Gloucester Park review

Gloucester Park harness racing review with Ken Casellas

Shockwave in great comeback

Star pacer Shockwave (Mach Three) delighted his trainer Ryan Bell when he made a wonderful return to racing by cruising to an effortless victory in the $30,000 West Australian Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He showed no signs of his damaged tendon, an injury which kept him out of action for 660 days when Aiden de Campo drove him to a decisive win over Hampton Banner and Arma Einstein, rating 1.56.1 over the 2130m after dashing over the final two quarters in 28.1sec. and 27.1sec.

“You don’t get more awesome than that after such a long time away from racing,” said Bell. “I’m super proud of him. It has been a long haul for us; we’ve all done a fair bit.

“Paul O’Callaghan and the people at Perth Equine have been wonderful. They have guided me and gave me a routine to follow. At the moment there are no set plans for him just yet. He will keep racing and see how he goes.”

SHOCKWAVE REPLAY

Shockwave, a seven-year-old Mach Three stallion, was the $1.80 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of five and de Campo urged him forward when the mobile barrier got the field under way in a bid to get to the front.

But Jocelyn Young was not prepared to surrender the lead with the polemarker Hampton Banner, the $4.60 second favourite. De Campo quickly eased Shockwave back and was happy to rate the horse in the breeze, two lengths back behind the pacemaker.

Shockwave applied pressure to Hampton Banner in the back straight in the final circuit before surging to the front 250m from home. He won by just over a length from Hampton Banner.

“He went super and went to the line with the plugs still in,” said de Campo. “Initially, I was planning to go back and sit him up. But that didn’t happen, and then he relaxed, which was good.”

Shockwave has now raced 48 times for 20 wins, 17 placings and stakes of $532,202, and if he remains injury free will be a leading contender for the rich Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups in the summer.

An easy stroll for star mare

Champion mare Wonderful To Fly (Fly Like An Eagle) enjoyed an easy stroll in front before sprinting over the final 400m in 26.5sec. on her way to winning the $50,000 APG WA final for four-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The $1.30 favourite from barrier one gave trainer-reinsman Shane Young a comfortable time as she coasted through the first three quarters of the final mile in 31sec., 30.9sec. and 30.2sec. and went on to win by two and a half lengths from $4.80 chance Goodfellaz, who trailed the leader throughout.

Wonderful To Fly has amassed $482,755 from 24 wins and nine placings from 40 starts, and she looks certain to increase her earnings on her proposed Eastern States campaign in Queensland and New South Wales in the coming months, leading into the $1.2 million Eureka at Menangle on September 2.

Confusing isn’t it

Line The Starzzz (Four Starzzz Shark) is developing into one of the State’s best trotters, even though she is by former world champion pacer Four Starzzz Shark, and her maternal line traces back to quality West Australian pacers Backin A Jiffy and Backina Falcon.

But breeder and owner Terry Ferguson is not complaining, with Line The Starzzz taking her record to 48 starts for eleven wins, 19 placings and stakes of $100,466 when she scored an impressive victory in the 2503m Beau Rivage Trot at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Ferguson purchased American pacing broodmare Walkin The Line 25 years ago with ambitions of her producing talented pacers to race in Western Australia.

Walkin The Line was in foal to American pacer and $1.2 million earner Village Jiffy when she arrived from America. The foal was Backin A Jiffy, who had 50 starts as a pacer for Ferguson for ten wins, 17 placings and $107,333 in prizemoney.

Walkin The Line’s second foal was Backina Falcon, who raced as a pacer for Ferguson and was retired after 73 starts for 19 wins, 15 placings and $149,385, with his second placing to Baltic Eagle in the WA Pacing Cup in January 2003 the highlight of his career.

Walkin The Line’s next foals were pacers Backina Vision (three wins), Backina Dream (ten wins) and So Not Walkin (seven wins) before her next two foals could not pace and raced as trotters, with Life On The Line winning three wins from 19 starts and Backina Lifetime having 75 starts for 13 wins, 17 placings and $70,053.

