Gloucester Park review

Brown is as tough as teak

Colin Brown is not very big. He has been knocked unconscious three times in race falls and has suffered broken bones in most parts of his wiry body. But the veteran trainer-reinsman continues to be a master and an indestructible force on the racetrack.

He was barely able to walk three weeks ago but refused to take heed of well-meaning advice to take a turn on the interchange bench. Instead, he has hobbled into the sulky to land four winners over the past fortnight, scoring with Fifty Five Reborn twice and with Arma Einstein and Farawayeyes.

His victory with $3.90 chance Fifty Five Reborn in the Your One Stop Shop is at Garrard’s Horse and Hounds Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night was his 3008th success as a driver over the past 44 years.

Few drivers have shown the same resilience as the low-key 62-year-old Brown, who continues to delight his supporters with his great skill in the sulky.

Three Sundays ago, Brown was trampled on by two skittish two-year-olds at his Banjup property. He was left battered and bruised, but simply got on with the job.

“It was a wintry day and about to pour with rain,” he said. “I was bringing two two-year-olds, a colt and a gelding, back from the paddock, and, unfortunately, my wife Lyn has chooks for a hobby, and when I walked past them, one of them took off, squawking and with its wings flapping.

“The colt took fright and I ended up on the ground. The horses trampled on me, one landed on my right foot, and I was struck on the left elbow and on my arms. Both of the horses got away.

“No bones were broken; it was all ligament damage to my foot. I have had that many broken bones that I know when bones are broken or not broken. I received two fractured vertebrae in a fall at Gloucester Park, have broken a lot of small bones in my left foot, in my chest, collarbone, ribs and elbow. I have been knocked out three times, and if I was a footballer I’d be barred.

“No, I’m not really tough. I had six falls in the space of 12 months about 20 years ago, and for a little while I was going out there (to drive) being a bit tentative. Then I realised that I had to push myself through it; no-one else was going to do it. It took me a while after I had had all those falls.”

Brown is a highly accomplished reinsman and was often a victim of circumstances. “A lot of it was just bad luck and I used to drive a lot of bad horses,” he said. “I don’t think I got myself into too much trouble.”

Brown, whose first driving success was as an 18-year-old with Go To It at York in October 1976, has produced Fifty Five Reborn, a four-year-old mare by Renaissance Man, in great fettle for stylish wins over 2130m at each of her past three starts at Gloucester Park to improve her record to 13 wins and four placings for earnings of $160,142 from 40 starts.

“She is in a happy place, and we will keep her going while she is,” said Brown. “She can’t keep winning, but we will give it a crack. At this time of the year the coats of the other horses in the stable are getting a bit rough. But she has just blossomed and looks amazing.

“Tonight, she was a bit lucky, being handed the lead.” Radiant Amber, an $18 chance, beat the polemarker and $2.30 favourite Queen Shenandoah for early pace before surrendering the lead 350m after the start to Fifty Five Reborn.

Queen Shenandoah then was left three back on the pegs in fifth position and was badly hampered for room until Chris Voak was able to get her into the clear with 250m to travel. Voak switched her four wide on the home turn and she finished fast to be second, a half-length behind Fifty Five Reborn, with Alice Kay ($3.80) fighting on gamely into third place after enjoying the perfect one-out, one-back trail.

Chiaroscuro bows out a winner

Consistent seven-year-old Chiaroscuro caused a minor upset when he ended a losing sequence of 16 with a fast-finishing last-stride victory over the $1.65 favourite Vampiro in the $25,000 Call Garrard’s Horse And Hounds For All Your Equine Needs Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“Now, it’s game over,” declared delighted part-owner and Banjup trainer Murray Lindau. “I’ve retired him. To win one more has been the deal. He has done a marvellous job, and part of me would love to keep going, but part of me says ‘you’ve done a great job’ and to keep smashing him against that top company is not ideal.

“I’d like to see him bow out as a winner; he deserves it. It is so hard for him to come up against the top company all the time. It is great to get this win. We have been playing against the best in the State and some of the best in the country, horses of the calibre of Chicago Bull, Mighty Conqueror, Shockwave and Vampiro.

“It’s a bit of a battle chasing those horses home. From barrier two tonight, you never know what can happen.”

Chiaroscuro, an $11.50 chance from the prized No. 1 barrier, was beaten out by Vampiro from barrier two, and Kyle Harper was happy to take the trail behind the favourite, who was not extended in covering the first three quarters of the final mile in 30.3sec., 29.9sec. and 290sec. before dashing over the final 400m in a slick 27.1sec.

Harper timed Chiaroscuro’s finishing burst to perfection and the WA-bred gelding got up in the final stride to beat Vampiro by a half-neck, rating 1.58.5. Lindau is a part-owner of Chiaroscuro, who was purchased at the 2015 Perth yearling sale by his partner Claire McNaughton for $18,500.

Chiaroscuro, a gelding by Art Major, is cleverly named, with chiaroscuro, in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark.

