Gloucester Park preview

Gloucester Park harness racing review with Ken Casellas

History beckons Aardiebytheseaside

Only four mares have been successful in the 72-year history of the August Cup, a stark statistic which suggests that the brilliant Aardiebytheseaside (Downbytheseaside) will have to buck the odds if she is to extend her winning sequence to seven and triumph in the $50,000 time-honoured feature event at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Four-year-old Aardiebytheseaside is the youngest and least experienced runner in the 2536m Cup, and Deni Roberts needs to create history by becoming the first female to drive the winner of this event.

Mares made a flying start when owner-trainer Doug Booth drove chestnut mare Lily Girl to a thrilling victory in the inaugural August Cup, a stand over 13 furlongs, at Gloucester Park on Saturday August 6, 1950.

Lily Girl, the 2/1 favourite in the field of 17, began badly from the No. 3 barrier on the front line and was seemingly in a hopeless position in tenth place at the bell before she steadily made up ground and gained an inside run when the polemarker Johnnie Robert drifted out in the home straight.

Lily Girl got up in the final stride and won by six inches from Johnnie Robert (Doug Avery), with Gamble King (Ron Porter) two lengths farther back in third place. The winner rated 2.18.2.

Since then, the only mares to have won the August Cup have been Bellagena (1972), Virgil Queen (1978) and Whitby Heritage (1990).

Only eleven mares have contested the August Cup this century, with the most recent being when $126 outsider Talkerup finished last behind Vampiro in 2019. The only placegetters this century have been $63.40 chance Tricky Styx, who started from the No. 1 barrier and trailed the pacemaker Runrunjimmydunn before finishing third behind Chicago Bull in 2018, and Ideal Alice, who was second to Jambiani in 2017.

The other unplaced mares this century have been $2.80 second favourite Libertybelle Midfrew (who started from barrier one and finished 11TH behind Bettors Fire in 2016), Jungle Genie ($108.10; 10TH in 2015), Hoylakes First Lady (8TH in 2015), Jessica Jasper (7TH in 2009), Party Date (5TH in 2004), Adaspay (9TH in 2004), Lady Astra (4TH in 2001) and Black And Blue (5TH in 2001).

Roberts is confident that Aardiebytheseaside, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has the ability to set the pace from the coveted No. 1 barrier and win the Cup.

“The distance (2536m) won’t worry her,” said Roberts. “She’s tough and she won the Empress Stakes over that distance at her WA debut in April when she ran good time (rating 1.54.6 in beating the pacemaker Steno by a length).” At her previous start, at Addington on December 10, she won the group 1 New Zealand Oaks over 2600m, beating the favourite Matra Blue by a nose.

“This is the best field she has come up against, and it will be a good test for her,” said Roberts. “From barrier one I’ll be hoping to hold up and give the boys something to chase. She has been getting out of the gate better and better all the time.”

The Bond stable has a good record in the August Cup, having won the event with Mister Odds On in 2009 and Vampiro in 2019 and 2021.

Dylan Egerton-Green, who drove Vampiro to victory over stablemate Patronus Star in 2021 after charging to the front from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line, will handle Aardiebytheseaside’s stablemate Steel The Show from barrier six.

“Steel The Show has been racing very well, and he was held up for a clear run when unplaced at his latest start,” said Egerton-Green.

Jett Star, also trained by the Bonds, will begin from barrier No. 7. He is a tough pacer who gave a splendid performance last Friday week when he raced in the breeze and fought on determinedly to be a neck second to his top-flight stablemate Tenzing Bromac.

Five-year-old The Miki Taker, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, looms large as Aardiebytheseaside’s main danger. He will start from barrier two and is sure to make a bold bid for victory. He raced in the one-out, one-back position before fighting on strongly to finish a close third behind Tenzing Bromac and Jett Star last Friday week.

Kyle Harper, who will drive Talks Up A Storm from barrier three for trainer Murray Lindau, will be seeking his third win in the August Cup after driving Bettors Fire to victory in 2015 and 2016.

