Stalwarts to battle it out

South West participants will face an earlier drive up to Gloucester Park tomorrow, with the meeting getting under way at the unusual time of 10.30am. Originally scheduled during the day to avoid clashing with West Coast’s game against Richmond, Racing and Wagering Western Australia has elected to retain the timeslot despite the change in circumstance due to COVID-19. However the duel of the day appears to be later on the card, when two stalwarts — Busselton’s Talktomeurmattjesty and legendary seven-year-old Chicago Bull — lock horns in the Perth Plasterboard Centre Pace (2130m). Returning to duty for the first time since June last year, Gary Hall Sen.’s prestigious gelding will need to negotiate an outside draw in order to salute. Toppling Talktomeurmattjesty’s searing pace from barrier one will be a difficult task for the field, but Chicago Bull — who has earned more than $1.74m in stakes money — knows how to deliver when the heat is on. Another exciting contest could be looming in the Mondo Doro Smallgoods Pace (2536m) when Kym Neal’s Busselton Cup winning veteran Captain Proud goes head to head against the “old boy”, 11-year-old Our Jimmy Johnstone. Punters will also be treated to a full program at Donaldson Park tomorrow night, with ErrolAshcroft’s country king Henwood Bay looking to make it four wins from five in the Palace Hotel Westbred Wagin Cup (2569m). Ashcroft has booked Deni Roberts for the drive, who guided the gelding home by a short half head in the Wagin Panel and Paint Cup (2100m) in Bunbury on April 3. Justin Prentice’s talent Back In Twenty is a warm favourite to claim victory, with the trainer giving in-form reinsman Cody Wallrodt another opportunity. After guiding three-year-old Sidstrepo to victory at Pinjarra a week earlier, gifted Capel reinsman Aiden De Campo turned the tables on him during Monday’s Retravision 60 Day Price Promise Pace (1684m). De Campo, who piloted Kiwi flyer Real Rocket, scored by 2.9m from Sidstrepo and rated 1.56.9 during the all-the-way display. With the Kiwi responding positively off the start, De Campo had little to do as he controlled his destiny with relative ease.