Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX<\/p>\n
Lion Queen, who returned to her best form last Friday night with a last-to-first victory, has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier and looks hard to beat in the $100,000 Celebrating Owner Julie Cooper Westbred Pace for four-year-old mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.<\/p>\n
Shannon Suvaljko, who drove Lion Queen last week, will handle her classy stablemate Water Lou from the awkward barrier at No. 7, thus giving his daughter Emily the chance to drive Lion Queen this week.<\/p>\n
Lion Queen has won at nine of her 22 starts for trainer Mike Reed, with five of those wins achieved when she has set the pace.<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t know what to do (regarding tactics) until Mike tells me how he wants the mare driven,\u201d said Emily Suvaljko. \u201cDad came in last Friday after winning with Lion Queen and said: \u2018You should try to get on her at her next start. If she draws to lead, she will be some sort of chance.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously Water Lou is a class dropper, but Lion Queen is a classy mare as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Water Lou also ran an excellent trial for this week\u2019s event when she began from the outside of the back line and raced five back on the pegs before flashing home, out five wide, to finish an eye-catching fourth behind Rockandrollartist.<\/p>\n
Water Lou and Lion Queen are expected to meet stiff opposition from Copy Cat Queen and Nase Vira, with trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo saying: \u201cStarting from number two on the back line is perfect for Copy Cat Queen, and the 2500m will suit her.<\/p>\n
\u201cLion Queen and Water Lou both went super last week and they\u2019re the two to beat. Copy Cat Queen also was super last week (starting from barrier five and racing at the rear in the field of seven before finishing powerfully to be third behind the pacemaker Brickies Dream).<\/p>\n
\u201cThey went too slow, and with the leader coming home in 26.9sec. you can\u2019t make up ground, out four deep.\u201d<\/p>\n
Serpentine trainer Dylan Egerton-Green has chosen to drive Nase Vira (barrier nine) ahead of her stablemate Grand Couteau (barrier eight). Nase Vira notched her eighth win from 24 starts when she charged home from tenth at the bell to win by more than three lengths from Sweet Vivienne last Friday week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very happy with Nase Vira, but the marbles haven\u2019t fallen our way for this race,\u201d said Egerton-Green. \u201cNase Vira will love the 2500m, and I\u2019m hoping there will be a bit of speed on.\u201d<\/p>\n