History beckons Miss Sangrial

Talented New South Wales-bred five-year-old Miss Sangrial is the most experienced standing-start performer in the $24,000 Laurie Kennedy Race For Roses, a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and she has bright prospects of becoming the first dual winner of this event for harness racing mares in the 24-year history of the race.

Miss Sangrial, prepared by Michael Brennan and driven by Michael Grantham, is the backmarker off 40 metres, but she has the class to overcome this significant disadvantage.

She started off the 20m mark in last year’s Race For Roses in which she emerged triumphant by a head over Beaudiene Beach Babe. She dashed to the front after 600m and then took the sit behind Our Angel of Harlem 350m later before obtaining an inside run to take the lead 500m from home. She fought on doggedly to hold the strong-finishing Beaudiene Beach Babe at bay.

Miss Sangrial, who has earned $241,831 from 19 wins and 20 placings from 67 starts, has raced 11 times in stands for three wins and three placings. She warmed up for this week’s feature event in grand style with superb efforts in stands at her past two outings.

Two starts ago, on April 9 Miss Sangrial began from 30m in the 2902m Easter Cup and was 11TH and last on the pegs at the bell before finishing strongly to be fifth behind As Happy As Larry. Then, last Friday night she again started off 30m and impressed in finishing strongly from ninth at the bell to be second to the pacemaker The Buckeye Bullet.

Also looming as strong prospects in this week’s event are New Zealand-bred four-year-olds Countess Grace and Arma Indie. Neither mare has contested a standing-start event. But, with a safe start, each has definite winning prospects.

Countess Grace should prove to be a good each-way value bet from barrier three on the front line. She will be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, who replaces Grantham, who drove the mare when she caught the eye last Friday night by surging home from 11TH at the bell to finish fourth behind Millwood Molly over 2130m when the final 800m was covered in 56.5sec.

Countess Grace qualified to contest a standing-start event when she began safely in a 2470m trial at Wanneroo on April 15. The trial was contested by two pacers and Countess Grace finished a 1m second to Arma Indie (who also qualified to run in stands).

Apart from Countess Grace and Arma Indie, three other runners, Delightfull, Delightfulreaction and Semiramide, will be making their first appearance in a standing-start event.

Pick My Pocket and Madame Meilland, both off 20m, each has had only one start in a stand when each mare galloped at the start and was unplaced.

Countess Grace and Arma Indie are sure to provide Henley Brook trainer Mike Reed with an excellent chance of victory. Suvaljko has given punters a good lead by electing to handle Arma Indie in preference to in-form mares Vivere Damore and Delightfull.

Vivere Damore will be driven by Peter Tilbrook and recent placings at Pinjarra behind Forgotten Highway and Bettor Copagoodone have been encouraging. Delightfull, bred, owned and trained by Kevin Charles, impressed at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon when she worked hard without cover before winning from the fast-finishing Camilla. 

Ross Olivieri, who will be represented by Madame Meilland (Chris Lewis), has the best record in the Race For Roses, winning the event with Yippy Yi Yo in 1998, Arctic Fire (2011), Selkie (2014) and Sheer Rocknroll (2017). Lewis has been the successful driver four times with Lady De Beau (2007), Arctic Fire, Selkie and Sheer Rocknroll.

 

Ken Casellas