Robo Willie looks best once again

EDMONTON, Alberta Robo Willie, a drawing-off winner of the six-furlong Edmonton Juvenile on July 9, heads a field of eight colts and geldings in the 6 1/2 furlong Birdcatcher at Northlands Park on Sunday.

The $50,000 Birdcatcher failed to attract a single Alberta-bred, thus the $26,000 offered in supplemental bonus money will be carried over to next season.

Bred in Kentucky by his owner, Stan Ryan, Robo Willie is out of the stakes-winning Fancy Prancer and is a half-brother to Albertas 2007 champion 2-year-old filly Littlemiss Allison. Robo Willie was clearly the best last out in the Edmonton Juvenile, pressing the pace under Rickey Walcott and taking command midway down the backstretch to cruise home under a hand ride to a 4 1/2-length triumph over Quiet Approach.

The added sixteenth of a mile of the Birdcatcher should not pose a problem for Robo Willie, who has posted a pair of strong five-furlong drills in the interim for trainer Greg Tracy.

Quiet Approach, a Maryland-bred, made his debut in the Edmonton Juvenile and finished five lengths clear of third-place finisher Against the Tide. While he was no threat to the winner, Quiet Approach is eligible to improve.

Seismologist , a front-running winner of a $25,000 maiden claimer in good time at Hastings on July 12, is the lone invader.

o Vancouver-based Holy Nova, a handy winner of the John Patrick handicap here July 13, appears headed for a rematch with top local contender Tanika in next Sundays Madamoiselle.