Lindau continued in a winning vein at Bunbury on Saturday night when his two-year-old filly Beyond The Sea, the $2.30 favourite and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, being successful in 1.57.2 when she beat Captains Cote in a $7500 event over 1609m.

He is also looking forward for further successes with three-year-old gelding Talks Up A Storm, who was an easy winner at Gloucester Park last Tuesday evening to take his record to 17 starts for seven wins, five placings and $108,118 in prizemoney.

Beyond The Sea gave Egerton-Green the first leg of a treble at Bunbury. His other winners were Typhoon Banner ($1.04) and They Call Me Stooge ($12).

Minstrel is a major Cups hope

Up-and-coming star pacer Minstrel stamped himself as a leading candidate for the rich Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups in the summer with an outstanding performance to win the Garrard’s Horse And Hound BOTRA Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Great value at $2.80, Minstrel was the lone backmarker off 30 metres, and he gave leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond their second success in the 2503m standing-start feature event, after their victory with Fizzing in 2019.

The New Zealand-bred four-year-old was driven with wonderful assurance by Dylan Egerton-Green, who sent the Rocknroll Hanover gelding forward from last with 1500m to travel to move to the breeze 300m later.

Awaitinginstructions, second fancy at $3.30, was the pacemaker and Shannon Suvaljko increased the tempo in a bid to make life difficult for the backmarker, and the third quarter of the final mile whizzed by in 27.8sec. But Minstrel continued to travel powerfully, and he got to the front on the home turn and went on to beat Awaitinginstructions by 4m at a 1.59.2 rate after a final 400m of 28.7sec.

This took Minstrel’s record to 21 starts for 11 wins, six placings and $242,289 in stakes. He has won in superb style at his first three outings after resuming from a spell.

While Minstrel revealed exceptional ability to overcome his 30m handicap and to run an extremely fast final 1200m, the inexperienced four-year-old Awaitinginstructions showed above average ability and is destined for a bright future. He now has raced 15 times for nine wins and three seconds.

Six-year-old Hit the Sky, a $91 outsider, also gave promise of better things to come when he was eighth at the bell before running home solidly, three wide, to finish third.

Plutonium a Higgins hope

Five-year-old Plutonium, a winner in New Zealand, South Australia and Victoria, ran an excellent trial for next Friday night’s $30,000 John Higgins Memorial when he finished fast to snatch a half-head victory over the $1.18 favourite Alta Engen in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Free Delivery Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Part-owner and trainer Michael Young was impressed with the victory and said “I can’t see why he can’t beat Alta Engen again next week, with a good barrier. He races better in front, and if he draws to lead, he will be hard to beat.”

Plutonium was second favourite at $6.90, and from the No. 3 barrier, champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr was content to take the sit behind the polemarker Alta Engen, who was having his second start after a spell, following his convincing all-the-way first-up victory at Gloucester Park 10 days earlier.

After a very slow lead time of 40.7sec. Alta Engen dawdled through the opening quarter of the final mile in 31.9sec. before increasing the tempo with 400m sections of 30sec. and 28.4sec. He then sprinted over the final quarter in a smart 27.7sec., but Plutonium finished the better and snatched a last-stride win.

Plutonium, an Auckland Reactor gelding and a winner of one race in New Zealand, three in South Australia and two in Victoria, was purchased for about $16,000 early this year by Young, Mark Leppard, Matt Joss, Dave Boyd and Eddie Burchill and his wife Erica.

He set the pace and won over 2185m at his WA debut at Pinjarra on March 22 before running four seconds and one third from his next 13 starts, mainly from unfavourable barriers. He is developing into a cheap purchase, with his two wins and five placings in WA producing $33,589 in prizemoney.

Young continued in winning vein when the New Zealand-bred filly Miss Serenade, driven by Hall, led all the way and was successful at Bunbury on Saturday night.

No trouble for Gambit

Recent New Zealand import Gambit was untroubled to win the Group 3 Chandon Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night and looks set to perform strongly in Free-For-All company.

Favourite at $1.40 from barrier five, Gambit raced three wide early before Gary Hall jnr sent him to the front after 500m. Howard Hughes, the second favourite at $6, also raced wide early before moving to the breeze with 1400m to travel.

Howard Hughes was a half-length behind Gambit 225m from home when he broke into a bad gallop and dropped back to finish ninth. “I was confident I had Howard Hughes beaten before he galloped,” said Hall. “Gambit is racing well and should handle the rise to Free-For-All company, though he lacks a bit of point-to-point speed.”

Gambit coasted to victory by just over three lengths from the fast-finishing Vespa, with the early leader Our Sequel in third place. The final 800m was covered in 56.6sec. and the winner rated 1.56.3.

Gambit, who is prepared by Gary Hall snr, has impressed at his three WA starts for two wins and a second to Blue Blazer, and the New Zealand-bred five-year-old now has a record of 25 starts for eight wins, seven placings and $131,120 in prizemoney.

He is by American stallion Shadow play and is the eighth and last foal out of Whata Breeze, who earned $42,639 from four wins and 12 placings from 38 starts. Gambit’s maternal grand-dam Reign In New York, produced Immortal Quest, a winner in New Zealand, Victoria and America before being retired with a record of 103 starts for 30 wins, 29 placings and stakes of $449,590.

