High praise for Matai Geordie

Inexperienced New Zealand-bred six-year-old Matai Geordie possesses blistering pace, according to champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr, and the Washington VC gelding looks a star bet in the APG Perth Yearling Sales Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“He has got a few little niggling ways and if he didn’t have them, I reckon he would be in the top three in our stable,” Hall said.

“He’s pretty good. Where he has drawn (the inside of the back line in the 1730m sprint event) makes it a bit awkward. But if he ever gets a look at them, they’ll know he’s there. He is just lightning, and he has got the top speed of any horse I have driven, barring Quinny (Im Themightyquinn).”

Matai Geordie has raced only 15 times for five wins and three placings. He won three times from 12 New Zealand starts and has had three starts in WA for two runaway victories by margins of seven and a half lengths and five lengths.

One of his rivals on Friday night is the Trevor Wright-trained Cordero, who has won at three of his five starts this season. He will start from the No. 5 barrier and his reinsman Chris Lewis said he expected him to be prominent.

“He is a very consistent horse, and with the right run he is definitely a chance,” Lewis said. “He didn’t have any luck at all at Bunbury last Saturday when he was held up.”

Cordero started from the outside of the front line in the field of 12 in the Manea Classic last Saturday night and was an unlucky seventh behind Texas Tiger. He was hopelessly blocked for a clear run in the final circuit and went to the line full of running.

Hall said he expected a bold showing from Antero, who will start from barrier two in the Direct Trades Supply Pacer over 2130m.

Antero has won at four of his past nine starts and he maintained his excellent form with a fighting second to Fifty Five Reborn over 2536m last Friday night when he settled down in seventh position before dashing forward to race in the breeze for the final two laps.

“Antero is flying and his latest run was a career-best performance,” Hall said. “If he leads, he won’t get beaten, and he can also win from the breeze.”

Ken Casellas