Gloucester Park preview – Friday 13th January

Gloucester Park harness racing preview for Friday 13th January 2023

Lavra Joe relishes aquatic life

Star pacer Lavra Joe (Roll With Joe) has thrived on a new training regime, the brainchild of his owner and trainer Ray Jones, who is confident that the past month in a new environment and having a daily swim in the ocean will prove to be a formular for success.

The success that Jones cherishes so dearly is victory in the $300,000 Retravision Fremantle Cup over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Lavra Joe, a WA-bred five-year-old, has won at 28 of his 52 starts, including five group 2 victories and five wins in group 3 feature events. But a group 1 win still eludes him, with six attempts at that level producing a second placing and five unplaced efforts.

Lavra Joe’s prospects soared when he drew the prized No. 1 barrier, and champion reinsman Chris Lewis will be hellbent on setting the pace and holding his eleven talented rivals at bay.

On Friday night Lavra Joe will be having his first start for 28 days — since he was the $2.90 favourite in the group 1 Golden Nugget when he had a torrid run, racing three wide early from barrier four in an unsuccessful bid for the lead, and then again challenging hard, and unsuccessfully, later in the first lap and being forced to work hard in the breeze before wilting to seventh behind Himself.

“After that hard run I decided to give him a quiet time, four days just taking it easy,” said Jones, who moved Lavra Joe from his normal home in Greenbushes to the 150-acre property Jones has 90km west, close to the coast at Busselton.

“For the past month Lavra Joe has had a daily swim in the ocean, not swimming really; it is more like paddling. He doesn’t like swimming too much; it’s a bit scary. He won’t let anyone on his back , and I just walk in front of him in the water. This has been the first time he has ever gone to the ocean for a swim.

“He is as bright as bright and has enjoyed his sea change. It has done him good and has freshened him up after a long season which has taken its toll on him a bit.”

Jones took Lavra Joe to Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week when Lewis drove him in a 2185m trial. He set a brisk pace and won by a short half-head from Pinny Tiger, rating 1.55, with final 400m sections of 28.3sec. and 27.2sec. Neither pacer was full extended.

“Chris (Lewis) said he didn’t hit the horse and that he was very happy with the way he worked,” said Jones. “I have a one thousand metre track at Busselton, and he had a gallop there today (Tuesday) before going to the beach.”

Lewis will be aiming to win the Fremantle Cup for the sixth time, following the successes of Black Irish (1983), Village Kid (1988 and 1989), John Albert (1995), Sandy Bay (2005) and Dasher VC (2013).

Among Lavra Joe’s rivals will be Diego, Wildwest, Gambit and Jumpingjackmac, a quality quartet prepared by champion trainer Gary Hall snr, who has won the Fremantle Cup a record ten times, scoring with The Falcon Strike (2002 and 2004), Im The Mightyquinn (2009, 2011 and 2012),  Beaudiene Boaz (2016), Chicago Bull (2017 and November 2020), My Hard Copy (2018) and Caviar Star (January 2020).

Diego, to be driven by Maddison Brown, is in superb form, having set the pace and winning at three of his past four starts. Diego is favourably drawn at barrier No. 2, but is unlikely to have the initial speed to get past Lavra Joe and enjoy his favoured frontrunning role.

“Diego is one off the barrier (No. 1) he wanted,” said Hall. “He should get a good sit in the one-out, one-back position, following Gambit (to be driven by Stuart McDonald from barrier six). Lavra Joe will lead, and Gambit will go forward to the breeze, where he likes it.”

Gambit is in fine form. From barrier eight two starts ago he raced in the breeze and finished second to Diego in a 2130m Free-For-All. He has raced in the breeze 14 times at Gloucester Park for five wins, eight seconds and one third placing.

“Jumpingjackmac (Gary Hall jnr; barrier nine) and Wildwest (Aiden de Campo; barrier five) will go back at the start,” said Hall snr.

“Jumpinjackmac is not without a chance. He is racing very well and will sprint home strongly if the race is run at a fast pace. Diego is my best chance; both he and Gambit are jumping out of their skins.”

Brilliant six-year-old Magnificent Storm, a winner at 27 of his 39 starts, faces a stern test after drawing out wide at barrier eight on the front line. “He is a lovely horse who doesn’t have any luck with the draws,” said his trainer Ray Williams.

“It’s a 2536m race which suits him,” said Williams. “ I don’t know where he will end up; I’m happy with him at the moment, but we will be relying on a lot of luck.”

Leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond landed the quinella in last year’s Fremantle Cup when Minstrel, from barrier one, set the pace and beat stablemate Patronus Star by a short half-head after that pacer was eleventh at the bell before flying home, out seven wide for driver Deni Roberts.

