Stick with Run Oneover

“Stick with Run Oneover; he’ll be hard to beat.” They were the encouraging words of advice from champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr when assessing the harness racing six-year-old’s prospects in the $25,000 New Season Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Hall outlined important factors which led to the unexpected defeat of Run Oneover as the $1.60 favourite in last Friday night’s 2536m August Cup.

“He was racing first-up and he was way too keen — and that brought him undone,” Hall said when discussing Run Oneover’s wilting third behind Jambiani and Ideal Alice after setting a solid pace.

Run Oneover will start from the favourable No. 2 barrier in a field of six runners on Friday night and Hall has options regarding his tactics. “We’ll come out steady and if the front is there, we’ll take it,” he said. “Otherwise, he’ll be sat up; he’s better sat up, anyway.”

Run Oneover is trained by Gary Hall Snr, who has combined with his son to win the New Season Pace with Southern Ruler in 2005 and Talk To Me Courage in 2009. The Hall stable will also be represented in Friday night’s feature event by talented mare Ideal Alice, who will be driven by Lauren Jones from the outside barrier (No. 6).

Ideal Alice impressed in last week’s August Cup when she started from the inside of the back line and trailed the pacemaking Run Oneover before finishing strongly to be second to Jambiani.

Chris Voak will drive the polemarker Billies A Star for Blythewood trainer Michael Brennan. Billies A Star has been placed once from his past 14 starts, but he is a smart frontrunner whose most recent success was when he led from barrier one and beat Ideal Justice on August 5, 2016.

Our Jimmy Johnstone is capable of mustering exceptional speed from behind the mobile barrier and there is every likelihood that Ryan Warwick will attempt to steal a march on his rivals by urging the nine-year-old forward from barrier four at the start.

Our Jimmy Johnstone produced a splendid run when fifth in the August Cup last week. He began fast from the No. 8 barrier, but was restrained to the rear after being trapped out, three wide, in the early stages. He was 11th at the bell before finishing full of running into fifth place. He looks set to be one of the main players in this week’s race.

Our Jimmy Johnstone, whose 75 starts have produced 24 wins and 29 placings, is prepared by part-owner Skye Bond, who was part-owner and co-trainer of Phoenix Warrior when Warwick drove the gelding to an easy, strong-finishing victory over El Machine and Change Gear in last year’s New Season Pace.

Tricky Styx, the all-the-way winner from barrier five in the 2536m Winter Cup at her most recent appearance, on June 23, will reappear for the first time after that run when she starts from the No. 5 barrier on Friday night, with Aiden de Campo in the sulky for Northam trainer Jesse Moore.

Tricky Styx, who has won 21 times from 55 starts for earnings of $413,643, warmed up for her return to racing with a solid second to Run Oneover in a 2150m trial at Byford three Sundays ago when the final 800m was covered in 55.4sec.

Ken Casellas