slicker finished only eighth at Gloucester Park last Friday week, but he looms large as a serious threat to the favourite, Truckers Ruffnut, in the DBC Timber Hill Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

City Slicker was a 6/1 chance at his latest appearance when he started from the inside of the back line, raced two back on the pegs and was badly blocked for a clear passage throughout the final circuit, finishing eighth behind La Joconde. He went to the line full of running, but with nowhere to go.

This week City Slicker is more favourably drawn at No. 3 on the front line and he should give a bold showing. Owned by Stephen and Christina Chapman and trained at Bunbury by John Graham, City Slicker had nine starts in New Zealand for only three placings. His eight WA starts have produced four wins and three placings.

Graham also has sound prospects in the same event with another New Zealand-bred three-year-old, Rockin Cully, whose past five starts have produced two wins (at Bunbury) and three seconds.

Rockin Cully was most impressive at Bunbury on Tuesday of last week when he was eighth and last in the middle stages before charging to the front 400m from home and racing away to beat Barcourt Boy by just over six lengths.

The Murray Hansen-trained Truckers Ruffnut deserves to be favourite after he led from barrier one and won easily from Nicolana Wild in then $100,000 State Sires Series for three-year-old colts and geldings.

This event was restricted to WA-bred pacers and this week Truckers Ruffnut will have to overcome a wide barrier (No. 8) and Graham's extremely smart New Zealand-bred three-year-olds.

Indian Giver back in action

Exciting speedster Indian Giver will resume after an absence of 18 weeks when starts from 10m in the DBC Family of Finest Brands Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Though he displayed dazzling speed to win at his first two WA starts over the sprint trip of 1730m last January (rating 1.56 and 1.58.4), Indian Giver proved his versatility with a strong one-length victory over Fourmoore in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park in February.

He again will clash with Fourmoore this week, with Fourmoore starting from the 20m mark, following his determined effort to finish second to star four-year-old Im Themightyquinn in a stand last Friday week.

Indian Giver, trained by Gary Hall sen., warmed up for his return to racing with a runaway victory in a 2550m stand trial at Byford on Sunday when he sprinted the final 800m in 58sec. and the last 400m in 28.6sec.

Indian Giver and Fourmoore look the logical quinella, but in-form frontmarker Exceedingthelimit, Hombre Higgins and Scram Jet are racing keenly and will have admirers.

Ken CASELLAS