Battle of Bunbury never in doubt for Al Guerrero

Kyle Anderson’s promising colt Al Guerrero recorded an all-the-way win in Saturday’s $25,000 Battle of Bunbury (2130m) at Donaldson Park.

Despite the waterlogged track, the three-year-old did not skip a beat, finishing 4.2m clear of David Hunter’s exciting filly My Sweet Deal, who surged home late.

No sooner had the mobile been released, driver Kyle Harper led barrier four-favourite Al Guerrero to the front, with his fleet of foot putting everyone on notice early.

Predicted to give him solid competition, My Sweet Deal struggled to get going, with reinsman Stuart McDonald forced to hang back and wait for an opening.

At the head of the field, Harper continued to do it comfortably, despite Poisedtopounce inching to within 1m of the lead as the bell lap beckoned.

The field resembled a mud bath as they passed the winning post, however even with an increased intensity, Al Guerrero was never seriously challenged and recorded his biggest career victory to date.

Two of the South West’s best trainer-reinsmen, Justin Prentice and Aiden De Campo, fought out a thrilling duel in the Moko Huriwaka Pace (2569m) with Prentice piloting Babyface Adda to victory by a short half head over De Campo’s four-year-old, Walsh.

He might have made it four wins from his last five, but Prentice’s gelding had to work hard in the teeming rain to get it.

Leading with apparent ease heading into the home turn, De Campo moved Walsh out of a central position and enticed him to lift the tempo.

With 100m to go and the rain intensifying, the four-year-old turned on the jets at breakneck speed, however he fell inches short.

Heading into the Jones Boys Commercial Service Centre Pace (2100m), a riveting sprint between hot favourite Papinik and Dennis Morton’s three-year-old Tahi was anticipated and the talented duo did not let spectators down.

Tahi had all of the answers during the middle stages, leading by a length from Rather Sentimental, although it felt as though driver Chris Voak would be able to get the four-year-old firing when the race needed to be won.

Sure enough, Voak removed Papinik from his one out and one back position with 350m to go and pursued an outside path to great effect.

In the home straight, the gelding built up considerable momentum and once he passed Tahi, he showed no signs of relinquishing his hard-fought dominance.