LINE IN THE STARZZ REPLAY

To further confuse things Life On the Line’s first foal was a pacer named Paint the Wind, who raced 109 times for 12 wins, 23 placings and $70,505. Her second foal Lifes Delight was by champion pacing sire Bettors Delight, and he raced as a trotter, earning $78,476 from seven wins and 22 placings.

Line The Starzz is the fourth foal out of Life On the Line, and she showed a touch of class on Friday night when her 2.5 rate was the fastest winning mile rate by a mare in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park, lowering the 2.5.9 rate recorded by Luvaflair when she won by two lengths from Line The Starzz on October 12, 2021.

Line The Starzz was the third fancy at $4.50 on Friday night when she raced in third position in an Indian file affair for the first 1500m before Dylan Egerton-Green eased her off the pegs and into the breeze outside the pacemaker and $4.80 chance Sky Eagle. Line The Starzzz burst to the front 600m from home and won comfortably from the $2.70 favourite Posseidon, who trailed the leader for the final 1000m and fought on doggedly in the home straight.

“Line The Starzzz had leg issues as a three and four-year-old, but they’re all good now,” said Ferguson. “It was quite funny after the race when Dylan said to me that he thought that the mare was going that fast when he pulled her out that he had to look down to make sure that she wasn’t pacing.”

Four Starzzz Shark, a winner of 25 races and $2,537,267, certainly has proved his worth as the sire of the square gaiter Line The Starzzz, but he will always be better remembered in Australia as the sire of champion pacers Lennytheshark, Frith, Molly Kelly and Jilliby Kung Fu.

Talks Up A Storm changes tune

Speedy frontrunner Talks Up A Storm (Artspeak) relished a change from his successful racing pattern of setting the pace when Kyle Harper took a conservative approach and drove him with a sit in the 1730m Westside Auto Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Talks Up A Storm, trained by Murray Lindau, was a $5.60 chance from the No. 5 barrier, and he raced in the one-out and two-back position before surging home from sixth at the 500m to get up in the final couple of strides to win by a neck from the pacemaker and $2.20 favourite James Butt, rating a smart 1.54.4.

“It is hard to cross (to the front) in 1730m events beginning in the home straight and with the first bend coming up quickly,” said Harper. “I couldn’t see Talks Up A Storm crossing James Butt (from barrier one) and I didn’t want to risk being in the breeze.

“His previous start (fifth behind Arma Einstein) was a touch disappointing, while his two starts before that were excellent. He is a bit hit and miss. When he turns up, he is excellent, but when he doesn’t, it leaves us scratching our heads.

“Tonight, we decided to drive him conservatively. Murray has freshened him up and produced him at his best this week. Running 28.6sec. coming into the bell had him off the bridle, and my confidence dipped a little bit.

“Then about the 500m he was back on the bridle, and soon after that we got shifted three wide, and I was content to go with it and he kept changing gears and found the line strongly. I didn’t release the plugs even tough it was a tight finish. In previous runs when I pulled the plugs, I didn’t get much of a reaction. We weren’t getting the required result you normally get when you pull the plugs.”

Lindau said that he couldn’t complain with how Talks Up A Storm had performed during his 53-start career of 13 wins, 14 placings and stakes of $210,264.

“He has tested me all the way along — about what horse who turns up for his races,” he said. “And I’ve had a fair share with health issues with him.”

Change suits Onesmartfella

A change in training workouts for Onesmartfella (Tintin In America) has proved successful, with the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old returning to his best form and ending a losing sequence of seven with a strong win in the 1730m Team Bond Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Onesmartfella, the $5.10 second fancy, was driven to perfection by Chris Voak, who angled the gelding from out wide at barrier seven into the one-out, one-back position before finishing strongly to get to the front 70m from the post and winning by a half-length from the $1.95 favourite Cherishthememories, who set a solid pace after working hard to get to the front 500m after the start.

