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Up-and-coming harness racing star To Fast To Serious will resume racing after a 22-week absence. His clash with trainer Ross Olivieri’s Boom Time and Papinik, and several other in-form, high-quality performers in the 2130m Retravision Pace should be the highlight of the meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
To Fast To Serious, trained by Ray Williams and to be handled by Aldo Cortopassi, is favourably drawn at barrier two on the front line and should prove hard to beat.
“Ray has been galloping him and he is pretty forward,” said Cortopassi. “He’s happy to start him, so I’m happy, too. It’s a good draw for him, to get a nice soft trip. I’ll let him do what he does best, sit and sprint. He has made a name for himself with his fast sectionals. Boom Time is likely to lead and there are horses in the race who could make him roll along.
“I reckon To Fast To Serious will go well and whatever he does he will be a lot better at his following start.”
Olivieri has engaged Chris Lewis to handle Boom Time, who is perfectly drawn at the No. 1 barrier. Chris Voak will drive Papinik from the inside of the back line.
“It’s a red-hot field, and I’d say that Papinik is the better chance of the stable’s two runners, but not by much,” said Olivieri. Papinik’s sectionals at his last start when second to Medieval Man were sensational. I think he is the fastest point-to-point speed horse I have ever had.”
It is difficult to fault the form of any of the 12 runners in Friday night’s race, with Busselton trainer Barry Howlett’s six-year-old Culpeka, to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, a knock-out chance from barrier six.
By Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park
