by Ken Casellas
Ryan Bell is excited at the prospect of driving the highly promising Galactic Star for the first time in a race when the New Zealand-bred four-year-old starts from the outside of the back line in the second heat of the Alltools Online Store Clarke Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bell will replace Ryan Warwick, the No. 1 driver for the powerful Greg and Skye Bond stable. Warwick is serving a 16-day suspension for having caused interference in a race at Gloucester Park last Friday week.
“I think he’s the best horse in the race and the back-line draw doesn’t matter because he’s so versatile,” Bell said. “He was pretty impressive at his latest start (over 1609m at Bunbury last Saturday week) when he sat in the breeze and won untouched in 1.53.1.
“He is a very nice horse who had a few issues around Golden Nugget time (last December). And, unfortunately, those issues did him no favours.”
Galactic Star had 13 starts in New Zealand for four wins and seven placings and his first 13 starts in Western Australia have produced nine wins and one second placing. He will clash with several talented pacers, including stablemate Gaz Wannabet, Letztorqueaboutyou, Straight Thru Blue, Twoandahalf Tigers and Sky Art.
Letztorqueaboutyou, trained and driven by Gary Butler, will have many admirers after his easy victory last Friday night when he began speedily from barrier five, took up the running after 120m and bowled along in front before scorching over the final 400m in 27.1sec. and winning by more than a length from Hot Fraternity.
That was Letztorqueaboutyou’s fourth win from eight starts and if the six-year-old remains sound he should win many more races. He will start from barrier six on Friday night.
Gaz Wannabet (No. 2), Twoandahalf Tigers (three), Sky Art (four) and Straight Thru Blue (five) are racing keenly and have each-way claims.
Bell will also drive smart four-year-old Superimposed (trained by the Bonds) in the Alltools.com.au Pace. Superimposed, who has led and won at his past two starts, at Gloucester Park and Pinjarra, is the solitary runner of the second line on Friday night.
Superimposed, driven by Mitch Miller, was not extended when he led and won from Ideal Tyson at a 1.57.8 rate over 21185m at Pinjarra last Monday week. He beat Sprinter and James Galleon at a 1.57.8 rate over 2130m at Gloucester Park at his previous outing.
“Being the only runner on the back line is a good draw for him because he can either stay on the rail or go into the moving line,” said Bell. “His sit-sprint capacity is better than being out in front, rolling. He’s one of those horses who will give you his all if you make him feel King Kong.
”Sheer Rocknroll is a classy mare and will definitely be hard to beat, but Superimposed has a really good chance of winning.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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