Gloucester Park review

Gloucester Park harness racing review with Ken Casellas

Never Ending’s amazing run

Champion four-year-old pacer Never Ending (Sweet Lou) was in a seemingly hopeless position in eighth place with a wall of horses in front of him 250m from home in the $50,000 Nova 93.7 Winter Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night before he unwound a spectacular burst of speed to score a thrilling last-stride victory.

His trainer Justin Prentice switched him five wide on the home bend, and the Sweet Lou gelding, at a dream quote of $3.40 at his first appearance for three months, charged home to beat Tenzing Bromac ($6.50) by a head, with The Miki Taker ($6) a nose away in third place.

It was an outstanding performance by Never Ending, who is sure to benefit from the run as Prentice prepares him for the $2.1 million TAB Eureka over 2300m at Menangle on September 7.

Never Ending faced an acid test against eleven older and vastly more experienced open-class pacers in Friday night’s 2536m Cup in which he rated 1.56.4 after the final 400m sections (off the front) were covered in 27.8sec. and 28.8sec. The Eureka is restricted to three and four-year-olds.

“I just wanted him to run a good race and make sure I did the right thing for what he needs at this stage of his campaign,” said Prentice, who was celebrating his 36TH birthday. “He will have one or two more runs here before travelling to Sydney where I plan to give him a start at Menangle before the Eureka.

“There’s a 2536m random barrier draw race next Friday but I don’t want to back him up next week. He will have his next start the following Friday when the only event he can contest is a 1730m sprint, which is not ideal for him.

“I think he will like Menangle, the big shape and big sweeping corners. I have been really happy with his steering at home, and he steered very well tonight. He got a bit keen out of the gate when a few of them came out quickly on his outside.

“Coming to the home turn I wanted to give myself plenty of room because in the past he has wanted to run in. He was good and got around the bend well. He was so wide and going so quick that he wanted to lug in a bit.

“I checked him off a little bit when a horse was getting underneath him, and he just over reacted because of the Murphy and the pole. Turning for home he put in a rough one and lost his momentum to some degree. And then he finished powerfully.”

Never Ending began from the No. 4 barrier, and Prentice said that he didn’t want to get involved in anything in the early stages after a fast lead time (67.9sec.). Jumpingjackmac, the $2.50 favourite, dashed straight to the front from barrier three and withstood an early challenge from $126 outsider Hampton Banner, who began speedily from the outside barrier.

Tenzing Bromac, at his first start for 11 weeks, raced wide early and then in the breeze before taking a narrow lead with 220m to travel. The Miki Taker raced three back on the pegs before Aiden de Campo eased him off the inside 550m from home. Jumpingjackmac wilted to finish ninth.

Never Ending was purchased for $75,000 at the 2021 Perth APG yearling sale and is raced by 13 of Prentice’s stable clients, has amassed $606,275 from 15 wins and two placings from 19 starts. He is by American sire Sweet Lou and is the eighth foal out of the Die Laughing mare Endless Journey, who was retired after racing nine times for two placings — a second at Northam as a two-year-old in July 2006 and a third at Bunbury as a three-year-old in April 2007.

Never Ending, bred by Steve Johnson, is the best of Endless Journey’s progeny which includes Isaiah Artois (26 starts for nine wins, six placings and $117,351), Dibaba (164 starts for 17 wins, 29 placings and $112,846) and Mandy Joan (59 starts for 13 wins, 15 placings and $168,564).

Captain Bligh shows what he can do

Prominent New Zealand breeders and owners Syd and Shona Brown had no regrets when they sent their pacing mare Askmenow to Western Australia in 2013 to be trained by Gary Hall snr.

Askmenow won eight times from 30 starts for Hall before being retired with earnings of $112,344 from ten wins and 12 placings from 49 starts.

And the Browns are more than happy that they sent Askmenow’s third foal and fourth foals — Scarlet Ribbon and Captain Bligh — to Hall’s Serpentine stables.

Scarlet Ribbon won three at her four starts in WA before breaking down a couple of times, and now her full-brother Captain Bligh is developing into an extremely smart performer for Hall, having won seven of his first 17 starts in WA.