Voak was granted permission by the stewards to drive Onesmartfella ahead of Troopingofthecolor, a five-year-old he trains.  Troopingofthecolor, driven by Aiden de Campo, raced at the rear and did not show up, finishing last in the field of nine.

Jemma Hayman, who trains Onesmartfella, said that she was disappointed with him when he finished second to Bettorstartdreaming last Friday week.

“I thought he should have won,” said Hayman. “So, I switched his training over the past couple of weeks, easing him up a bit and taking him off his day-by-day jog work on the heavy sand. He was probably getting a bit muscle sore and leg weary. Now, the lighter work seems to suit him.”

Onesmartfella, a Tintin In America gelding, has earned $88,400 from ten wins and 13 placings from 43 starts.

Mea Culpa likes to charge

Consistent New South Wales-bred pacer Mea Culpa (Art Major) is at his best when he leads, and outstanding young reinsman Kyle Symington took full advantage of the No. 1 barrier by guiding him to an easy all-the-way win in the 2130m Channel Seven Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“He goes a lot better when he’s on the bit and charging,” said Symington. “He was like that tonight when he didn’t pull and travelled well on the bit. He won quite easily.”

MEA CULPA REPLAY

Symington has formed a splendid association with the Nathan Turvey-trained Mea Culpa, having driven him at 15 of his 20 WA starts for seven wins and six placings. The Art Major gelding’s WA record is eight wins and seven placings, after winning eight races in Victoria. He now boasts a career record of 97 starts for 16 wins, 32 placings and stakes of $139,440.

Turvey was not at Gloucester Park to watch Mea Culpa in action. Instead, he spent the evening at Wagin where he landed a double, driving Sanford Harry ($3.30) and I See Fire ($3.10) to victory.

Mea Culpa was favourite at $1.50, and he was not extended in beating the $3.70 second fancy The Code Breaker, rating 1.57.6 after final quarters of 27.7sec. and 28.8sec.

Hillview Bondi gets the job done

Hillview Bondi (Somebeachsomewhere), the $1.60 favourite from the No. 1 barrier in the 1730m Hamilton Content Creators Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, gave his supporters a scare when he was beaten for early speed by $13 chance Whos The Dad and $61 outsider Cheer The Major.

With Whos The Dad setting the pace after flying out from barrier seven, and with Cheer the Major working in the breeze Hillview Bondi was under lock and key behind the pacemaker.

However, Kyle Symington did not panic, and he waited until he got an opportunity to ease off the pegs 350m from home. Hillview Bondi then ran home determinedly to get up in the final stride to win by a nose from Whos The Dad, rating a smart 1.53.4, the fastest time of his 46-start career which now stands at ten wins and 18 placings for earnings of $84,079.

“It has happened before when he has drawn barrier one,” said Symington. “He’s away with the fairies a bit. He always gets away okay, though he gets away better with horses either side of him.

“When the breeze horse (Cheer The Major) dropped off a bit I was able to ease off, and then I was surprised that Hillview Bondi sprinted as good as he did. I don’t think he has ever won a race from behind. He has won most races either by leading or racing in the breeze. Initially, after getting into the clear, he laboured, but in the straight he got going again.”

Hillview Bondi, who is trained by Ryan Bell, is by Somebeachsomewhere, and is the twelfth and last foal out of the Safely Kept mare Maid For Life, who was retired after having three unplaced runs at the end of 2002.

Maid For Life, whose full brother Bank The Money raced 246 times for 31 wins, 68 placings and $152,969, produced seven winners, including Dredlock Rockstar, who earned $283,502 from his 22 wins and 50 placings from 171 starts. His final victory was as a 12-year-old when he defeated Patrickthepiranha at Gloucester Park in February 2021.