Miller picks Soho Honey Rider

Astute trainer Kim Prentice holds a powerful hand with three of the six runners in the West Australian Pace for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and Mitch Miller has given punters a valuable lead by choosing to drive Soho Honey Rider (American Ideal).

Soho Honey Rider and Soho Vesper Lind, bred and owned by Rob Watson, will be racing for the first time in Western Australia after competing with success in Victoria and New South Wales, while Lenora Jane has done all her racing in WA.

“We like both the newcomers who have raced in good events over east, so I know their form should stand up pretty well here,” said Miller.

“I’ve been driving Soho Honey Rider at home, and Kim has been doing most of the work with Soho Vesper Lind. I’ll drive Honey and even though she has drawn the outside in the small field I think she should be right up there with them.

“They are hard to split on the track when whichever one leads generally does better, with the other one struggling to get over the leader. I’m quite happy to stick with Honey even though she has drawn the worst barrier.”

Stuart McDonald has been engaged to drive Soho Vesper Lind from barrier two, and Jocelyn Young will handle Lenora Jane, who will begin from the No. 3 barrier.

Soho Honey Rider has raced 18 times for three wins, four seconds, two thirds and $96,326 in prizemoney. Soho Vesper Lind has earned $50,387 from two wins, one second and five thirds from 19 starts.

Miller has driven Lenora Jane at 12 of her 13 starts for three wins and three placings. “She has her share of ability but is a one-trick pony who is at her best when tucked in and saved for one run,” he said.

Soho Honey Rider was a rank $105.40 outsider when she won the group 2 $100,000 Gold Bullion final for fillies four starts ago, rating 1.54.9 over 1730m at Bathurst on March 30 when several runners were checked soon after the start, enabling trainer-reinsman Mick Stanley to settle Soho Honey Rider three back on the pegs.

The first 400m of the final mile was covered in 26.6sec. and was followed by quarters of 30.6sec., 27.5sec. and 30sec. Soho Honey Rider finished strongly along the sprint lane to win by a head from Libby Lou, with Soho Vesper Lind running home solidly, out three wide, to finish third after enjoying a perfect passage, one-out and one-back.

Two starts ago Soho Honey Rider was a $126 chance in the $200,000 NSW Oaks over 2400m at Menangle when she began out wide at barrier eight and was restrained to last before battling home to finish a well-beaten ninth behind Very Pretty.

And then at her most recent start, Soho Honey Rider began from the inside of the back line and raced five back on the pegs before being blocked for a run until the final 100m and fighting on along the inside to finish seventh behind Some American over 2240m at Melton on June 8.

Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell will be looking for a strong effort from Luci Kane, who will start from the No. 1 barrier, with Deni Roberts in the sulky.

Luci Kane has had 19 starts for three wins and eight placings. She was a $1.65 chance in 2100m event at Bunbury last Saturday night when she set the pace before wilting to finish third behind Absolute Delight.

“Over the shorter distance on Friday night you should see a better version of Luci Kane,” said Roberts. “She has very good gate speed.”

The Cody Wallrodt-trained More Sass has had 15 starts for five wins and four second placings, and she will have many admirers at her second appearance after a spell when she begins from barrier five, with Emily Suvaljko in the sulky.

Trial points to Im Eugene  

Six-year-old pacer Im Eugene (Artspeak) struck a purple patch with three all-the-way victories over 2555m, 1609m and 2080m at Cranbourne in March and April this year — and he will be fancied to extend his winning sequence when he makes his WA debut from the No. 3 barrier in the 2130m www.gloucesterpark.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He will be driven by his new trainer Dylan Egerton-Green, who was happy with the gelding’s performance when he scored an effortless win in a 2150m trial at Byford last Sunday week.

