Gloucester Park preview

Magnificent Storm is ready for the test

Magnificent Storm (American Ideal), the State’s best pacer, will have to buck the odds if he is to enhance his superb record and win the $50,000 Catalano Truck And Equipment Village Kid Sprint at Gloucester Park on Friday night (Dec. 9).

Pacemakers have an amazing record in this prestigious 1730m group 2 feature, with the leader having been successful in the past eight runnings of the event, and with ten of the past eleven Village Kid Sprints being won by the frontrunner.

Magnificent Storm is somewhat awkwardly drawn at barrier No. 5 and faces a considerable test if Aldo Cortopassi attempts to burst straight to the front, particularly with brilliant beginner Hampton Banner ideally drawn at barrier two. Hampton Banner has won eleven times at Gloucester Park when leading.

There is also plenty of speed drawn inside of Magnificent Storm, who rated 1.53.2 when he led from the No. 1 barrier and won the group 2 Mount Eden Sprint over 1730m five starts ago, on October 7.

Cortopassi summed up his feelings about this week’s big race, saying: “It’s not an easy race; at this level there is no easy race. But whenever he is in a race, he is a realistic chance. This is the start of a very strong campaign, hopefully.”

Magnificent Storm, trained by Ray Williams and a winner at 26 of his 35 starts in Western Australia, will be having his first start for four weeks — since he started from barrier five and raced three wide for the first 700m before getting to the front and sprinting over the final 800m in 55.7sec. and winning by just under five lengths from Wildwest, rating 1.56.4 over 2536m in the group 1 James Brennan Memorial.

Magnificent Storm warmed up for Friday night’s assignment with a smart win in a three-horse trial over 2150m at Byford on Sunday morning. He raced in third place, was eased off the pegs 800m from home, took the lead with 420m to travel and coasted to victory by a half-length from Lil Happy Fella, rating a modest 2.0.4 after a final 400m of 27.9sec.

“He did all he had to,” said Cortopassi. “He never over-exerts himself, and I was happy with the trial. Regarding tactics, at this stage I’m not sure what Ray and the owners want to do.”

The Debra Lewis-trained Hampton Banner will be driven by Jocelyn Young, who is certain to make a bold bid for the early lead with the speedy five-year-old who has won eleven times at Gloucester Park when leading.

Patronus Star, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, is generally regarded as a sit-sprinter. But from the prized No. 1 barrier, Deni Roberts could well make a bid for the early lead with a pacer who has led and won eight times in WA — once in 1.53.2 over 1609m at Bunbury, once over 2185m at Pinjarra and six times at Gloucester Park (four times over 2130m, once over 2536m and once over 1730m, rating 1.53.5).

Gambit, trained by Gary Hall snr, is in outstanding form and looks set to fight out the finish. He is versatile and he has also been successful after setting the pace. He was most impressive in winning over 2536m last Friday night when he started from the outside of the back line and settled at the rear before Stuart McDonald sent him forward, three wide, 1050m from home on his way to taking the lead at the 400m and beating Prince Of Pleasure by a length at a 1.56.4 rate.

Chris Lewis will drive star four-year-old Lavra Joe for owner-trainer Ray Williams. The gelding, a winner at 28 of his 50 starts, will begin from barrier six and is capable of a strong effort. He was unlucky last Friday night when he lost ground twice in the final lap when locking sulky wheels with Tenzing Bromac. That followed excellent victories in group 2 and group 3 events at his two previous starts.

Hall has won the Village Kid Sprint five times — with The Falcon Strike (2003), Rakarebel (2011), Hokonui Ben (2013) and Beaudiene Boaz (2015 and 2016) — and he has also prepared eleven placegetters in the event.

He holds a strong hand in Friday night’s race with Wildwest (Callan Suvaljko), Gambit (Stuart McDonald), Diego (Maddison Brown) and Prince Of Pleasure (Mitch Miller).

Young poised for a century

Outstanding horseman Michael Young is poised to celebrate his burgeoning career by notching his century of winners this season.

The 33-year-old Mundijong trainer is in dazzling form and goes into Friday night’s Gloucester Park meeting with a sequence of four wins from his past four starters — Miss Serenade at Gloucester Park last Saturday night, Ideal Tomado and Arden Velocity at Pinjarra on Monday and Miss Serenade at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.

Astute punters will be keen to support his five runners at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he recommends Orlando Blue and Cooper as the best winning prospects.

Orlando Blue, to be driven by Maddison Brown, is favourably drawn at barrier two in the Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales Pace, and Brown will also be in the sulky when Cooper starts from barrier two on the front line in the Specialised Equipment Funding Solutions Handicap, a stand over 2503m.

“I’ve never dreamt of being in this position, so I’m pretty proud,” said Young, who is in his third season as a trainer.

“I’m not sure whether I’ll get the century on Friday night. My best chance is Orlando Blue; the 2536m will suit him, and there are a few ways he can win. He was good first-up last week (when fourth behind Ima Rockabilly Rebel) and he should get a good run, either on the speed somewhere or on the outside of The Kraken.”

Young will also be represented in that event by Moonlite Drive, who will be driven by Kyle Symington from barrier six. “If they go hard, Moonlite Drive can definitely win.”

Moonlite Drive impressed last Friday night with his fast-finishing half-head second to Ima Rockabilly Rebel. He set the pace and won narrowly from Platinum Sparkle over 2130m the previous Friday night.

