Gloucester Park review

Cordero stuns star pacers

Cordero, a gift pacer and a metropolitan maiden performer, caused one of the most remarkable upsets in West Australian harness racing history when he charged home with a spirited sprint to get up and win the $30,000 APG’s Massive $3.2m Pot Of Gold Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

In what was almost a spectacular triple dead-heat, Cordero, a $119.50 outsider, snatched victory by a nose from superstar Chicago Bull, with star five-year-old Patronus Star a nose away in third place.

The magnitude of this most unexpected result is illustrated in the fact that Cordero was racing completely out of his class without a city-class win and with a record of eight wins from 58 starts for earnings of $64,144, and was competing against eight rivals who, between them, had won 188 races and amassed $5,017,291 in prizemoney.

Owner-trainer Trevor Wright, whose previous metropolitan-class win was with Go West U Terror on March 11, 2016, was challenging outstanding and highly successful trainers in Gary Hall snr, Greg and Skye Bond, Ray Williams and Stephen Reed.

And Cordero’s victory did not come as a surprise for the 68-year-old Wright, who said that the six-year-old was a certainty beaten in considerably weaker company the previous Friday night when the gelding met with severe interference approaching the home turn when sustaining a powerful finishing burst. He was retired from the event won by Blitzembye, with Wright cursing his bad luck.

It was incomprehensible to even suggest that Cordero could get near Chicago Bull, the $1.85 favourite who went into the race with a record of 62 victories and $2,387,568 in stakes. Or that he could match strides with such talented performers as Patronus Star, Mighty Conqueror, Galactic Star, Bletchley Park, To Fast To Serious and Golden State, and, to a lesser degree, Roman Art.

Champion reinsman Chris Lewis gave Cordero (who had drawn out wide at barrier seven) every chance by racing three back on the pegs in fifth position while the polemarker Patronus Star ($2.90) was setting a fast pace, with Chicago Bull racing in the breeze.

Cordero was under lock and key in fifth place with 300m to travel before Lewis was able to ease him off the pegs at the 220m mark. Cordero was fourth 60m from the post before he flew home to snatch first prize.

Chicago Bull was eased from behind Patronus Star 600m after the start when Aldo Cortopassi dashed forward with To Fast To Serious and was threatening to keep the champion in a pocket. Chicago Bull fought on with typical grim determination to get his nose in front of Patronus Star in the final couple of strides before Cordero got up to stun the big crowd.

“I didn’t mind racing Cordero in top company,” said Wright. “He has been racing well and should have won last week.”

The shock victory provided Wright with one of the biggest moments in his 52-year career as a trainer after he had enjoyed an apprenticeship under the guidance of former champion trainer-reinsman Phil Coulson when his Wembley stables included champions Binshaw and Juniors Image.

In the 1980s Wright prepared Grenadier Air for 22 wins, and since then his major successes as an owner, trainer and driver have been with 33/1 outsider Motorpower Lady in the $45,000 Pink Diamond Classic for three-year-old fillies in June 1994 and Scarlet In Black, a filly he bred and won the $60,000 State Sires Series final for three-year-olds in June 1998.

Cordero is by the American sire Western Terror and out of former star Safely Kept mare Innocent Eyes, who was retired with a marvellous record of 62 starts for 18 wins, 17 placings and $421,875 in prizemoney.

Her wins included four group 1 events, the Victorian and Australian Oaks at Moonee Valley in July 2005, the Chariots of Fire at Harold Park in January 2006 and the Vicbred Super Series final for mares at Moonee Valley in April 2006.

Bryan Cousins, who bred and owned Innocent Eyes, bred Cordero, who was most disappointing at her debut, at Pinjarra on April 16, 2018 when she was a $104 outsider and finished last, 109 metres behind the winner Valbonne.

After that, Cousins gave Cordero to Wright as a gift. Cordero was like his dam, small of stature.

“When I started working Cordero he was very slow and I was disappointed,” said Wright. “But when I put him up against other horses, he raised the bar and became very competitive.”

Wright finally gave Cordero his second start in a race, at Busselton on January 17, 2020 (21 months after his debut). Cordero finished an inconspicuous sixth before gradually finding some form and winning at Bunbury five starts later. Since that victory Cordero chalked up five wins at Pinjarra and two in country-class events at Gloucester Park before his great moment of triumph on Friday night.

