Balcatherine gets her chance

Champion trainer Gary Hall Snr is looking forward to giving New Zealand import Balcatherine her chance to lead in a strong fillies and mares race at Gloucester Park this Thursday night.

The lightly raced American Ideal mare has drawn barrier one for the Retravision Pace (2130m) with Stuart McDonald set to drive.

Balcatherine hasn’t been seen at the track since winning a WA Oaks Prelude on April 26 last autumn at just her third start in the state.

In her WA career so far she has had to contend with barriers eight, nine and 10.

Hall Snr picked had Balcatherine join the stable early last year off the back of two wins in New Zealand, before she failed to win at her first two starts for her new stable.

The WA Oaks Prelude win was enough to see her secure a start in last year’s three-year-old fillies feature but she suffered a quarter crack in the week leading up to the event.

The Hall of Fame trainer said he was eager to see how the four-year-old goes leading against some of the state’s toughest mares.

“She’s been working well,” Hall Snr said.

“She’s a quite hand and she works like a good mare.

“She’s a good filly but she just hasn’t drawn well and we don’t know how she goes leading.

“We will try to lead this week because if you hand over the lead you hand over the race.”

McDonald is the beneficiary of Gary Hall Jnr’s decision to drive Justin Prentice’s talented mare Dracarys, who looks a live chance despite drawing barrier eight.

Mares Classic winner Gotta Go Gabbana, who has been impressive in her first two runs back from a short break, has drawn barrier nine.

Pick My Pocket, a last start winner of the Empress Stakes, will have her work cut out to win from barrier seven.

Exciting mare Typhoon Tiff makes her eagerly anticipated return from barrier four.

In the Free-For-All event of the evening, Shockwave will get another stern examination on his progress when he lines up from barrier seven of seven in the Simmonds Steel Pace (1730m).

Golden State gets a big opportunity to lead from barrier one, while co-trainers Greg and Skye Bond will start Ocean Ridge, Galactic Star and Our Jimmy Johnstone from barriers two, three and four.

Meanwhile, Hall Snr said he’s hoping to have Chicago Bull back at the races next Friday night.

Tim Walker