Bonny mare is ready to fly

Bonny mare Wonderful To Fly has been placed in the past two Norms Daughter Classics, and the mare’s trainer and harness racing driver Shane Young is looking forward to her being prominent in the $100,000 feature event for mares on Friday of next week.

Six-year-old Wonderful To Fly has drawn ideally at the No. 1 barrier in the $27,000 Follow @Skyracingau On Instagram Norms Daughter preview over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

She will be making her third appearance after winter spell, with Young saying: “She gets her chance this week. In theory she is the best horse in the race, and I’ll be looking to lead. I imagine Voaky (Chris Voak) will have a crack (from barrier three), but I would be surprised if Sweet Vivienne could beat Wonderful To Fly out.”

Wonderful To Fly resumed after a five-month absence two starts ago on October 3 when she raced in the one-out, one-back position and finished third behind Penny Black and Aardiebytheseaside. Then she impressed last Friday week when she began from barrier five and raced in tenth position before running home strongly to finish sixth behind Penny Black when the final quarters were run in 27.2sec. and 27.7sec.

“She ran home pretty good under the circumstances,” said Young. “On form, Sweet Vivienne looks the hardest to beat, while Little darling is another quality mare in the race.”

Another Norms Daughter Classic contender Soho Vesper Lind is expected to warm up for the feature event with a strong performance in the $27,000 Nadia Boath Pace over 1730m, in which the Kim Prentice-trained four-year-old is favourably drawn at the No. 2 barrier.

Soho Vesper Lind, driven by Mitch Miller, impressed last Friday night when she trailed the pacemaker Arma Xfactor and finished third behind that smart mare and the brilliant Penny Black over 2130m when the final quarters were run in 27.3sec. and 28.1sec. with equine millionaire Mister Smartee in fourth position.

“I was ecstatic at her performance and the plan this week will be to lead over the sprint trip,” said Prentice. “If she gets to the front she will stay there.”

Among Soho Vesper Lind’s main rivals are the polemarker Relatively Arma, who has finished third at each of her past three starts, and the Justin Prentice-trained The Iron Duke, who will start from the outside of the back line.

The Iron Duke’s three WA starts have resulted in two wins and a last-start close second to Sweet Lucifer when he finished strongly from the rear.

“This is not an overly strong field,” said his driver Gary Hall jnr. “He went well last start in a much stronger field.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park