Captain Bligh, a four-year-old by Captaintreacherous, was the $3.10 favourite when Stuart McDonald drove him to an impressive victory in the $21,000 Perth’s Hit Music Station Nova 93.7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Captain Bligh began speedily from barrier five and burst to the front after 450m before setting a brisk pace and winning by ten metres from $81 outsider Blaze Coops, rating a smart 1.54.6 over 2130m.

Captain Bligh has earned $62,685 and has sound prospects of developing into a contender in the rich feature events for four-year-olds later this year.

The Browns have already enjoyed considerable successes in WA with their pacers, winning the Fremantle Cup with the Tim Butt-trained My Field Marshal and the WA Pacing Cup in January 2023 with the Hall-trained Diego.

“I remember watching Askmenow winning races here about ten years ago soon after I arrived in WA from New Zealand,” said McDonald.

“I wasn’t involved in the early speed in tonight’s race when Loucid Dreams and Blaze Coops ran a fast lead time of 35.4sec.,” said McDonald. “I know that Blaze Coops likes to roll along in front, but I thought if I took her on, she was most likely to hand up to me. And I though Captain Bligh was good enough to do what I wanted him to do.

“When Captain Bligh hits the rail, he is an impressive horse. He can go with some of our better ones in trackwork. When he leads it takes everything they’ve got to get over him. We have always had a good opinion of him.

“The only thing that has held him back is his tractability. If he was a more tractable animal, he would go through the grades quickly. But he makes life hard by hanging, and he likes to lock on one rein. Down on the rail tonight he wasn’t brilliant, but he was a lot better than he usually is. He showed what he can do.”

Otis overcomes poor start

WA-bred six-year-old Otis (Sweet Lou) has never been reliable in standing-start events, and when he lined up on the 20-metre line in the 2503m Nova’s Fresh Country Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night as the $5 third favourite punters were concerned when he broke into a gallop.

He settled down a distant tenth, but trainer Dylan Egerton-Green made a winning move when he dashed him forward with a three-wide burst to move quickly into the breeze while the $4.20 second fancy Caliente was setting a solid pace.

Caliente sprinted the third quarter of the final mile in 27.4sec. but he was unable to hold out Otis, who moved on terms with him at the 400m and then moved clear to go on and win by 1m from $7.50 chance Lucapelo.

It was an excellent performance from the Michael Young-trained Lucapelo, who began on the front line and galloped at the start before settling down at the rear.

Maddison Brown then sent Lucapelo forward soon after the start, and the four-year-old gained an ideal trip behind Otis in the one-out, one-back position.

Egerton-Green, who produced Otis in splendid condition for his first start after a 19-week absence, said: “He’s a quality horse but has a few tricks, and tonight he didn’t get away as good as he can.

“Stands are almost out of the equation now because after this win he will be virtually handicapped out of them.”

Otis, who is owned by his breeder Steve Johnson and his daughter Charlotte, has been a consistent performer who has raced 45 times for 12 wins, 18 placings and stakes of $150,293.

Gear change helps Elwaddell

Four-year-old Elwaddell (American Ideal) disappointed when a beaten favourite last Friday week before bouncing back to form to win the Nathan, Nat and Shaun Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Elwaddell ruined his chances when fifth behind Star Of Willoughby by overracing badly, and part-owner, trainer and driver Lindsay Harper attributed his improvement to a change of gear.

“I had a pulling bit on him last week which he seemed to resent,” said Harper. “So, I took it off and he raced with a normal snaffle bit tonight. We plugged him up and he didn’t overrace.”

Elwaddell, the $1.70 favourite from the No. 2 barrier, challenged the polemarker and $8 chance Lord Publisher hard for the early lead before forging to the front after 300m. He then set a solid pace and won by more than a length from the $4 second fancy Swagger Man, who ran home solidly from sixth at the bell. Lord Publisher was two lengths farther back in third place.

“Once he got to the front, he dropped the bit and ran even quarters,” said Harper. “I think there was plenty left in the tank, and I expect him to keep getting better.

