Batavia Blackhole’s retirement tour

WA harness racing boasted another dual meeting Friday night, May 24, with Gloucester Park and Wagin racing side by side throughout the night.

Racing in his final season, Batavia Blackhole (Life Sign) has retired on a win with the 12-year-old beating his stablemate, Immachulate by a 1.1m margin in race two on the card.

The son of Life Sign started his racing career in the care of Phil Duggan as a three-year-old, and after just five starts sustained a career halting injury which saw the then youngster spend the next three-and-a-half years in the paddock before eventually making his return to racing, now in the stables of Jesse Moore.

In March 2019, after many years away from the track and just three starts with his new stable, Batavia Blackhole broke through for his maiden win at the mature age of seven.

He went on to win six races under Jesse Moore’s care before heading to Kat Warwick in late 2021, making his trial/race debut for the new stable in 2022, but had just the four starts for the Warwick team before being sold to Hayden Reeves for $1000.

Since that initial purchase of $1000, Batavia Blackhole has gone on to race for a total of 121 starts for the Reeves stable, with seven wins and 20 placings, and $63,561 in stakes, averaging just over $525 per start.

The 12-year-olds lifetime summary saw him end his racing career with 192 starts for 14 wins and 38 placings, narrowly missing out on the milestone $100,000 in stakes by just $162, finishing with $99,838 for his numerous connections over the years.

Batavia Blackhole will now enjoy a well-deserved rest before he starts his new career after a long and successful racing life.

Hayden Reeves and Ash Markham combined on Friday night for a training and driving double.

Batavia Blackhole kicked off the festivities for the duo in race two, before they combined forces again in race four with Mister Kopa getting the win at $3.10 odds.

The four-year-old, who was having his third start for the stable started as the favourite in the event, and after settling well back in the field over the 2180m trip, was off three wide with a lap to go, with Markham pulling away from the field coming around the home turn, and with a walk to the line held on with a 3m margin.

Three-year-old Adda Bitto brought up his third career win in just seven starts for trainer/driver Jocelyn Young, with the race favourite starting at $1.90 ahead of Princess Katie who started at $2 odds.

With Two laps to go, Young found herself with itchy palms, and after setting off three wide, was able to gain the lead, going on to win comfortably by 6.8m over Princess Katie.

Caris Hamilton-Smith and Chris Playle celebrated a great night out with Pacific Eagle getting the win for the couple in race three on the card,

The five-year-old double westbred son of Fly Like An Eagle has been racing in great form of late and coming off a last start second placing at Kellerberrin just five days earlier, was able to go one better and claim top prize in the third, bringing up his sixth career win in 62 starts.

In a great tussle to the line in race five on the card, it was Lord Titanium who took top spot for trainer Steve De Campo, driven by Cody Wallrodt ahead of I See Fire for trainer/driver Colin Reeves who missed out narrowly on the win.

Starting from barrier one over the 1776m trip, Wallrodt and Lord Titanium were beaten for speed at release point and with Sanford gaining the lead, and with Wallrodt not wanting to settle behind the leader he soon pushed off the fence and settle one-out-one-back, and in a fantastic three way run to the line, took a narrow win, with the other Steve De Campo runner, Kopper Kote,  finishing just a head away in third.

Mother and son team Sarah and Aaron Suvaljko got the win in race six with Peter Romeo claiming a comfortable victory, the first win for the stable since making the move 12 starts ago.

After starting from barrier six, Suvaljko worked his way forward to gain the lead, and never looking in any danger from that point forward, getting up at $6.40 odds with a 12m margin between first and second.

Cee Dee Three was given the time to develop by his breeder and owner Travis Bull, and that decision has paid off in dividends, with the westbred five-year-old claiming his maiden win at his first start for trainer/driver Chris Playle.

Cee Dee Three led all the way in the last on the card, kicking away to space the field with a 16.2m margin between him and the second horse.

The only living foal by the well performed Miss Azooma who sadly passed away at stud when she was bitten by a snake, was a winner of 15 races and over $132,000 in stakes.

Bull, who has been away from racing scene for quite some time now named the gelding after his project up at BHP in Nelson Point, Port Hedland, and after Friday night’s win, hopes Cee Dee Three can continue on with it, not ruling out entirely that he may eventually dabble in another horse in the future.

They will be back and pacing at Wagin Trotting Club on Friday, June 7.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ashleigh Paikos, for RWWA