Nullarbor Navajo is still learning

Young trainer-reinsman Corey Peterson predicted a bright future for Nullarbor Navajo (Betterthancheddar) after driving the six-year-old mare to victory in the 2130m Xmas In July Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“She has a lot of ability and I like her a lot,” said Peterson. “She has a lot of bottom to her, but mentally she is still learning and needs to mature. She should be better after a break.”

NULLARBOR NAVAJO REPLAY

Nullarbor Navajo, the $3.60 second fancy from barrier two on the back line, began a three-wide forward move approaching the bell before getting to the front 45m from the post and beating the fast-finishing $6.50 chance Sovrana by a neck, rating 1.56.7

“I was happy that I lobbed in a good position in the moving line,” said Peterson. “I didn’t want to get covered up, so I moved three wide coming in for the bell. She went super last week (when finishing strongly into fourth place behind Taking The Miki in the group 3 WASBA Breeders Stakes) but tonight she didn’t feel as sharp as she normally does.

“I was worried at the top of the straight, and we only got home in 30.4sec.”

Nullarbor Navajo is owned by Albany trainer Cheyenne King-Davies and her father Ken, and her win on Friday night ended a losing sequence of eleven, stretching back to her win in the Denmark Cup at Albany in February 2022. She now has raced 36 times for nine wins, eleven placings and $76,181 in stakes.

She is by American sire Betterthancheddar and is out of the Courage Under Fire mare Teen Dreams, who won three country races from 34 starts in Victoria.

Nullarbor Navajo has inherited some of the ability of her maternal great granddam Larrakeyah Lady, a winner of eleven races, including the $60,000 Victoria Sires Stakes for four-year-old mares at Moonee Valley in November 1989 in which brilliant WA mare Mazzini Magic finished third as an odds-on fancy.

Larrakeyah Lady was a highly successful broodmare who produced nine winners of 183 races, including Safe And Sound, who earned $995,606 from his 33 wins and 30 placings from 84 starts, including the South Australian Cup at Globe Derby Park in January 2000 and the Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley in February when eh defeated Shakamaker by a short half-head.

Jett Star loves the breeze

Smart New Zealand-bred pacer Jett Star (Bettor’s Delight) maintained his excellent form when he was a $4.70 chance and had a tough run without cover before winning easily from the pacemaker and $1.36 favourite Alcopony in the 2130m Sky Channel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Jett Star, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, began from the outside barrier in the field of seven and Deni Roberts had no hesitation in sending the five-year-old forward to race outside Alcopony.

After opening quarters of 30.3sec. and 29.7sec. the final 400m sections were covered in 28sec. and 27.4sec., with Jett Star recording a good mile rate of 1.56.2.

“He loves being in the breeze, and tonight he got across there pretty easily,” said Roberts. “He does his best racing there, even better than being in front.”

Jett Star has been a most consistent performer, with his 32 starts producing 16 wins, seven seconds and one third for stakes of $185,622.

Dont Bother Me None overcomes flat tyre

Strong New Zealand-bred pacer Dont Bother Me None (Bettor’s Delight) defied the distinct disadvantage of a punctured sulky tyre for two laps by producing a tigerish effort to score an easy victory in the 2130m Direct trades Supply Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The Bettors Delight five-year-old began from the outside barrier in the field of seven and he settled down in last position before Deni Roberts sent him forward with a three-wide burst to move to the breeze 450m after the start.

Dont Bother Me None, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, was great value at $8.30, with noted frontrunner The Mustang the $1.75 favourite from barrier two and Machnificent a $2.50 chance from the No. 1 barrier.

The Mustang began swiftly and led by almost a full length in the early stages but was unable to cross Machnificent. Roberts sent Don’t Bother Me None to the front with 500m to travel and he beat his veteran stablemate and $34 outsider Galactic Star by two lengths, rating 1.55.1.

“Once Machnificent and The Mustang had been involved in that early burn the plan was for Deni to pop forward to the breeze,” said Greg Bond. “To the horse’s credit he carried a flat tyre for the final two laps.

