Gloucester Park review

Young celebrates first group success

Michael Young, an emerging star amongst the ranks of harness racing’s trainers, celebrated his first success in a feature race group event when the richly talented Emily Suvaljko produced a perfect drive to land Doc Holliday an impressive winner of the $50,000 Hoist Torque Australia Four And Five-Year-Old Championship at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The 33-year-old Young is now hoping Doc Holliday will give him another group 2 victory when he contests the $50,000 Easter Cup next Friday.

Doc Holliday was a $18.80 chance from barrier two on the back line in Friday night’s 2130m event when the 21-year-old Suvaljko had the option of trailing the $3.50 favourite Dont Bother Me None in the one-wide line.

But she opted to restrain the big New Zealand-bred five-year-old at the start and then angled him across to the inside to settle down three back on the pegs, following the $12 chance Arma Einstein.

Jasperevellabeach set a solid pace with Ima Fivestar General ($18) in the breeze, followed by Dont Bother Me None.

Colin Brown eased Arma Einstein off the inside at the 500m and the four-year-old sprinted fast to get to the front 200m later. Suvaljko simply was able to follow Arma Einstein every step of the way, and Doc Holliday surged to the front at the 50m and won by 2m, rating 1.55.2. Ideal Agent ($3.60) finished strongly from tenth at the bell to be third, with his stablemate Dont Bother Me None finishing fourth.

“The win didn’t surprise me,” said Young. “He was always going to need a lot of luck from his draw, and he got it. He was good enough to take advantage of it.

“Doc Holliday is a big dope, and he doesn’t have a particular strength, and we have often overdriven him because he is so sluggish. We have driven him soft only twice and he has performed very well both times, including tonight.”

Doc Holliday has performed strongly in WA after winning at three of his 24 New Zealand starts. His 16 WA starts have produced seven wins and four placings. Doc Holliday’s full-sister Best Western raced 27 times for three wins, 16 placings and $171,976, with the highlight of her career being her victory over Belle Of Montana and Wainui Creek in the group 1 Northern Oaks at Alexandra Park in March 2019.

Young is in his third season as a trainer and has had 390 starters for 88 winners and 112 placings.

A stand for Nevermindthechaos?

Brilliant young pacing mare Nevermindthechaos will compete in her first standing-start event, the $30,000 Race For Roses next Friday fortnight, provided she qualifies with a satisfactory trial in a stand.

“She has plenty of good races coming up,” said part-owner and trainer Michael Young after Gary Hall jnr had driven her to a narrow victory in the 2130m Hoist Solutions Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“She will probably have another start next Friday before running in the Race For Roses, and after that there’s a $50,000 Westbred event for mares and a $50,000 APG feature event.”

Nevermindthechaos, the $1.50 favourite, raced in the breeze, with the $3.60 second fancy Three Rumours setting a brisk pace on Friday night before Hall sent her to the front on the home turn. She then had to fight on doggedly to beat Three Rumours by a head, rating 1.56.

After a modest lead time of 38.2sec. and an opening quarter of 29.9sec. the final 400m sections were covered in 28.6sec., 28.5sec. and 28.4sec. — a splendid 1min. 25.5sec. for the final 1200m.

“It takes a good mare to run those sectionals, three days after winning at a 1.53.4 rate over 1730m,” said Young.

Hall was impressed with the win, saying: “She felt super. She probably relaxed a bit better than she did over the 1730m on Tuesday. She still got a little bit keen, but she has a really good motor.

“I wasn’t going to pull the plugs, but I pulled them at the 100m because Three Rumours was kicking back. Nevermindthechaos loves racing and there is no real reason to put her head in front until you need to. Tonight, she got to the lead on her own steam, but I gave her a few flicks late to keep her mind on the job.”

Rockaball bounces back

Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Rockaball was in a bad state after finishing last when racing first-up after a three-month absence a month ago. He was suffering from severe heat exhaustion and almost collapsed in the wash bay after the race.

“I was lucky that Mel McGregor (the course veterinarian) helped to look after him,” said part-owner and trainer Caris Hamilton-Smith. “It took him a long time to get over his heat exhaustion. We gave him a little rest when we were able to treat him for a few little niggles.”

Rockaball resumed racing when he contested the 2130m Hoist Torque Taking You To New Heights Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he gave a polished frontrunning display to score an easy victory over Whoswhointhezoo and McArdles Gem.

“His work before tonight’s race was fantastic, and I felt he was nearly back to his best. It was basically trackwork for him (with a slow lead time of 38.2sec. and modest opening quarters of 31.5sec. and 30.1sec.) before he came home in 27.8sec. and 28.3sec., said Hamilton-Smith.

Rockaball, the $1.90 favourite, started from the prized No. 1 barrier and gave Micheal Ferguson an armchair drive. After winning at two of his 12 New Zealand starts Rockaball has had 28 starts in WA for Hamilton-Smith for nine wins and four placings to take his career record to 40 starts for 11 wins, seven placings and stakes of $92,679.