Im Eugene started from barrier four and quickly mustered speed to dash to the front after 150m before setting a solid pace, with final quarters of 29.7sec., 29.4sec. and 28.5sec. He won by four lengths from Sly Terror, rating 1.58.6.

“His trial was good, and so has his work at home been,” said Egerton-Green. “There is speed on his inside on Friday night, and he doesn’t have to lead. However, he has a few strings to his bow.”

Get Ya Bets On, trained by Nathan Turvey and to be driven by Emily Suvaljko, will start from the prized No. 1 barrier and will have many admirers.

He started from barrier two and raced in sixth position in the one-wide line when a close-up seventh behind Serious Moonlite over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week. A week earlier he began from out wide at barrier seven and settled down in tenth position before surging forward to be seventh at the bell and then sustaining a strong three-wide to win convincingly from Frankie J Holden, rating 1.59.9 over 2130m.

Also looming as a danger is the Debra Lewis-trained Wall Street Girl, who will be driven by Jocelyn Young from the No. 5 barrier.

Young drove aggressively to land Wall Street Girl an impressive winner at $19 over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night. Wall Street Girl began from barrier five and settled at the rear while the $1.50 favourite Sugar Apple ambled through the lead time in 39.7sec. and the opening quarter in a slow 31.2sec.

Young dashed Wall Street Girl forward, three wide, while the pace was slow and the five-year-old mare travelled strongly in the breeze before forging to the front 100m from the post on the way to winning by 2m from Benji and Loucid Dreams, with final sections of 28sec. and 29.1sec.

Young also has sound prospects with Wall Street Girl’s stablemate Major Overs in the opening event, the 1730m Catalanotrucks.com.au Pace. Major Overs has a losing sequence of 13 but possesses excellent gate speed and will take catching if he beats out the polemarker Prime Mover and sets the pace.

Prime Mover led from barrier one before fading to finish a well-beaten third behind Pasquale and Sweet Lucifer over 2130m on Tuesday night.

Ideal Tomado is Hall’s best

Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr notched his 100TH winner for the season when he drove Pasquale to an easy victory in a 2130m event at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night — thus recording a remarkable achievement of a century of winners in 20 consecutive years.

He will have a drive in six of the nine events at Gloucester Park on Friday night before flying out of Perth on Saturday morning to drive star four-year-old Never Ending (Sweet Lou) in race two at Menangle in the evening.

With trainer Michel Young having four runners in the Sky Racing Listen Live Pace, Hall gave punters a strong tip by choosing to handle the polemarker Ideal Tomado ahead of the seven-year-old’s younger stablemates Let It Linga, My Ultimate Chevron and Lamandier.

“Ideal Tomado looks my best drive on the night,” said Hall. “He is a very good frontrunner who should lead and go very close. Last week he got shuffled back and finished eighth in the Marathon.”

Let It Linga, who has been placed at four of her past six starts, will be driven by Stuart McDonald from barrier three; Deni Roberts will handle My Ultimate Chevron (unplaced at his first two runs after a spell) from barrier four, and Maddison Brown will drive Lamandier, a strong-finishing winner over Dark Eyes two starts ago, from the No. 6 barrier.

The class runner in Friday night’s event is the Murray Lindau-trained Beyond The Sea, who will be driven by Kyle Harper from barrier five. Beyond The Sea reappeared after a five-week absence last Friday night when she improved from 11TH and last at the bell to finish fourth behind Sovrana.

Sovrana, who surged home from eighth at the bell to win by a neck from Goodealehmaddie over 2130m last week, has strong claims in the Final Bridge Bar This Sunday Pace this week when she will begin from barrier three for trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo.

Sovrana’s chief rivals appear to be Coney Island Lou, Solesseo Matuca, Paul Edward and Elwaddell.

Elwaddell impressed last Friday night when he was third on the pegs at the bell and ran home powerfully to win from Lucapelo and Crowd Control, rating 1.55.1 over 1730m.

“Elwaddell is up in class, but No. 1 will suit him,” said Harper.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park