Gloucester Park preview

Gloucester Park harness racing preview with Ken Casellas

Seeryanfly’s remarkable record

Unheralded five-year-old Seeryanfly (Heston Blue Chip) is undefeated in six appearances in standing-start events — and he is poised to continue this outstanding record when he begins from the outside of the 10m line in the Trots WA Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night (Apr. 21).

Also seeking to boost his sequence of winners as a trainer is Seeryanfly’s Northam horseman Garry Sayers, whose past three starters have been successful, with Seeryanfly winning at Northam on April 1 and April 8, and Zyanya winning there on April 8.

Leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko is bullish about Seeryanfly’s winning prospects this week, and he has given punters a valuable lead by choosing to drive him ahead of smart frontrunner Deeorse (a pacer he has driven 57 times) and Feeling Aces, who set the pace for Suvaljko and won a 2190m mobile event at Northam four starts ago by six lengths — four starts after Suvaljko had driven him to an all-the-way victory in the Williams Cup.

“It was a super win by Seeryanfly in a stand at Northam two starts ago,” said Suvaljko. “He got knocked down at the start and lost about 80 metres and still won. I couldn’t believe it. The following week he won easily again after sitting in the breeze.”

Seeryanfly’s task appeared hopeless two starts ago when he crashed into a fiercely galloping Lets Rock Tonight at the start and after a lap he was seventh about 75m behind the tearaway pacemaker Cheese And Biccys. He started a three-wide forward move 550m from home and sprinted fast to charge to the front 150m from the post and win by two and a half lengths from Extarordinary Mary.

“It looks a winnable race on Friday night,” said Suvaljko. “The only problem is that I’m a Dockers supporter, and Seeryanfly races in the Eagles colours.”    

The main dangers to Seeryanfly appear likely to be American Bullitt, Lamandier and Acuto.

American Bullitt, trained by Sonia Zucchiatti, is an experienced standing-start performer, having contested 24 stands for three wins, three second, four thirds and six fourths.

The five-year-old, a veteran of 91 starts, will be handled by champion reinsman Chris Lewis, who has been pleased with his recent efforts, including a second to Taking The Miki in a stand and a fourth behind Hector, Street Hawk and Taking The Miki in the Easter Cup two starts ago.

“American Bullitt is going very well, and we will take advantage of the draw and are definitely an each-way chance,” said Lewis.

Lamandier set the pace and was an easy winner in a 2631m stand at Pinjarra four starts ago. He galloped from barrier two in a 1730m mobile event last Friday night and lost six lengths before finishing from sixth at the bell to be an eye-catching third behind Wait For The Bell.

“He galloped in a mobile last week and galloped in a stand two starts before that,” said trainer Michael Young. “He continues to let me down. But this is not a deep (strong) stand, and if he can lead, I think he will win.”

Star Lavra is still learning

Reinsman Stuart McDonald describes Star Lavra (Captaintreacherous) as a bit of a big dope who has a lot to learn about racing. But he is confident that the colt will complete a winning hat-trick when he contests the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“He doesn’t know how to race yet, and he waits for them in his races,” he said. “But he has shown that he is a very hard horse to get past, no matter what. He showed that two starts ago when he held Hes Never Been Beta at bay.”

Star Lavra, trained by Gary Hall snr, will start from the No. 2 barrier in a field of six on Friday night, and McDonald plans to make a bid for the early lead.

“We will come out and look to lead,” he said. “If it’s there (the front) it’s there; if not, we will park up in the breeze again and try to rate them out of it.”

After an unsuccessful challenge from barrier to set the pace from the polemarker Lord Titanium in a qualifying heat on Tuesday of last week, Star Lavra raced without cover before getting to the front 220m from home and holding on to win by a half-length from Magnus Victor, with Rocket City a half head away in third place.

“Star Lavra had plenty left,” said McDonald. “I could have gone faster (rating in the breeze), mainly because I was worried about Rocket City’s point-to-point speed. Again, Rocket City is the one to worry about. He has the speed to be a danger if he sits close enough.”

Lord Titanium, who led and wilted to finish fourth behind Star Lavra in last week’s heat, again will start from the No. 1 barrier. Chris Voak has been engaged to handle Lord Titanium, and he said that he would learn what tactics to employ after discussions with trainer Steve de Campo.

Rocket City, trained and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, has won four races. He is versatile but appears to be best suited in a sit-sprint capacity.

Rocket City will begin from the No. 5 barrier, with Magnus Victor drawn the outside barrier in the field of six. Magnus Victor started from the outside barrier at No. 7 in last week’s heat, and he enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before running home determinedly to finish second to Star Lavra.

“It is a horrible draw,” said trainer-reinsman Aiden de Campo. “But he is racing really well, and winning is not impossible.”

The $50,000 Gold Bullion for two-year-old colts and geldings appears certain to develop into a fierce battle between Manhattan Moon (barrier two) and Ten To The Dozen (barrier four) after Ten To The Dozen led from barrier one and won by two lengths from Manhattan Moon, who started from barrier three and raced in the breeze.

Manhattan Moon, to be driven by Gary Hall jnr for trainer Justin Prentice, gets a splendid chance to turn the tables on Ten To The Dozen, with Hall certain to take full advantage of a superior barrier in the small field of four runners.”

“Small fields result in very tactical affairs,” said Deni Roberts, who will drive Ten To The Dozen for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond. “Manhattan Moon goes good, so it should be a good race.