He is by Rock N Roll Heaven and is the first foal out of Shezaball, who raced 30 times for eight wins, eight placings and $57,320.

“Hopefully, there will be a group 2 race coming up soon in his grade,” said Hamilton-Smith. “I think he is a better horse, sat up, and I think he will make it to Free-For-All company.”

Rockaball suffered severe damage to his nearside foreleg when he stepped on a nail in a paddock in mid-2019, an injury which required surgery and kept him on the sidelines for 23 months.

Mister Bushido proves his worth

Nine-year-old Mister Bushido has been living in the shadow of his illustrious younger full-brother Diego, but he showed his worth with a fighting win in the 2130m Hoist Torque Vertical Transport Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The veteran performer celebrated his 88TH start when he was an $8.20 chance and caused a notable upset when he defeated the $1.25 favourite Alta Rhett by a nose.

Mister Bushido trailed the pacemaking Alta Rhett and was badly blocked for a clear passage on the home turn before Gary Hall jnr got him into the clear 120m from the post after the breeze runner Alice Kay began to tire. Mister Bushido got up in the final stride and rated 1.58.2 in ending a losing sequence of 18 stretching back to September 2020.

Mister Bushido, owned by Karen Hall and trained by her husband Gary Hall snr, won four times in New Zealand and his 67 starts in Western Australia have produced nine wins and 19 placings.

Diego has been one of the Hall stable’s star performers this season, with his last-start victory over Papinik in the group 2 Pinjarra Cup boosting his earnings to $219,684 from 15 wins and 14 placings from 58 starts.

Mister Bushido’s win on Friday night completed a double for Hall jnr, who had won the previous event with Nevermindthechaos. Hall also finished the meetings with two seconds — behind Zazu and Heez Our Perseus.

Mattjestic Star ends a drought

Eleven-year-old Mattjestic Star ended a losing sequence of 40 when he relished his pacemaking role and beat the $1.50 favourite Heez Our Perseus in the 2130m Hoist Torque Rent A Gen Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The veteran pacer, part-owned and prepared by Wanneroo trainer Julie O’Neill, was the $6.70 second fancy from his favourable No. 2 barrier, and he tested the skill of Kyle Harper with his normal hard-pulling style.

Heez Our Perseus began from barrier six and settled down in sixth position in the Indian file affair in the field of seven until Gary Hall jnr eased him off the pegs 900m from home. He was then forced three wide before moving to the breeze at the 700m.

He overhauled Mattjestic Star with 400m to travel and led by a length but was unable to cross to the pegs. Mattjestic Star rallied and regained the lead in the home straight to beat his rival by just under a length.

Mattjestic Star won 14 races in New South Wales before heading to Western Australia where he has raced 124 times for six wins. His overall record stands at 2014 starts for 20 wins, 36 placings and $194,585 in prizemoney.

By the American sire Royal Mattjesty, Mattjestic Star is out of Star Of Mia, who has also produced durable performers in Star Writer (226 starts for 27 wins, 62 placings and $232,918) and Joes Star of Mia (127 starts for 36 wins, 41 placings and $530,511). Joes Star Of Mia won 17 times in New South Wales before winning another 19 raced in America.

Breakthrough win for Hittheroadjack

Ultra-consistent pacer Hittheroadjack scored a notable victory in the $20,250 Hoist Torque Vertical Transport Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night. It was his first win from five appearances at harness racing’s delightful city headquarters.

Reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green has formed a strong association with the Greg and Skye Bond-trained New Zealand-bred five-year-old, having now driven him seven times for four wins.

Hittheroadjack was great value at $9, simply because he had drawn the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line in the field of twelve.

Zazu, the $2.05 favourite from the No. 1 barrier, was smartest to begin, and Egerton-Green made his intentions perfectly clear when he aggressively sent Hittheroadjack forward with an early three-wide burst to move to the breeze.

Zazu sprinted over the third 400m section of the final mile in 27.9sec. in a bid to dull Hittheroadjack’s finishing effort. However, Hittheroadjack did not falter, and he took a narrow lead about 45m from the post and beat Zazu by a half neck, rating 1.57.4 over the 2130m journey.

Hittheroadjack is by former star New Zealand pacer Terror To Love and is the second foal out of New Zealand mare Blackjacky, who raced 64 times for seven wins, 12 placings and $54,104 in prizemoney. Hittheroadjack’s seven wins and four placings from 13 WA starts have boosted his record to 26 starts for nine wins, 11 placings and $69,280.

Vespa is a little warrior

Six-year-old Vespa lined up for his tenth start in the space of nine weeks in his current campaign when he began from barrier four and a hot $1.40 favourite in the 2130m Hoist Torque Solutions Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

And the New Zealand-bred Mach Three gelding described by his trainer Michael Young as a “little warrior” added further lustre to his standing as an iron horse by scoring an effortless victory.

