Bond team bullish on Our Jimmy Johnstone

Leading metropolitan co-trainers Greg and Skye Bond expect talented pacer Our Jimmy Johnstone to be extremely hard to beat in tomorrow night’s $30,000 GWN Albany Cup (2683m) at Harold Reid Paceway.

The Bond stable will start two runners in the Albany Harness Racing Club feature race as they look to add to the six wins already recorded here this season with Our Regal Ideal joining the veteran Our Jimmy Johnstone in the eight-horse field.

Our Jimmy Johnstone is resuming from a short let-up after running 11th in the WA Pacing Cup and third in the Fremantle Cup last month.

The eight-year-old contested heats of the Inter Dominion Series last year and was third in the Inter Dominion Consolation final and also ran third in the Village Kid Pace.

Ryan Bell will take the drive on the gelding which will start from gate six on the front line as he looks to add to his 20 career wins.

Trainer Greg Bond said Our Jimmy Johnstone was in top order ahead of tomorrow night’s assignment.

“He’s had a little break since his last preparation but he is pretty good to go,” Bond said.

“We expect him to be pretty hard to beat, it’s a big drop in class from what he’s been running in and the distance is right where he likes it.

“He has been working up good since having one-and-a-half, two weeks off and should be raring to go.”

Five-year-old gelding Our Regal Ideal, a Gloucester Park winner back in December, comes into the race having been placed at his past two starts and Bond said his draw from the inside of the second line suits. “He is a sit and sprint kid of horse but is not in the same class as Our Jimmy Johnstone,” he said.

“He is capable of running a place, that draw suits and if it’s run at a bit of a speed he’s a good second option that should be running on.”

Kimba Bay, the 2015 Albany Cup winner, will chase a second victory in the feature race for trainer Debra Sutton starting from the second row with Kaiden Hayter in the cart. The six-year-old finished third to Erskine Range in the same race last year and rates as a strong chance.

Albany-based trained Matthew Saw will have Mister Ardee in the race and Lowlands trainer-driver Nathan Dymock will start 11-year-old Celestial Ruler in the region’s big event.

The feature race is set down for 9.40pm and is part of a seven-race program.