Cordero, who rated 1.56.4 over 2536m on Friday night, with final quarters of 27.7sec. and 28.2sec. now boasts a record of nine wins, 15 placings and $82,279. His defeat of Chicago Bull was an amazing feat — coming eight starts after his first outing in his current campaign, when he started from the 50m mark, stood flat-footed at the start and finished seventh and last, a massive 167 metres behind the winner Our Boy Archie.

Valedictorian gives Prentice his 21st Group 1 success

Not only is Justin Prentice a wonderful judge of selecting yearling pacers, but he has earned the reputation as one of Australia’s best trainers of juveniles.

He selected an Art Major colt and paid $40,000 to secure him at the 2021 APG Perth yearling sale before the youngster, now a gelding named Valedictorian, was syndicated to a big group of Trotsynd syndicate members.

Valedictorian, the $1.30 favourite from the No. 1 barrier, was an impressive all-the-way winner of the $100,000 APG Sales Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night to give the 33-year-old Prentice his 21ST success of a Group 1 feature event.

Valedictorian was handled by champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr (who had driven Cabsav to victory in the Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies 30 minutes earlier) to give the 39-year-old his 57th Group 1 victory.

Valedictorian had an easy time in front, with a lead time of 8.4sec. and opening 400m sections of 31.1sec. and 31.4sec. before dashing over the final quarters in 28.3sec. and 27.2sec. to beat Rocket City ($6.50) by one and a half lengths, rating 1.57.6. Rocket City, trained and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, finished solidly from sixth at the bell. Crowd Control ($16) was two lengths farther back in third place.

This was Valedictorian’s second win, following his easy all-the-way debut success on the Tuesday afternoon the previous week. He now has earned $66,085 for his connections.

“There are only 20 shares in Valedictorian, but I’ve been told that there’s 20 people in one of the shares,” said Prentice. A throng of 39 excited shareholders thronged on to the track for the rugging of the winner, with Prentice saying: “It’s good for the sport to get new people involved.”

Asked why he had selected Valedictorian as a yearling, Prentice said: “He ticked most of the boxes, or almost all the boxes. I like Art Majors, and this youngster seemed to have a great relaxed attitude. And he certainly has that now.

“Tonight, was the first time he had raced under lights, and he was so quiet and relaxed all night. I’ll keep him in work as long as he pulls up all right, and then give him a break just before winter, and then look for the $225,000 Westbred Classic (September 16) and the $125,000 Golden Slipper (September 30).

Valedictorian is out of Courage On Fire, who had 90 starts for 12 wins, 25 placings and $102,378. She won twice in New Zealand and had five wins in New South Wales and another five in WA.

Cabsav upstages her stablemate

Astute Henley Brook trainer Mike Reed and Jim Giumelli’s Swandoo Harness Racing Syndicate were full of hope that their speedy filly Temukas Girl would win the $100,000 Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Temukas Girl, the $1.65 favourite, set the pace from the No. 1 barrier for Shannon Suvaljko before wilting in the home straight to finish third behind $12.50 chance Cabsav.

Reed and Jim and Wilma Giumelli were celebrating the win of Cabsav, their second-string runner in the 1730m feature event, who was driven by Gary Hall, who had the American Ideal filly in a commanding position, one-out and one-back, before easing three wide 250m from home and then bursting ton the front at the 100m mark.

Temukas Girl, the fastest of the two heat winners, was purchased by the Giumelli family for $34,000 at the 2021 APG Perth yearling sale. They also outlaid $65,000 for Cabsav, who now has raced three times for two wins and a second placing for stakes of $66,412.

“We went to the sales and had a look at a few,” said Reed, who chalked up his ninth group 1 win with the success of Cabsav. “Breeder Kody Charles urged us to have a look at this filly (Cabsav). Jim had to go to a meeting, but Willie took a liking to the filly — and decided to buy her.

“Cabsav will now go to the paddock and have about four weeks off before coming back for further feature events for fillies.”

Cabsav rated 1.57.7 over the 1730m, which was considerably slower than Temukas Girl’s 1.56.3 rate when she won her qualifying heat. “I think that run took the edge off her and flattened her a little bit,” said Reed.

Cabsav is a half-sister to six winners, including Beltane, who has raced 102 times for 17 wins and 39 placings for stakes of $213,816. Beltane, a Victorian-bred gelding, won seven times in Victoria, six times in WA and four times in America.

