Improving Gobell could break through for maiden win in Friday feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Gobell may have found a field that he can conquer in the lone non-claiming race on Friday’s Woodbine program, a five-furlong maiden special weight race for Ontario-sired runners that carries a purse of $45,000.

Gobell, a 3-year-old trained by Gord Colbourne, launched his career in the spring with back-to-back seventh-place finishes. He showed signs of life when finishing fifth after stalking the pace on June 27, and then finished third after pressing the pace in another five-furlong maiden special weight race on July 30.

Gobell exhibited marked improvement again when going six furlongs Aug. 16, dueling three wide for the lead on the turn, and then putting away the other speed before giving way to the rail-rallying winner. The 61 Beyer Speed Figure he received that day is the highest earned by any horse in this field this year.

Nine others were entered in the maiden race, which is carded as race 8 on a nine-race card. Four of them are debuting.

KEY CONTENDERS

Gobell (Last 3 Beyers: 61-47-52)

◗ Gobell shouldn’t mind turning back to five furlongs under Devon Johnson, who has been the gelding’s only rider. Johnson is winless with 13 mounts at the meet, and is 0 for 28 on the year, but his knowledge of the gelding should be an asset.

Stormy Connection (Last 3 Beyers: 60-63-67)

◗ The handsome 5-year-old has been idle since Oct. 27, when he was in good form. He rallied for third going five furlongs when returning from a similar layoff in August 2013, and should be along to pick up some of the pieces, at the very least.

◗ DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Trainer Beverley Chubb is 0 for 22 with six-month-plus comebackers over the past five years. Six of those starters (27 percent) finished either second or third.

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Soccer Ryan (Last 3 Beyers: 52-47-48)

◗ After being claimed from a third-place finish for $19,000 on July 12, he finished second and then fifth after wide trips in a pair of Ontario-sired maiden special weight races.

◗ DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, trainer Kevin Attard has a 5 percent strike rate with horses switching to blinkers on, with a $2.97 return on investment.

Golden Hatchet (Last 3 Beyers: 38-60-55)

◗ He landed on the edges in each of his three excursions, and got his highest Beyer (60) when a flat fourth second time out on the turf. The Paul Buttigieg homebred has had five weeks off heading into this engagement, during which he worked quickly over the training track.