Atlantic Gem is fancied

Atlantic Gem is the least experienced harness racing runner in the $25,000 RAC Members Save 5% Every Day at Retravision Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and she promises to prove hard to beat after drawing the prized No. 1 barrier.

She began out wide at barrier seven and raced in last position before running home solidly to finish fourth behind Yawoma over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week when the final quarters were run in 27.7sec. and 28.8sec.

That sound effort followed wins at her two previous outings — when she set the pace from barrier five and beat Alta King over 2100m at Bunbury and when she raced in the one-out, one-back position before finishing strongly to beat Thelittle Master and Beyond Bling over 2130m at Gloucester Park.

“She is back in form, and her last start was good when she came from last,” said trainer Ryan Bell. “The are no set plans for her on Friday night. However, she has good gate speed and if she gets to the front early, I don’t think there is much to hand up to. I’ll leave the tactics up to Liam (Elliott).”

The 2536m journey should not worry Atlantic Gem, who surged home from ninth at the bell to finish second to Madam Publisher in the group 1 2536m WA Oaks in October last year — after having won the group 3 Daintys Daughter Classic over 2130m at her previous start.

Four-year-old Atlantic Gem, who has a record of 24 starts for six wins, five seconds, two thirds and $111,143 in stakes, is a half-sister to outstanding pacer Swingband, who has earned $434,194 from 14 wins and 14 placings from 48 starts.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park