Gloucester Park preview

Hall seeks fourth Pearl victory

Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr admires Never Ending’s (Sweet Lou) great ability and wonderful potential, and he has opted to drive him in preference to the brilliant Valedictorian in the $100,000 Hoist Torque Australia Pearl Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“It was a touch and go call to choose Never Ending, and it was purely the barrier which influenced my decision,” he said.

Never Ending will start from the No. 3 barrier on the front line in the 2130m Group 1 classic, with his stablemate Valedictorian at No. 5.

Hall has driven Valedictorian at his six starts for four wins and a second placing, and he has handled Never Ending in his three starts for three highly impressive victories. Valedictorian will be driven this week by Dylan Egerton-Green.

Never Ending, Valedictorian and Rolling Fire were successful in the three qualifying heats on Tuesday of last week when all three pacers were driven by Hall for Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice, who has sound prospects of equalling Capel trainer Aiden de Campo’s outstanding performance of preparing the three placegetters in last year’s Pearl Classic when The Miki Taker (driven by Egerton-Green) beat Floewriter and Rock On Top.

Hall is seeking to win the Pearl for the fourth time, following victories with Itsallabout Nicole (2009), Go West U Terror (2010) and Swagga (2013). He has plenty of respect for the opposition on Friday night, particularly Valedictorian.

“Valedictorian will be hard to beat,” he said. “His performance in the heat surprised me a lot, and he should be on the way up, as should Never Ending. Valedictorian is a better racehorse than Never Ending; he is more professional and choosing Never Ending was simply because of the better barrier.”

Rolling Fire, who finished strongly to win his qualifying heat, is favourably drawn on the inside of the back line and will be driven by Cody Wallrodt.

The Ryan Bell-trained Lucapelo will be driven by Kyle Symington from the prized No. 1 barrier. He possesses excellent gate speed and has sound prospects of setting the pace, with Hall saying that he would work out his tactics as the race unfolded.

“I’ll come out, but I won’t be blasting,” said Hall. “I’ll see what’s going on inside of me. Never Ending is pretty versatile, so there will be plenty of options.”

Blythewood trainer Kim Prentice, fresh from driving his one thousandth winner (Sweet Vivienne at Pinjarra on Monday), is hoping that drawing barrier No. 2 with the speedy Crowd Control will be a good omen.

Prentice has won the Pearl as a trainer-driver once — when Your Call Lombo started from barrier two and set the pace and beat Spanna and Winforus in 2002.

Crowd Control has considerable ability and has had five starts for two wins, two seconds and a third placing. He set a brisk pace when second to Valedictorian in a heat last week. Prentice also trains Soho Firestone, who will be driven by Mitch Miller from barrier four. Soho Firestone led when second to Never Ending in a heat.

De Campo has two runners in Friday night’s classic — Dourado (barrier six) and Magnus Victor (barrier two on the back line) — but he doubts whether they will be able to emulate the performances of his trifecta runners of last year.

“Unfortunately, they are not of the quality of last year,” he said. “They are probably a rung below the real good ones this year and they will need luck.” He will drive Dourado (who finished solidly when second to Rolling Fire in a heat) and Chris Lewis will handle Magnus Victor, who finished fourth behind Never Ending in a heat.

Lewis has won the Pearl five times — with Lombo Laredo (1994), Mitemptation (1995), Argent Treasure (2007), Jack Mac (2017) and Manning (2019). Remarkably, he has been placed in the classic 13 times — with seconds with Classical Gas, Ay Alby, Slick Operator, Capricorn Cruiser, Tiger Reed Lombo, Tightrope, Mister Jadore and Artillery Major, and thirds with Whitby Sportsman, Blackjack Brassie, Backin A Jiffy, Wirrpunda and Lavra Joe.

Lavra Joe looks too good

Champion reinsman Chris Lewis is noted for his conservative predictions, and he smiled when he declared “he should lead and give it a good shake” when assessing Lavra Joe’s prospects in the $50,000 HTA Reaching For The Top August Cup over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Lavra Joe (Roll With Joe), an outstanding four-year-old, has drawn perfectly at barrier one, and he should enjoy a trouble free trip in front and prove too good for his eight rivals and give Lewis his second win in the August Cup, following his victory with Dasher VC, who surged home from eighth in the middle stages to defeat Cromac Johnny in 2012.

“Lavra Joe felt good when he led and won from Gambit last Friday night,” said Lewis. “He had a couple of comfortable runs leading into that race.”