She is related to former star pacer Elsu, who earned $2,030,796 from 27 wins and nine placings from 47 starts. He raced five times in Australia for four wins, including the 2003 New South Wales Derby at Harold Park, the 2004 Chariots of Fire at Harold Park and the 2006 A. G. Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley.

Swingband is the real deal

“Swingband has proved that he is the real deal, because he can stay and sprint,” declared trainer Ryan Bell after Michael Grantham had driven the gelding to a most impressive victory in the $50,000 Sales Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“I have always thought that he was good, but he proved tonight that he is one of the best ones,” said Bell. “The slow pace didn’t help his chances, but I was happy when I saw Micky G trusting his speed.”

Swingband, a $10.70 chance from out wide at barrier eight, was last in the field of twelve at the bell before he charged home from tenth at the 600m to loom dangerously, five wide on the home turn, before bursting to the front 110m from the post on his way to winning easily by just under two lengths from $10 chance Soho Santorini, who had trailed the pacemaker Seven No Trumps ($21) throughout.

Grantham admitted that he was far from confident when Swingband was last at the bell. “They walked after a quick lead time (36.5sec.), and I had to drive for a bit of luck, to be honest,” said Grantham. “He is one of the best three-year-olds I have driven.”

Bell said that Swingband would be set for the $40,000 Caduceus Club Classic on March 25. “He will then probably have a month off before getting ready for the $100,000 Westbred Classic in September, and later the $200,000 WA Derby in November,” he said.

“So, it’s going to be a hard season for Swingband to maintain his form. But he is definitely the right horse.”

Swingband was purchased for $70,000 at the APG Perth yearling sale in 2020, and he now has had ten starts for five wins, three placings and $71,922 in prizemoney. He is by Alta Christiano and is the first foal out of Bettors Gem, who earned $103,276 from 11 wins and 13 placings from 40 starts.

Tricky Miki, the $1.70 favourite in Friday night’s classic, made an unsuccessful bid for the early lead before he raced without cover and wilted to finish tenth.

Gambit completes a hat-trick

New Zealand-bred six-year-old Gambit maintained his splendid form and brought up a hat-trick of wins when he outclassed his rivals in the 2130m APG Perth Bullion Winners Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Maddison Brown gave the $1.70 favourite plenty of time to settle down before sending him to the front after 500m. He then coasted over the first 400m sections of the final mile in 31sec. and 30sec. before speeding over the final quarters in 27.8sec. and 27.7sec. to win by one and a half lengths at a 1.55.7 rate from the $3.90 second fancy Mighty Ronaldo, who fought on gamely after racing in the breeze.

“He is going that well that I can’t see why he shouldn’t run in the $50,000 Pinjarra Cup on Monday week (March 7),” said trainer Gary Hall snr.

Gambit had 22 starts in New Zealand for owner Steve Waters for six wins and six placings, with his most notable success being a group 2 $45,000 Free-For-All at Alexandra Park in March 2020.

All his 17 runs in Western Australia have been at Gloucester Park — for six wins and seven placings. He is by American stallion Shadow Play and is the eighth and final foal out of Whata Breeze, a Sands A Flyin mare who raced 38 times for four wins, 12 placings and $42,639.

Hampton Banner ends losing run

Speedy New Zealand-bred five-year-old Hampton Banner ended a losing sequence of ten when he had to work hard before holding on to beat the strong-finishing pair of Valentines Brook and Vivere Damore in the 2130m APG Magic Millions Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Hampton Banner, the $1.40 favourite from the outside barrier (No. 9), began with his normal brilliance, but had to work hard for the first 300m to get past $6.50 chance Alta Rhett, who was responsible for the fast lead time of 35.9sec.

Hampton Banner was able to relax with opening quarters of 31.7sec. and 31.1sec. before withstanding a challenge from Hesashark 600m from the finish. He dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 27.9sec. and Chris Lewis did not have to use the whip in the closing stages as the Bettors Delight gelding held Valentines Brook and Vivere Damore at bay.

Hampton Banner’s losing run of ten came after he had won six races in a row. A winner at three of his ten New Zealand starts, Hampton Banner, who is prepared by Hopeland trainer Debra Lewis, has raced 20 times in Western Australia — all at Gloucester Park — for seven wins. His 30 starts have produced ten wins and five seconds for stakes of $131,996.