The Bonds will again be represented by Minstrel (barrier three on the back line) and Patronus Star (barrier four on the front line) as well as Himself (barrier seven).

“The draws are not the end of the world,” said Greg Bond. “We’re going to race Patronus Star and Himself with a sit, and Minstrel should get a good run through if Vultan Tin (barrier 11) goes to the fence. In that case, Patronus Star could be tracking up, following Minstrel.

“Himself probably will settle further back, and if the race is not run quick enough he might find it hard to make ground. Himself will be favoured if the race is run at a fast pace like the Golden Nugget last month when he finished from the rear to win in track record time (rating 1.54 over 2536m).

“This will be Himself’s first run in open company. He has come a long, long way in a very short space of time. He broke the track record and beat Jumpingjackmac, Mighty Ronaldo and Lavra Joe in the Nugget.”

Emily Suvaljko will drive Mighty Ronaldo from the No. 3 barrier for Capel trainer Justin Prentice, with the five-year-old showing a glimpse of his best form with a strong-finishing third behind Diego and Gambit last Friday night.

Hampton Banner (Jocelyn Young) and Vultan Tin (Mitch Miller) will start from the back line and will be at handsome odds. “Drawing No. 10 is an advantage, and likely to be following the leader Lavra Joe will suit Hampton Banner,” said Young.

Grantham reunited with Pinny Tiger

Outstanding young reinsman Michael Grantham will make a welcome return to driving at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he drives brilliant speedster Pinny Tiger (Mach Three) in the Joe and Margaret Petricevich Memorial Nights of Thunder heat one.

The 27-year-old has not handled the Michael Brennan-trained Pinny Tiger in a race since May 20 last year when the Mach Three gelding won at a 1.53.9 rate over 2130m.

Pinny Tiger has had 33 starts for 12 wins and ten seconds, with Grantham having handled the pacer 18 times for six wins, seven seconds and five unplaced runs.

“I’m trying to bring Michael back to driving, making a comeback like John Farnham,” said Brennan. “He has been concentrating on training gallopers recently.”

Pinny Tiger has an awkward barrier at No. 6, but Brennan is confident he will charge to an early lead, saying: “I think he should get across (to the front); that’s the plan.”

Grantham drove Pinny Tiger in a 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week when the gelding trailed the pacemaker Lavra Joe before running home strongly to finish a short half-head behind Lavra Joe, rating 1.55. “Michael didn’t pull the plugs; he just sat there quietly,” said Brennan who is planning the heat and the final of the 1730m Nights of Thunder as a stepping stone to contesting the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup over 2936m on January 27.

“I’m happy to head in this direction,” said Brennan. “Hopefully, after the Nights of Thunder we can get into the Pacing Cup. The jump from 1730m to 2936m should not worry him. You’ve got to be an elite stayer to win good mile races.”

Grantham has driven at Gloucester Park only once in the past 19 weeks, and that was seven weeks ago when he was unplaced behind Loucid Dreams and Seeryanfly.

Friday night’s event should not be a walk in the park for Pinny Tiger, who will meet with plenty of opposition from the Greg and Skye Bond-trained trio of Dont Bother Me None (Ryan Warwick; barrier one), Tenzing Bromac (Dylan Egerton-Green; barrier three) and Ima Rockabilly Rebel (Deni Roberts; barrier four).

Sugar Street, trained by Barry Howlett and to be driven by Chris Lewis, should prove hard to beat in the Retravision.com.au Nights Of Thunder heat two. He has excellent gate speed and Lewis is sure to press forward hard early in a bid to overtake the polemarker and last-start winner Middlepage (Lindsay Harper) in a bid for an all-the-way win.

Sugar Street, a winner at ten of his 33 starts, is in fine form and will be favoured to beat the Mike Reed-trained Ragazzo Mach and the Michael Young-trained Orlando Blue.

Ragazzo Mach, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko, will start from barrier four and is sure to appreciate a considerable drop in class after finishing sixth behind Diego in the group 2 2130m Stratton Cup last Friday night. Two starts before that Ragazzo Mach finished powerfully to win a 2536m Free-For-All, beating Prince Of Pleasure and Mighty Conqueror.

James Butt ready to resume in style

Injury-plagued veteran pacer James Butt (Big Jim) will reappear after a three-month absence when he starts from the No. 1 barrier in the 2536m RAC Members Save 5% Every Day at Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

And trainer-reinsman Chris Voak is bubbling with confidence, saying: “He is my best for the night. He beat Sangue Reale (a last-start winner) on the track at Pinjarra last Saturday when he ran home over the final 800m in 54.7sec.