Lavra Joe, owned and trained by Ray Jones, revealed his great gate speed last week when he charged forward from the outside barrier in the field of six and was untroubled to set the pace before sprinting over the final 400m in 26.9sec. and beating Gambit by a length, rating 1.56.6 over 2130m.

Hall Of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr has four-year-old Jumpingjackmac racing keenly and is hoping that the gelding can cause an upset and beat Lavra Joe to give him his eighth win in the August Cup, following successes with Zakara (1992, 1993, 1994), Im Themightyquinn (2010), Northview Punter (2014) and Chicago Bull (2018 and 20120).

Jumpingjackmac, who won from Chicago Bull and Diego two starts ago, will be handled by Gary Hall jnr, who admitted that Jumpingjackmac (barrier three) faced a seemingly impossible task to beat Lavra Joe. “We will be heading for the fence,” he said.

The Hall stable will also be represented by Gambit (Stuart McDonald), Diego (Maddison Brown) and Will I Rocknroll (Deni Roberts).

McDonald is hoping that Gambit will cause an upset and give him his second win in the August Cup, following his shock victory with the Ross Olivieri-trained Jambiani, a $96.10 outsider, who finished fast from fifth at the bell to beat the Hall-trained Ideal Alice by two lengths in 2017. McDonald also drove Runrunjimmydunn when he led and finished second to Chicago Bull in the 2018 August Cup.

Handsandwheels, who finished third behind Chicago Bull in the 2020 August Cup, will start from barrier four at his fourth appearance after a 23-month injury-enforced absence. He has been freshened up since finishing fifth behind Diego at Gloucester Park four weeks ago. That followed his third (after leading) behind Magnificent Storm and Patronus Star in a field of four in the 2190m York Cup at Northam the previous week.

“I was more than happy with his work this morning (Tuesday) than I have been with his first three runs back,” said trainer-reinsman Aiden de Campo. “He shows that he is improving, and there’s still a bit of improving left in him. He is definitely on the way up, but it is going to be hard to beat Lavra Joe, who grows a leg in front.”

Fanci A Dance is a ‘good thing’

Star reinsman Chris Voak, fresh from a double at Pinjarra on Monday with Just Roc ($4.40) and Strauny ($5.50), will be busy at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he will be in action in nine of the 10 events.

He considers most of his drives as sound each-way prospects and declares nine-year-old Fanci A Dance (Rock N Roll Heaven) as his best winning hope, saying: “He looks a good thing, and I don’t think he will get beaten.”

Fanci A Dance, trained in Busselton by Barry Howlett, will start from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Williams Racing Pace — and he should appreciate a massive drop in class after contesting a $30,000 Free-For-All and competing against Lavra Joe, Gambit, Diego and company last Friday night.

Fanci A Dance raced at the rear in the six-horse field, and he sprinted over the final 400m in 27sec. in finishing last.

“He will lead this week and will win,” said Voak. “Last week, they walked and then dashed home. Fanci A Dance ran through the line super strong and had plenty left once he passed the line. I said to Barry that he would be winning in the next fortnight, as soon as he gets a good draw, and he has come up with the ace.

“The last time he led he went 1.55.7 and won (beating Queen Shenandoah by just under five lengths last November) and now he gets his chance to do it again.”

Since that victory Fanci A Dance has built up a losing sequence of 16, with just five placings. This week he meets moderate opposition, with his chief dangers likely to be the consistent Euphoria (barrier 5) who has been placed at his past five starts, Mirragon and Medieval Man.

Five-year-old Mirragon is a smart pacer, who is trained by Debra Lewis and will be driven by her husband Chris. The Art Major gelding has a record of 62 starts for 14 wins and 17 placings and is capable of a bold showing at his first appearance after a 25-week absence.

“It is a suitable field but an awkward draw,” said Chris Lewis. “He has been working nicely and we would have liked to have drawn better.”

Apart from Fanci A Dance, Voak is confident that the Ross Olivieri-trained six-year-old Rupert Of Lincoln will give punters a great run for their money when he contests the final event, the 2130m HTA Access Solutions Pace.

Rupert Of Lincoln has a losing sequence of 13, but his recent efforts have been encouraging, including placings behind Heez Our Perseus, Blissfullabbey and Jaspervellabeach at his past five starts.

Rupert Of Lincoln worked hard in the breeze for much of the way and was inconvenienced by a punctured nearside sulky tyre over the final 200 metres when third to Jaspervellabeach last Friday night.