“He had a tough campaign last year when he raced against all the good three-year-olds. He wasn’t quite up to them but did quite well. He is a work in progress, and I think he is a metropolitan horse capable of winning another eight to ten races.”

Elwaddell is by American Ideal and is the third foal out of Hilmore Disco, who raced 80 times for three wins, 22 placings and $38,217.

My Ultimate Baxter does it tough

New Zealand-bred pacer My Ultimate Baxter (Sweet Lou), a winner of five races in Queensland and four in New South Wales, revealed admirable toughness when he challenged unsuccessfully for the early lead and then worked hard in the breeze before scoring an easy victory in the 1730m Kate Mac For Breakfast Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He was the $3.20 second fancy from barrier five, with Whos The Dad the $2.80 favourite from the No. 6 barrier.

The polemarker Get Ya Gets On ($12) set a fast pace, with Chris Lewis, after his early unsuccessful challenge, quite happy to race without cover. My Ultimate Baxter forged to the front on the home turn and dashed away to win by 5m from $18 chance Lamandier, who ran home solidly from eighth at the bell.

Five-year-old My Ultimate Baxter was one of four winners on the nine-event program to be sired by American stallion Sweet Lou, and he looks set for many more wins for Hopeland trainer Debra Lewis.

My Ultimate Baxter has won at five of his 20 starts in WA, with two victories over 1730m and two over 1170m at Pinjarra. He is the third foal out of Bettabe Fast, who raced 45 times in New Zealand for two wins, eleven placings and $21,150 in stakes.

Fortune shines on Arma Xfactor

A healthy slice of good fortune proved to be a vital factor in Arma Xfactor’s (American Ideal) win in the 2130m Vale Wilf Powell Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Arma Xfactor, trained by Colin Brown and driven by his daughter Maddison, was a $7.40 chance who came in from barrier three to No. 2 after the scratching of Lets Get Rockin. But his prospects of leading appeared remote after Aiden de Campo declared before the race that he was hellbent on taking full advantage of the No. 1 barrier by setting the pace with $4.80 chance Hillview Bondi.

The complexion of the race changed dramatically when Hillview Bondi galloped at the start, leaving Arma Xfactor out in front without any pressure and able to stroll through the lead time in a slow 39.2sec. and the opening 400m section in a dawdling 31.4sec.

“I certainly wasn’t confident of getting to the front,” said Maddison Brown. “And an easy lead time and a slow first quarter helped us.”

Arma Xfactor sprinted fast over the final quarters in 27.4sec. and 27.9sec. to win by 5m from $126 outsider Navy Street, who had broken in the score-up and was eighth at the bell before finishing strongly with an inside passage.

However, Navy Street was relegated to fourth after having raced inside the marker pegs in the final stages. Firerockfireroll was promoted from third to second, and the $1.80 favourite Lusaka from fourth to third.

Maddison Brown has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the five-year-old Arma Xfactor, having driven him 25 times for ten wins, one second, three thirds and four fourths. Arma Xfactor now has raced 51 times for 14 wins, eight placings and $146,915.

Arma Xfactor is by American Ideal and is out of Arma Xpress, who earned $279,890 from 12 wins and one second from 18 starts. His full-sisters, six-year-old American Arma and three-year-old Xceptional Arma have also excelled on the track, with American Arma being retired with a record of 50 starts for 11 wins,17 placings and $191,613 in prizemoney, and Xceptional Arma having had 29 starts for 12 wins, 11 placings and $300,460.  Maddison Brown has driven Xceptional Arma to nine of his victories.

Vegas Strip resumes in style

Classy three-year-old Vegas Strip (American Ideal) resumed after a five-month absence in fine style with an all-the-way victory in the Nova Boy’s Race Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The Greg and Skye Bond-trained New Zealand-bred gelding, the $1.20 favourite, had an easy time in front with a slow lead time of 38.7sec. and an opening 400m section in an ambling 31.5sec. before dashing over the final quarters in 28sec. and 28.1sec. to beat the resuming Bet The House ($3.80) by a neck, rating 1.57.8 over 2130m.

“I had talented horses all around me and I didn’t think I’d win so narrowly,” said Deni Roberts after driving Vegas Strip conservatively. However, Vegas Strip was never going to let anything past him. It got a bit close for comfort, and I think next time I will rate him a bit quicker throughout the journey.”

