Breeder-owner-trainer Shane Quadrio and star reinsman Chris Voak agreed after Black Jack Baby’s effortless all-the-way victory in the Westsired Pace for two-year-old fillies last Friday night that the daughter of Follow The Stars was not simply a frontrunner but was ideally suited as a sit-sprinter.
But they will abandon that tactic after Black Jack Baby drew perfectly at barrier No. 2 in the $80,000 Allwood Stud Farm Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She’s got fantastic gate speed and I’d say she will go straight to the front,” Quadrio said. “Hopefully, she will stay there. She has pulled up well after last week’s win and is feeling a million dollars. We’re lucky enough to get a good draw.” Quadrio and his son Dylan, who selected Black Jack Baby’s dam What A Card from New Zealand, paid special tribute to Pinjarra horseman David Young for his exemplary work in breaking in and educating Black Jack Baby.
Black Jack Baby, with six wins and a close second placing from seven starts, looks outstanding on Friday night and it is difficult to envisage any of her 11 rivals extending her.
One of her main opponents is likely to be the Barry Howlett-trained Just For Love, who has been driven by Voak at her past six starts for an easy last-start win over Bettor Beach Belle at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week as well as close seconds to Minor Catastrophe and Always An Angel.
Howlett has engaged Jocelyn Young to drive Just For Love for the first time. “I’m pretty happy to get the drive, particularly from barrier one,” said Young. “I should imagine that Barry will be more than happy for me to take the sit behind Black Jack Baby.”
Minor Catastrophe, bred, owned and trained by David Young, is handily drawn on the inside of the back line and the filly who has won at two of her three starts, should enjoy an ideal passage and is capable of figuring in the finish.
Minor Catastrophe was an impressive trial winner at Pinjarra on Sunday morning when she settled down in last place in a field of five. After very slow quarters of 33.7sec. and 33.9sec. the final 400m sections were covered in 28.1sec. and 29.3sec. with Minor Catastrophe coming from last at the 800m to burst to the front 100m later and stroll to an easy win over the pacemaker Nomorepintsforyou.