Olivieri holds a strong hand in Friday night’s event, with his other runners Power And Grace (Chris Lewis) and Carrera Mach (Emily Suvaljko) looming as the toughest for Rupert Of Lincoln to beat.

Power And Grace disappointed last Friday night when he finished fifth behind Tuas Delight. “We came out and weren’t able to cross, and then we were shuffled back and were held up in the last lap,” said Lewis.

James Butt is ready to resume

Former smart pacer James Butt (Big Jim) has recovered from damaging a suspensory ligament twice, and he will return to racing after a 30-month absence when he starts from the No. 1 barrier in the $23,750 Hoist Solutions Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“It is exciting to have him back at the races,” said his trainer-driver Chris Voak. “The prognosis was not good after he broke down for the second time.”

However, Voak and his wife Asha have nursed the seven-year-old gelding back to health, with Voak saying that his legs were now as good as gold.

“James Butt has had two trials this month and has been in work for a long time,” said Voak. “Forget his fourth behind Alta Cinderella after leading in a Pinjarra trial on Wednesday of last week when he had a breathing problem.”

A week earlier James Butt finished strongly to win a 2185m Pinjarra trial, rating 1.57.8 when he beat Star of Diamonds and Machnificent after sprinting over the final quarters in 29.7sec. and 26.7sec.

“I think he will run an honest race on Friday night, and he will only get better,” said Voak.

James Butt will clash with last-start winners Plutonium, Socrates, Jaspervellabeach, Hampton Banner and Talks Up A Storm.

Plutonium, trained by Michael Young, is sure to prove hard to beat. He has impressed with stylish wins at his three outings after a 13-month injury-enforced absence. He is favourably drawn at barrier two.

Considerable interest will surround the return to racing of the brilliant, lightly-raced New Zealand-bred five-year-old Hampton Banner, who will start from the No. 4 barrier at his first appearance since he led from barrier four and won comfortably from Vespa over 2536m at Gloucester Park on March 4.

“Hampton Banner has excellent gate speed and I’d say that most likely we will be using it,” said reinsman Chris Lewis. “He has been working well and we’re happy enough with him.”

Lewis also has good prospects with Wall Street Girl and Three Rumours.

Wall Street Girl, trained by Debra Lewis, will start from barrier two in the 1730m HTA Rent A Gen Pace for three-year-old fillies. She warmed up for this assignment in fine style at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening when she scored an easy victory over Bramante Steps, rating 1.58.4 over 2130m.

Wall Street Girl started from barrier two and Lewis did not bustle her in the early stages, and she settled down in third place before she dashed forward to burst to the front after 300m.

“It’s not a bad field on Friday night, but she is certainly in the mix, especially from the draw,” said Lewis.

The main dangers to Wall Street Girl are likely to be Taking The Miki (barrier six) and Im Themightylucy (barrier three on the back line). Taking The Miki, to be driven by Chris Voak for trainer Ross Olivieri, returned to racing after a five-month absence when she began speedily from barrier six and then trailed the pacemaker Free Wheeling before finishing second to that filly four weeks ago.

The Michael Young-trained Im Themightylucy has impressed at her four starts in WA with three wins and a splendid second to Wonderful To Fly.

Three Rumours, trained by Barry Howlett, will start from barrier one in the 2130m HTA Taking You To New Heights Pace. She resumed after a spell when she raced wide early and then without cover when an encouraging second to Midnight Whisper at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week.

Three Rumours, Midnight Whisper, Alta Cinderella, Platinum Sparkle, Angel In White, American Arma and All The Bells will provide plenty of opposition to Eighteen Carat, who has scored effortless victories at her past three starts but faces a stern test from out wide at barrier eight.

Gary Hall jnr looks set for a successful night during which he will drive several strong winning chances, including Rascal, Lord Rosco, Eighteen Carat, Never Ending, Plutonium and Cooper.

He hopes to make a flying start by winning the opening event, the 2130m Hoist Torque Australia Pace with the Katja Warwick-trained four-year-old Rascal, who will start from barrier four at his first appearance for two months.

Rascal was most impressive when he set the pace and won a four-horse 2185m Pinjarra trial on Wednesday of last week. He was driven by Emily Suvaljko and won by eight lengths from Free To Air, with final quarters of 27.9sec., 28.8sec. and 28.6sec.

“It will be handlebars down,” said Hall. “He has decent gate speed, and he rolls along. He is good enough to win, provided he’s on his best behaviour.”

For complete race fields, click here.

by Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park