“I led with Sangue Reale in the trial, and my father-in-law (Frank Vanmaris) drove James Butt, who trailed Sangue Reale, who popped out at the 600m and put me away. If Sangue Reale drew one in James Butt’s race on Friday night, he wouldn’t get beaten. James Butt is as good as him.

“James Butt is ready to win first-up over 2536m. I have given him a lot of hard work.”

Eight-year-old James Butt has won at nine of his 43 starts. His most recent success was at Gloucester Park in February 2020 when he led early from the No. 1 barrier and then trailed the pacemaker before finishing strongly to beat Iceenothink and Im Soxy, rating 1.55.1 over 2130m.

Whether James Butt can beat the high-priced New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Gran Chico is problematical. Gran Chico, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko for trainer Mike Reed, has raced only 26 times for nine wins, six seconds and one third. He reappeared after a 22-month absence when he was a $71 outsider and raced at the rear before finishing ninth behind Glenledi Chief over 2130m last Friday night. He drops significantly in class this week.

Capel trainer Aiden de Campo has made a sentimental decision to drive nine-year-old veteran Handsandwheels in preference to six-year-old stablemate Pradason in the Retravision Click And Collect Pace.

Handsandwheels, whose latest success was 35 months ago, will start from the No. 2 barrier, with Pradason, to be handled by Dylan Egerton-Green drawn at barrier one. Pradason is in top form, and he relished his pacemaking role when de Campo drove him to a convincing victory over Valentines Brook and Lucky Galleon at a 1.56.7 rate over 2130m last Friday night.

Handsandwheels, whose 93 starts have resulted in 28 wins, 29 placings and stakes of $677,370, started from barrier five in a 2130m event last week when he challenged unsuccessfully for the early lead and then raced in sixth position, three back on the pegs, before finishing a close-up fifth behind Glenledi Chief.

“I’ll drive Handsandwheels for sentimental reasons,” said de Campo. “He has his foot on the till and went really well last week, and he worked up good this morning (Tuesday). I haven’t had a good look at the race and we’ll sort out the tactics during the week. Pradason was really good out in front last week and his work this morning was good.

“A win with Handsandwheels would mean a fair bit to me. He has done a lot for us. He damaged a hind suspensory twice. He has done well to come back. The injuries have taken their toll, and he’s definitely not the horse he was. Buthe is still enjoying racing and wants to be there. However, his legs don’t move as fast as they used to.”

Mea Culpa is ready to shine

Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey is delighted with the form of Mea Culpa (Art Major), a former Victorian performer who has won twice from his five WA starts.

Mea Culpa will start from barrier two on the back line in the 2130m Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and will be driven by Kyle Symington.

“He went 1.54.7 last week when he sat in the breeze and finished a head second to Run For Mercy,” said Turvey. That performance followed his splendid victory at a 1.54 rate over 1684m at Pinjarra four days earlier when he raced four back on the pegs before finishing fast to win by a half-head from Cherishthememories.

“Everything went in his favour at Pinjarra, and then at Gloucester Park last Friday you wouldn’t say much went in his favour. His run was very good. From the backline he won’t be able to rely on his gate speed, but he is versatile,” said Turvey.

Lucky Galleon (barrier three on the back line) and Rocknroll Elliot (barrier six on the front line) appear among Mea Culpa’s most serious rivals.

Lucky Galleon, to be driven by Aldo Cortopassi for trainer Ray Williams, followed successive victories at Pinjarra with a solid third behind Pradason and Valentines Brook last Friday night. Trainer-driver Jocelyn Young is confident of a strong showing from Rocknroll Elliot, who raced five back on the pegs and was blocked for a clear run in the final stages when an unlucky fifth behind Strike Team three Fridays ago.

A week earlier Rocknroll Elliot raced wide early and then in the breeze before finishing an excellent second to Getn Wiggy Withit. “He worked very well today (Tuesday) and will probably work forward from barrier six on Friday night,” said Young. “There’s no point in going bac, with the main chances on the back line.”

Young is also looking forward to driving Cherishthememories from the No. 4 barrier in the $26,000 Retravision Lowest Price Guarantee Pace for mares in which the Mach Three five-year-old’s clash with Nevermindthechaos should prove to be a highlight of the ten-event program.

Cherishthememories dashed to the front 1150m from home and withstood a spirited challenge from Nevermindthechaos before finishing a head second to the fast-finishing Star Of Diamonds over 2130m last Friday night.

“The plan this week will be to go forward in a bid to keep in front of Nevermindthechaos,” said Young. “If she doesn’t have to do as much as she did last week it would be helpful. She feels like she doesn’t really concentrate all that much. I don’t know if there is a little key to get her more switched on.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park