Sheez Our Hope makes amends

Promising, lightly-raced mare Sheez Our Hope made amends for her bad luck a fortnight earlier when she scored an effortless victory in the 2130m Strongest APG Perth Yearling Sale Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Two weeks earlier Sheez Our Hope met with bad interference twice before finishing eighth behind Savvy Bromac. She was a $5.70 chance from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night, with Savvy Bromac the hot favourite at $1.70 from barrier five.

Sheez Our Hope burst straight to the front before Kyle Harper relinquished the lead after 100m to $4.80 chance Angel In White.

Angel In White set a brisk pace and Harper had no trouble in easing Sheez Our Hope off the pegs with 350m to travel. Sheez Our Hope sprinted ton the front 150m from the finish and coasted to a one-length victory over Angel In White, rating a smart 1.55.3. Savvy Bromac raced in last position in the field of seven before fighting on to finish a well-beaten third.

“Sheez Our Hope was unlucky at her previous start,” said Harper. “She pulled up a bit worse for wear, and Mike (trainer Mike Cornwall) had to treat her for a few days to get her right. She pulled up a bit tender from straining by taking a sideways step when she got the second check.

“Mike has done a tremendous job in getting her back and being able to run those times tonight. Everything worked out well. I was unsure what her leading ability was like, so I took the sit. I hedged my bets, using her off the arm and then managing to sit her up. I wasn’t sure that she could burn off the arm and hold the front, and still run on.”

Sheez Our Hope has now had 21 starts for nine wins, five placings and $94,314.

Double Up overcomes outside barrier

Starting from the outside barrier (No. 8) on the front line proved no obstacle for smart New Zealand-bred five-year-old Double Up in the 2130m APG Offers $600,000 In Local Prizemoney Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Double Up, a $8.80 chance for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, was driven with supreme confidence by star reinsman Ryan Warwick, who was happy to keep the American Ideal gelding at the rear before asking for a supreme effort in the final lap.

Space Junk, a $23 chance, set the pace after keeping out the $2.20 favourite Bettorstartdreaming, who had begun speedily from the No. 3 barrier. Bettorstartdreaming faced the breeze before fading to finish last.

Double Up was last in the field of nine with 600m to travel. It was then that Warwick urged Double Up forward, out wide, to burst to the front soon after the 400m mark on his way to scoring an effortless victory by six lengths from $26 chance Vespa, who ran on out wide from seventh at the bell.

Double Up, a winner at two of his 14 New Zealand starts, has been a model of consistency in WA where his 19 starts have produced ten wins and six placings, taking his career record to 33 starts for 12 wins, 11 placings and $107,494 in prizemoney.

Robbie Rocket excels as sit-sprinter

Byford trainer Ron Huston admits that Robbie Rocket is “no star” but is “very handy when driven that way.”

They were Huston’s comments after Gary Hall jnr had driven a patient race and used the four-year-old’s sprinting ability to score an easy victory in the 2130m APGOLD.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Robbie Rocket, the $1.70 favourite, was restrained at the start from barrier three and raced in seventh position in the one-wide line for much of the way before unleashing a sparkling sprint 400m from home, bursting to the front 150m later and winning by 8m from $10 chance Valbonne, rating 1.57.2

The Notorious One, from barrier five, began speedily and led by three quarters of a length, but couldn’t get to the front, with polemarker Blue Blazer holding the lead.

“Sit-sprinting; that’s his go,” said Huston. “Junior gets on well with him and understands him. Robbie Rocket is a lovely animal, and I have a soft spot for him because I had so much success with his dam Elite Angel (who won 12 times from 54 starts for Huston).

“Robbie is a similar type of horse to Elite Angel, and that’s high speed and a real sit and kick horse.”

Robbie Rocket was bred and is owned by his breeder Patrick O’Boyle, who lives in Tasmania. His 33 starts have produced seven wins, 13 placings and stakes of $68,999.

Unwanted filly is a star

Fly Like An Eagle filly Wonderful To Fly was unwanted when offered for sale at the 2020 APG Perth yearling sale. She failed to reach her reserve price of $12,000 and was passed in.

Now a three-year-old, Wonderful To Fly is the State’s outstanding filly under the care of Pinjarra part-owner, trainer-reinsman Shane Young.