Emily Suvaljko wisely did not bustle Vespa in the early stages, and the gelding settled down in fourth position before she urged him forward to take the lead after 450m. “Vespa is not a horse who likes to breeze, so I delayed my challenge for the lead until I was sure I would get to the front,” she said.

This completed a treble for Young, after early wins with Nevermindthechaos and Doc Holliday, and it brought up three wins in successive events for Suvaljko, who had scored with Doc Holliday and Twobob Cracker.

It was a notable moment for the 33-year-old Young, giving him his first training treble at a metropolitan meeting.

“We have had Vespa for a bit over a year, and he has a great constitution and just races all the time,” said Young.

In 13 months of racing in Western Australia Vespa has had 43 starts for eight wins and 13 placings, improving his career record to 74 starts for 12 wins, 17 placings and $160,795. He is the eighth foal out of the In The Pocket mare Gemside, who raced 39 times for two wins, 11 placings and $19,719.

Twobob Cracker set for Easter Cup

Promising four-year-old Twobob Cracker is a standing-start specialist who earned a run in the $50,000 Easter Cup next Friday when he won the Taking You To New Heights Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Hopeland trainer Glenn Elliott, who races Twobob Cracker in partnership with Stephen Wojtowicz, said he was keen for the Art Major gelding to run in the Easter Cup.

Twobob Cracker has contested eleven standing-start events for six wins and four placings — and he again began smoothly in Friday night’s event, in which he was driven perfectly by Emily Suvaljko, who was content to trail the pacemaker Gee Smith.

Gee Smith, a $4.40 second fancy, dashed over the third 400m section of the final mile in 28.2sec. in a bid to take the edge of his rivals. Twobob Cracker, a $7.20 chance, looked to be in serious trouble when he was hopelessly hemmed in on the pegs approaching the home turn.

But when the breeze horse Major Artist began to wilt, Emily Suvaljko was able to ease Twobob Cracker off the pegs 120m from the post. Twobob Cracker finished strongly to get to the front in the final 30m and beat Gee Smith by a length.

Twobob Cracker is the first foal out of Where Dreams Grow, who raced 62 times for 12 wins, 14 placings and stakes of $103,800. Where Dreams Grow is a half-sister to Rabchenko, who earned $163,807 from 16 wins and 21 placings from 113 starts. Twobob Cracker, who was sold for $22,500 at the 2019 APG Perth yearling sale, has earned $59,122 from eight wins and 11 placings from 42 starts.

Firsts For Fergusons

Former New Zealand trainer-reinsman Brian Ferguson (53) celebrated his first Friday night metropolitan-class winner when his 24-year-old son Micheal drove a patient race to land $8.20 chance Lethal Edition a smart winner of the $20,250 Hoist Torque Australia Pace for two-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The win was also a notable occasion for Micheal Ferguson. It was his first metro-class driving double in a burgeoning career of 194 winners. He was successful at his only other drive at the meeting — behind Rockaball in the opening event.

Lethal Edition began from the outside barrier in the field of five, and Ferguson was content to race in last position while Soho Firestone ($2.50) set a fast pace as he defied a spirited challenge for the lead from the $1.95 favourite Major Overs.

A fast opening 400m section of 28.2sec. was followed by 29.1sec. and 29.9sec. quarters, leaving the two frontrunners susceptible to a late challenge.

Chris Lewis eventually got to the front with Major Overs 300m from the finish, and Lethal Edition was still last on the home turn where Lethal Edition was winding up, three wide, for a late charge. Lethal Edition overhauled Major Overs about 15m from the post and he scored an impressive victory, rating 1.57.9 over 1730m. After the hectic tempo, the final 400m was covered in a slow 31.7sec.

“From barrier five, I didn’t think we could get across early, so I decided to stay out of it,” said Micheal Ferguson. “Lethal Edition will now go to the paddock before coming back to be prepared for the big races, the Pearl, Golden Slipper and Westbred Classic.”

Brian Ferguson trained and drove a group feature event for two-year-olds at Auckland’s Alexandra Park as well as driving winners at Cambridge, Manawatu, Waikato, Hawera and Morrinsvle.

Lethal Edition, bred and owned by Denise Trobe and Adrian Staltari, is by former Victorian-bred star pacer Bling It On and is the sixth foal out of the Safely Kept mare Hindu Sitara (42 starts for nine wins, 12 placings and $97,607), who produced Deluxe Edition, who earned $129,095 from 11 wins and 23 placings from 61 starts.

Bling It On earned $1,882,957 from 49 wins and 24 placings from 100 starts. He was a brilliant youngster, having 14 starts as a two-year-old for nine wins and five placings in New South Wales. Later, he went on to win group 1 feature events, the Queensland Derby in July 2014, the 2017 Hunter Cup at Melton and the 2019 Victoria Cup at Melton.

To view the results from Gloucester Park on Friday night click here.

By Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park