Cooper resumed after a spell last Friday night when he reared and lost ground at the standing start before he made an unsuccessful bid for the lead in the first lap and then trailed the pacemaker Deeorse before fighting on finish a close-up fourth behind Firerockfireroll.

Firerockfireroll, also prepared by Young, will be driven by Symington from the 10m mark in Friday night’s race, with Young saying: “He is always each-way in these type of races.”

Cooper and Firerockfireroll are sure to meet with spirited opposition from the Greg and Skye Bond-trained pair of Himself and Aussie Scooter, both being smart standing-start performers.

Himself will be driven by Deni Roiberts and will start off the 20m mark, while Ryan Warwick will drive frontmarker Aussie Scooter.

Cooper and Himself began from the front line in the 3309m Marathon Handicap in August when Cooper won by a length from Cooper.

“Himself was better than Cooper in the Marathon, but now he gives Cooper a 20-metre head start, and maybe we can turn the tables,” said Young.

Apart from Cooper, Firerockfireroll, Orlando Blue and Moonlite Drive, Young will be represented by Getn Wiggy Withit, to be driven by Symington from the No. 2 barrier in the 1730m Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales Ugga Dugga Pace.

“Getn Wiggy Withit is going really good and is definitely ready to win,” said Young. “He just needs a barrier, and he’s finally got a (good) barrier. But it’s good in theory but terrible on paper.”

That comment, no doubt, was inspired by the fact that in-form noted frontrunner Ifeel Sikdarl had drawn the prized No. 1 barrier and is sure to be ideally suited over the 1730m journey.

Vivere Damore loves No. 1

Hardy mare Vivere Damore (Lincoln Royal), a veteran of 113 starts, has set the pace and won at her two most recent outings from the prized No. 1 barrier, and she gets an ideal opportunity to notch her 15TH victory when she begins from the inside barrier in the $23,750 SEFS The Asset Finance Specialists Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Vivere Damore began from barrier one six starts ago, on October 7, when she set the pace and won from Platinum Sparkle and Bettor Get It On, rating 1.57.4 over 2130m.

Her previous appearance from the No. 1 barrier was four starts before that when she led and beat Angel In White, Born To Boogie and Savvy Bromac over 2130m on May 20 this year. Vivere Damore also started from barrier one when she set the pace and won over 2130m on December 31, 2019.

She raced three back on the pegs and battled on gamely when a close-up fifth behind Bettor Get It On as an $81 outsider last Friday night.

Vivere Damore is trained by Peter Tilbrook and will be driven by Mitch Miiller. She has been a wonderful performer, earning $235,21 from 14 wins and 31 placings.

“Last week me and Tilly (trainer Peter Tilbrook) were a bit disappointed,” said Miller. “At her previous couple of starts she had been pulling pretty hard. But last week she was really relaxed and didn’t finish off as good as we would have liked.

“This week the plan will be to lead. She runs her best races when she can lead. It’s a small field but it is full of quality.”

Miller is also hoping for a strong performance from the Dan Costello-trained The Kraken, a noted frontrunner who will start from barrier No.1 in the 2536m Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales Pace.

But Miller has some reservations about The Kraken’s ability to lead on Friday night, saying: “For some reason The Kraken doesn’t get off the gate very good from that release point (2536m start). If it was a 2130m race I would say he would be hard to beat.

“I’m not worried about the distance. It’s just because he has problems with the 2536m release point. At his past two runs from this starting point, he galloped out in a 1730m event, and in the other one, over 2536m, he just flopped out. They release the field straight into the corner and The Kraken doesn’t seem to muster through like he does at the 2130m start. I will have to try to time things a bit better from the 2536m release point.”

Miller is sure to be popular with punters when he drives Alcopony for Henley Brook trainer Kevin Keys in the opening event, the 2130m Catalanotrucks.com.au Pace for three-year-olds. Alcopony, an all-the-way winner over 2185m at Pinjarra four starts ago, will start from the No. 4 barrier.

Lewis to drive Fly To Fame

Champion reinsman Chris Lewis will be the new driver for promising Follow The Stars filly Fly To Fame in the www.sefsolutions.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He will replace Emily Suvaljko, who has driven the two-year-old at all her ten starts for trainer Katja Warwick — for two wins and placings.

Suvaljko will be in Victoria on Friday when she drives Benny The Gun on the final night of the Young Drivers Championship series. She shone at the Ballarat meeting on Wednesday when she drove Carramar Solomona and Ghost Of Time to victory in heats of the championship series.

Fly To Fame will start from barrier six in the field of seven on Friday night when she is sure to prove hard to beat, following her impressive victory last Friday week when she challenged unsuccessfully for the early lead and then raced without cover before taking the lead 420m from home and winning by 4m from Valentinathebullet.

Valentinathebullet appeared at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night when she raced without cover before taking a narrow lead approaching the home turn and finishing a close-up fourth behind Torrevean Pinky. The Hayden Reeves-trained Valentinathebullet will start from barrier four on Friday night and will have admirers.

However, the toughest rivals for Fly To Fame are likely to be Cabsav and Lady Violetta. Cabsav, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko for trainer Mike Reed, will start from the outside in the field of seven. She has raced consistently in her debut season, with her 14 starts producing two wins, five seconds and two thirds.

Lady Violetta, prepared by Banjup trainer Annie Belton, has yet to win from 13 starts, but is capable of improvement at her sixth start after a spell. “She is an honest little horse who will do her best,” said Belton. “She is such a trier and never gives it away.”

For complete race fields, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park