Young and his daughter Alison are the principal owners among a syndicate of stable clients who are rejoicing in the feats of the filly, who boosted her earnings to $205,554 from eleven wins and five placings from 20 starts when she scored a runaway victory in the $50,000 group 2 APG Sales Classic for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“She had done three preps when we bought her for $20,000,” said Young. “After she had been broken in and given a couple of preparations, I asked breeder Kevin Charles if he had anything for sale.

“He said that he had some youngsters for sale, so I went and had a look at them, and I picked out Wonderful To Fly, an athletic-looking filly.

Wonderful To Fly is the second foal out of the unraced Allamerican Ingot mare Not Now Delilah, whose dam Queen Delilah won ten races and has produced six winners, including Jumbo Operator, who had 43 starts for 24 wins, nine placings and stakes of $313,175.

Wonderful To Fly, the $2.120 favourite, started from the back line in Friday night’s classic in which she settled down in eighth position before making a fast sprint at the 1400m to move to the breeze, with Queeninthecorner ($8.50) setting the pace and being trailed by the $3.60 second fancy Taking The Miki (who had led early).

Young sent Wonderful To Fly to the front 450m from home and she raced away to win by 16m from Taking the Miki, rating 1.55.7.

“I didn’t have a particular plan tonight; I just wanted to keep her out of trouble,” said Young. “When we were in the breeze, we were not controlling the race because Shannon (Suvaljko) wanted to run with Queeninthecorner. I put no pressure on the leader, and Wonderful To Fly was just cruising.

“She was at the top of her game tonight and proved that she is the yardstick at the moment. She will probably have a couple of weeks off now. We have achieved what we set out to do at the start of this campaign.

“Wonderful To Fly will be set for the APG Gold Bullion in April and the Diamond Classic in May, with her main target this year the WA Oaks in October.

“I don’t think that there will be too many sitting outside of her and being able to beat her.”

Franco Ecuador’s triumphant comeback

“So far, so good,” said a delighted trainer Kim Prentice after driving Franco Ecuador to a superb victory in the 2130m APG Pacing Gold Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

It was a wonderful performance at his third appearance in his comeback campaign after a 21-month absence, following a career-threatening injury following his close-up third behind Patronus Star and Major Martini in the WA Derby early in April 2020.

Franco Ecuador showed no signs of being inconvenienced by five screws in his off-hind leg when he settled at the rear after starting from barrier six on Friday night before charging forward after 500m to take the lead 300m later and going on to win by a head from Orlando Blue, rating 1.56.6.

If he remains sound, Franco Ecuador, the New Zealand-bred five-year-old son of A Rocknroll Dance, has the raw ability to develop into one of WA’s finest pacers.

“I’m very proud of him; it was a very tough run,” said Prentice. “I will just play things by ear and try to pick a race for him in a fortnight, whether we come back here or if there is a suitable race in the country.

“I’m thinking about putting him in the Pinjarra Cup (on Monday week, March 7), only because it is five minutes from home, and I won’t have to drive him as the best horse in the race. I know that he will be up to them (the State’s best horses) in 12 months. Whether he’s up to them now, I’m not sure.”

Prentice said that after Franco Ecuador had finished third in the Derby he gave him ten weeks off. “I brought him back, and he was two weeks from trials when he was just jogging one morning when he fractured his pastern and underwent surgery when five screws were inserted in the leg,” said Prentice.

Franco Ecuador’s three appearances in his comeback have been full of merit. He was a close first-up second to Ima Fivestar General at Gloucester Park after racing three wide for much of the way and sprinting the final 800m in 55.7sec.

He then was untroubled to set the pace and win by four lengths from Vulcan Star at a 1.56.5 rate over 2185m at Pinjarra eleven days before Friday night’s victory.

Franco Ecuador is a half-brother to the richly-talented Franco Edward, who was an outstanding two-year-old in the winter of 2018 when he won two group 1 classics, the Pearl and Golden Slipper, before finishing third behind Major Trojan in the 2019 WA Derby.

Franco Edward has raced only 18 times for 11 wins, five placings and $221,468 in prizemoney. Franco Ecuador now has raced nine times for five wins, two placings and stakes of $53,489.

To view the results from Gloucester Park last Friday click here.

By Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park