“I really like Ten To The Dozen. He can go forward or sit back. I’ll see how he gets off the gate.” Ten To The Dozen has led and won at each of his past three starts. He faces an acid test this week.

De Campo looks to turn the tables

Ace Capel trainer Aiden de Campo is banking that a superior barrier draw will give Between Two Thorns (Downbytheseaside) an excellent opportunity to turn the tables and beat Flametree in the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion final for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The Barry Howlett-trained Flametree started from the No. 1 barrier in a qualifying heat on Tuesday of last week when she set a slow early pace and sprinted over the final 400m in 27.8sec. to win by just over a length from Between Two Thorns, who started from barrier four and raced in third place in the Indian file affair before fighting on determinedly.

This week Between Two Thorns will begin from the No. 4 barrier, with Flametree starting from the outside barrier in the field of five.

“We have the barrier draw advantage over Flametree and we will definitely be using that to our advantage,” said de Campo. “If Between Two Thorns finds the front, she will take a heap of beating.

“I’m really happy with her tractability, and she has been running through the line really well. She will improve a heap on her first-up run and her trackwork this morning (Tuesday) was good. After all the headaches she has given me, she is starting to give me a little bit of a smile.”

Mitch Miller gives Flametree a good chance of winning, saying: “I think she will improve a fair bit after her heat win when she felt the best she has since she won the Gold Bracelet in March last year. She was racing second-up, and there was a month between runs.

“Apart from Between Two Thorns I am expecting plenty of opposition from Jackie Daniels, who ran a good third in last week’s heat, and from No. 1 this week she could try to hold up and pinch the race.”

Colin Brown trains and drives Xceptional Arma, who looks a certainty in the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion final for two-year-old fillies. Xceptional Arma has raced five times for two wins and three second placings, while her five rivals have managed one win between them — and that was when the Peter Anderson-trained Remarkable Rock set the pace and scored a runaway victory at Gloucester Park three starts ago.

Xceptional Arma will start from the No. 2 barrier, and she has the necessary gate speed to lead and go on and win from Remarkable Rock.

Eighteen Carat is as good as ever

Mundijong trainer Michael Young was delighted with star mare Eighteen Carat’s (Mach Three) unlucky first-up fifth behind Hector last week and declared that she would take a power of beating in the $26,000 Retravision Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“She has come back as good as ever,” Young declared. “Last week she didn’t get clear running in the straight and she locked stays with Dont Bother Me None and carried that horse all the way up the straight.”

Eighteen Carat, who was reappearing after a four-month absence last week, performed brilliantly last year when her 14 starts produced eight wins and three placings, including victories in one group 1 event, two group 2 events and two group 3 feature races.

She will again be driven by Gary Hall jnr and will start out wide at barrier seven on Friday night, with her main rival Wonderful To Fly on the outside in the field of eight.

“We will look to keep our advantage over Wonderful To Fly,” said Young. “If Eighteen Carat leads, she will be unbeatable and will also be hard to beat if she doesn’t lead.”

Eighteen Carat’s clash with the brilliant four-year-old Wonderful To Fly is sure to be a highlight of the ten-event program. Wonderful To Fly has resumed after a spell in fine style, with her three starts producing two wins and an unlucky head second to Simply Shaz in the Empress Stakes.

Wonderful To Fly has amassed $446,725 in stakes from her 23 wins and seven placings from 37 starts. She has been handled in all her starts by part-owner and trainer Shane Young, who will be on the sidelines this week, serving a term of suspension for causing interference in a race. Replacing Young in the sulky will be his niece Jocelyn Young.

The Youngs are not related to Eighteen Carat’s trainer Michael Young, who looks set for an extremely profitable night with is eight runners.

Apart from Eighteen Carat, Young is confident of winning with Kimble (race two), The Mustang (race three), Firerockfireroll (race five) and Lamandier (race six), with Hall driving all those pacers.

“From barrier one over 1730m Kimble should lead and win,” said Young. “I thought he was a bit disappointing last week (when sixth behind The Mustang). But he had excuses and his form before that was good.

“Nothing is going to cross The Mustang from barrier one, and he should win. Firerockfireroll is resuming after a spell, and he is favourably drawn at barrier two.”

Firerockfireroll has not raced for 17 weeks — since he led from barrier one and won from Ragazzo Mach in the group 2 Christmas Gift.

Young said that if Lamandier was on his best behaviour he would prove very hard to beat in the The Trots WA Handicap, a 2530m stand, particularly if he set the pace.

In-form reinsman Chris Voak has six drives at the meeting, and all have each-way prospects. He predicted that Onesmartfella was capable of a strong showing from barrier two in the Steelos Restaurant Pace in which he will start from the No. 2 barrier, with the favourite Kimble drawn perfectly at barrier No. 1.

“If he had drawn to lead, he would be hard to beat,” said Voak. “His run last week (when eighth behind Goodfellaz) was terrific. I missed a couple of spots early and that probably was the difference between running eighth or third.

“Disco Under Fire has drawn ideally at barrier ten and is capable of following The Mustang and finishing second to him. Miss Boudica has place prospects in the race for mares, and Jackie Daniels should perform well in the Gold Bullion for three-year-old fillies.

“Jackie Daniels was excellent last start (when third behind Flametree) when trainer David Young thought she was underdone. He now tells me that she will be cherry ripe for this week’s race, and I wouldn’t be against leading.”

For complete Gloucester Park race entries, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park