Tonight's $35,000 Race For Roses at Gloucester Park is a unique race on the WA harness racing calendar in that it is a standing start feature race for mares only, and the winner will also qualify for the rich WA Breeders Stakes held on May 15.

Two of the placegetters from last year’s event are engaged again this year, Salliwood and Leda McNally, with the latter mare 10m better off this year having come back to a mark of 40m. Salliwood has been a marvel for connections and is dangerous in any standing start race that she contests from a front line draw. Leda McNally doesn’t appear to be racing in the same form that we have become accustomed to over the past few seasons, but this race does represent a drop in grade from contesting open aged free for alls

Last year’s Oaks runner-up The Parade is engaged and she shapes as one of the leading chances despite her tricky mark of 20m.

She is part of the ever-strengthening team of Justin Prentice and was last seen to advantage bolting away with the Final of the $25,000 The Johnson at Gloucester Park two weeks ago, in a very quick 1:56.7. Fridays night’s event will be her first attempt at a standing start under race conditions, but Prentice was very happy with how she performed in a standing start trial about 3 weeks ago. “She stepped cleanly and I was very happy with how she went, she is in great form”. 

Justin also lines up Bettor Dreams, who coincidently ran second in the 2013 WA Oaks. “I was happy with how she went in her standing start trial and the 2500m will really suit her although she isn’t as versatile as The Parade”. Bettor Dreams has performed admirably in a number of mares feature races over the past 2 seasons having won the $25,000 The Coulson back in December.

My Samantha Jane and Harriet Elizabeth round out the main chances although both are maidens from a standing start, with only My Samantha Jane actually having contested a standing start under race conditions.

by Jason Lincoln