Vegas Strip, whose main mission this year is the rich WA Derby on November 8, is by American Ideal and is out of Vegas Delight, who had 36 starts for five wins, 14 placings and $48,071. After one placing from two starts as a two-year-old in New Zealand Vegas Strip has raced eight times in WA for seven wins and one second placing (behind Grevis).

Vegas Strip’s full-brother Double Up won 13 times for the Bonds in WA, and he is now racing in America, with his record standing at 89 starts for 20 wins, 30 placings and $250,518.

Im Themightylucy, a half-sister to Vegas Strip, has earned $91,814 from 11 wins and six placings from 39 starts. Seven of those wins were in WA, and she has won at her past three starts in May this year, at Port Pirie and twice in Launceston.

Sebastian James revives memories

Sebastian James (Captain Crunch), whose mother died two days after he was born in September 2021, has made a good start to his racing career, following his hard-working third on debut at Pinjarra late last month with an all-the-way success in the $21,000 Nova Nation’s Pace for two-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

His victory revived happy memories for his breeder Steve Johnson, who races the colt in partnership with his daughter Charlotte.

Sebastian James is by American sire Captain Crunch and is out of the unraced Artesian mare Nina Sue, whose dam Like A Dame produced eight winners, including David Hercules, who was bred by Johnson and raced 108 times for Johnon’s wife Jeneen and David Botha for 39 wins, 35 placings and stakes of $1,263,159.

Sebastian James is the only foal out of Nina Sue, who died two days after foaling that pacer. “Nina Sue had two club feet and we decided not to race her,” said Johnson. “She died of complications, and Sebastian James was reared by a thoroughbred mare.”

David Hercules is now 17 years of age and is enjoying his retirement at Johnson’s Serpentine property.

“Sebastian James is a lovely horse,” said Johnson. “He is very green, and we are hoping he will be good enough to race in the major feature events for two-year-olds this year.”

Sebastian James, trained by Katja Warwick, was the $4.30 second fancy in Friday night’s race in which he began from the coveted No. 1 barrier and was driven confidently by Chris Lewis, who sent him straight to the front and was able to get him to relax with a modest lead time of 38.9sec., followed by quarters of 31.9sec., 30.8sec., 29.7sec. and 28.1sec.

He held on to win by a head from $5 chance Captain Stirling, who fought on grandly after racing in the breeze. Lake Pichola, the $2.30 favourite, enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position before finishing fast to be a nose away in third place.

Penny Black shows her class

Penny Black (Sweet Lou), a massive New Zealand-bred mare, gave a sample of her class on Friday night at her first appearance at Gloucester Park with a powerful victory in the $23,000 Smooth FM Perth on Digital Radio Pace.

The $2.70 favourite from the back line in the 2130m event, Penny Black rated 1.56 in notching her sixth win in succession to improve her career record to eleven starts for six wins, two placings and $50,648.

She has a bright future, according to her trainer Michael Young, who said: “She is a big girl, a big truck with a big petrol tank. She is also a nice mover who takes a huge 66-inch hopple, something which is unheard of, and she wears an open bridle and has no head check.”

Penny Black was driven aggressively by Shannon Suvaljko, who allowed her to settle down in tenth position before sending her forward, with a three-wide burst after 600m to quickly move to the breeze outside the pacemaker Dame Valour, the $3.70 second favourite.

“Michael was a bit worried about her racing for the first time at Gloucester Park, but she handled the track without any problems,” said Suvaljko. “I drove her at Pinjarra when she won two starts earlier, and she never gives in. She can reel off quarters of 28, 28 and 28, and she goes faster on the line than she does down the back.”

Penny Black charged into the lead 480m from home and won by just over a length from the $4.40 chance Little Darling, who fought on gamely after making an unsuccessful challenge for the early lead and then gaining an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position.

Penny Black is by Sweet Lou and is the fourth foal out of the unraced Rocknroll Hanover mare Tessa Rocks. Young is planning to give Penny Black her next start in an event for mares next Friday week.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park