Son Of A Tiger returns to form

The highly successful combination of trainer Nathan Turvey and driver Emily Suvaljko struck again at Gloucester Park on Friday night when $15.30 chance Son of A Tiger finished full of running to score an effortless win by 10m from Bracken Sky in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Australia and NZ Wide Pace.

The New Zealand-bred six-year-old was having only his second start for Turvey, and his win ended a losing streak of 15 unplaced efforts.

The $1.60 favourite Tyler Brett led early and withstood a determined challenge from Thereugo. After a smart lead time of 36.2sec. Tyler Brett was able to relax and run the opening quarter of the final mile in a leisurely 31.4sec. The next 400m sections were run in 29.9sec., 28.6sec. and 28.2sec.

Son of A Tiger, who trailed the pacemaker, burst to the front on the home turn and raced away from his rivals. It was his tenth win from 51 WA starts, after he had raced 13 times in New Zealand for three wins.

Owner Frank Ranaldi transferred Son of A Tiger to Turvey late last month, and the American Ideal gelding overraced when a fading fifth behind Talkerup at Pinjarra last Monday week. Turvey then made several gear changes, including fitting a Hidz hood, deafeners, a nose band and a pole.e led and He led and won over 2185m at Pinjarra at his WA debut  Son Of A Tiger was far more tractable on Friday night.

Turvey explained that Ranaldi had recently sold his smart mare Heavens Showgirl to America. “And then he asked me if I would train Son Of A Tiger for him, and give the horse a month,” Turvey said.

Black Jack Baby passes $200,000 mark

Outstanding three-year-old filly Black Jack Baby boosted her earnings to $200,770 when she outclassed her five rivals in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Favourite at $1.50, Black Jack Baby began with her usual brilliance from the outside barrier to charge to the front after 80m. She coasted through the lead time in a slow 39.3sec. and gradually increased the speed with quarters of 31.1sec., 30sec., 27.9sec. and 27.5sec. to win by three lengths from $18 chance Our Star Billing, with Captains Beachbabe ($3) a length farther back in third place.

Captains Beachbabe was beaten out from the No. 1 barrier and settled in third place in the Indian file affair before Emily Suvaljko eased her off the pegs and into the breeze with 1100m to travel. She fought on doggedly but had no realistic chance of beating the favourite who was able to get away with no pressure in a slowly-run first 900m.

Black Jack Baby, owned and trained by Shane Quadrio, now has the impressive record of 13 wins and six placings from 26 starts.

“She was great and won easily,” said reinsman Chris Voak. “She rated a smart 1.57.7 and ran the fastest last 800m (55.4sec.) of the night. The way she went she showed no signs that she has had enough and needs a spell.”

Powerplay beats older rivals

West Australian-bred three-year-old Powerplay, hot favourite at $1.30 from the prized No. 1 barrier, gave champion reinsman Chris Lewis an armchair drive when he set the pace and won easily from his ten older rivals in the 2130m www.horseandhopund.com Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Powerplay sped over the final quarters in 28.4sec. and 27.3sec. on his way to beating $20 chance Whatabro by three lengths at a 1.57.9 rate.  Bettor Be Oscar ($17) raced without cover and battled on gamely to be a half-length farther back in third place.

Powerplay, owned and prepared by Debra Lewis, was a cheap purchase after failing to reach his reserve price of just $4000 at the 2019 APG Perth yearling sale.

By former smart WA pacer Rich And Spoilt, Powerplay is out of McArdle mare Mene Jaccka, who raced 95 times for seven wins, 17 placings and stakes of $48,105. Chris Lewis drove Mene Jaccka seven times for two wins and two second placings.

Powerplay certainly has proved a bargain and he now has earned $78,629 from ten wins and seven placings from 33 starts.

Qtown Rip Roaring ends losing run of 22

Veteran pacer Qtown Rip Roaring was a $28 outsider when he caused an upset by running home determinedly to snatch a last-stride victory by a nose from the $2.60 favourite Extreme Prince in the 2130m Congratulations Amber And Aldo Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driven for only the second time by Aiden de Campo in the New Zealand-bred pacer’s 171 starts, Qtown Rip Roaring, trained by Matt Scott, raced three back on the pegs in fifth place before he finished purposefully to overhaul Extreme Prince, who had led all the way.

This ended a losing sequence of 22, with 10-year-old Qtown Rip Roaring’s previous win being as a $2.05 favourite when he set the pace and defeated Change Of Address over 2130m last September.

De Campo’s previous drive behind Qtown Rip Roaring was 82 starts before Friday night’s event, when fourth at $34.50 behind The Storm Chief on April 7, 2017. De Campo is one of 29 drivers who have handled Qtown Riproaring during his marathon career of two wins in New Zealand, three in Victoria, one from one start in South Australia and ten from 135 starts in Western Australia.

To see all of the Gloucester Park results from last Friday, click here.

By Ken Casellas for RWWA