All eyes on Never Ending in WA Pacing Derby

He could be Western Australia’s next big thing.

And we will get to learn more about Never Ending’s potential greatness at the biggest test of his harness racing career so far in Friday night’s $200,000 Group 1 Sky Racing WA Pacing Derby (2536m) at Gloucester Park.

The eyes of the country will be on this race more than ever with the Never Ending (Sweet Lou) already looking the “top seed” for the world’s richest pacing race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka, at Menangle next September.

But for now, the young Justin Prentice-trained star has to stretch out to the longer 2536m trip for the first time and overcome a back row draw against a strong field to further fuel the hype and excitement around him.

Never Ending has only tasted defeat once in 13 starts and that was his own doing when he bungled the start badly and still ran third at Gloucester Park on September 1.

Despite all of that, leading WA form analyst Russell Betts gave context to the challenge.

“This year’s Derby is full of depth and littered with quality. Collectively, I think this is as strong a (WA) Derby as we’ve seen for many, many years. There’s just so much depth to the field,” he said.

“In most other years, Mister Smartee would’ve been a standout. I think he’s an insanely good talent. And Skylou is another who comes right into play now from the pole.

“Had Rolling Fire, Lusaka, Im The Black Flash or Skylord, just to name four, drawn gate one, they’d have been big winning chances, too.”

Mister Smartee and Skylou are trained by Gary Hall Sr, but there was never any doubt his son, champion driver Gary Jr, was going to stick with Never Ending.

And that’s despite partnering Mister Smartee to the easiest of key lead-up wins in the Western Gateway last start.

Never Ending missed that race with a “slight cough and bit of mucus” but convinced Prentice and Hall Jr he was right back on target with a strong workout between races at Gloucester Park last Friday night.

“He’s come through last week’s workout well and is ready to go,” Prentice said.

Hall Jr not only rates Never Ending the best three-year-old he’s driven, but has him second-only to the amazing Im Themightyquinn as the most talented pacer he’s been aboard.

“There’s ‘Quinny’ and then this guy sitting second and still with the potential to improve,” he said.

“He’s got all the makings of being elite, but still needs to learn to settle down a bit to be the complete package.”

Despite the back row, Never Ending dominates Derby betting at $1.35 from Mister Smartee ($6), while Skylou has firmed from $9 into $7.

Stewie McDonald takes over from Hall Jr on Mister Smartee, while Maddison Brown will partner Skylou.

But it is Prentice and Hall Jr who have been the dominant WA Derby force in recent times.

They combined to win the race last year with Tricky Miki, while Prentice trained-and-drove Mighty Ronaldo to victory in 2021.

Hall Jr has won six of the past 10 Derbys going back to Alta Christiano in 2013.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Adam Hamilton for Gloucester Park