“The Mustang clipped a wheel of Dont Bother Me None’s sulky at the winning post the first time. The tyre was completely flat, and to carry it for two laps was a huge effort.”

All Dont Bother Me None’s 47 starts have been in Western Australia, and he has earned $180,577 from 18 wins and 11 placings. And his win on Friday night could be his final appearance in Australia, with Bond revealing that the horse was being sought by American interests.

“He is under offer to the States,” said Bond. “He will be checked out by the vet next week, and his future will be in America if he passes the test.”

Dont Bother Me None is a full-brother to Micky Gee (118 starts for 33 wins, 27 placings and $672,143) and Anytime (126 starts for 27 wins, 31 placings and $279,903).

Bazaar Package causes an upset

Astute trainer-reinsman Aldo Cortopassi had no great expectations for Bazaar Package (Ultimate Machete) at her city debut in the 2130m TABtouch Pace for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night after she had managed just only one placing, a third at Pinjarra, from five country appearances.

However, Bazaar Package, the rank outsider at $44, caused an upset when she gave a bold frontrunning exhibition to win by three lengths from the $2.35 favourite Pecunious.

Bazaar Package was smartest to begin from the No. 3 barrier and she took up the running after 300m from the $3.20 second fancy and polemarker Seaside Gem.

Bazaar Package relished her frontrunning role and was not extended in winning from debutant Pecunious, who finished solidly from fifth at the bell.

“She is a nice filly and I like her,” said Cortopassi. “But she has a few issues and I have been working through them. I have been teaching her in country races to settle down. She has been getting herself all hyped up and angry, and now it is nice having her to settled down better. “I think she is the first foal by Ultimate Machete to win at Gloucester Park.”

The New Zealand-bred Ultimate Machete was retired after racing 32 times for 13 wins, 11 placings and stakes of $823,896. He finished second to the brilliant Vincent in both the New South Wales Derby and the New Zealand Derby at Addington in 2017.

Ultimate Machete created a big impression at his four starts at Gloucester Park where he won the group 1 Four-Year-Old Classic from Handsandwheels and the group 1 Golden Nugget from Maczaffair late in 2017 before finishing fourth behind My Hard Copy, Lazarus and Chicago Bull in the 2018 Fremantle Cup.

Bazaar Package is the fourth foal out of Secret Dragon, who earned $63,819 from nine wins and 13 placings from 60 starts. Secret Dragon is also the dam of Follow The Dragon (68 starts for six wins, 18 placings and $53,100) and Gypsy Dragon (29 starts for four wins, ten placings and $34,577).

Bazaar Package is owned by Albany residents Bob and Ruth Poolman, who purchased the filly for $17,000 at the APG 2022 Perth yearling sale. She has earned $13,565 from her one win and one third from six starts.

Lusaka is a Derby prospect

New Zealand-bred colt Lusaka is developing into a leading contender for the $200,000 WA Derby on November 3, following his impressive victory in the 2130m The Trots WA Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The Sweet Lou pacer, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, is unbeaten at five appearances as a three-year-old and his easy win over Franco Mecca and Star Lavra took his record to nine starts for seven wins, one third and stakes of $58,070.

Lusaka was the $1.30 favourite from the No. 1 barrier on Friday night, and Deni Roberts had an armchair drive in guiding him to an all-the-way one and a half length win at a 1.58.5 rate after sprinting over the final 400m sections in 27.5sec. and 27.6sec.

“It was nice to see him run a 55.1sec. final half,” said Roberts, who completed a treble on the night after wins earlier in the program with Dont Bother Me None and Jett Star. The three winners were prepared by the Bond camp.

“Lusaka has really filled out and developed. He was a bit lanky and a bit green as a two-year-old. He has come back right in the zone, and the stable has a few horses heading for the Derby — Lusaka, Fess Up, Cotton On and a couple of others at home.

Fess Up, a colt by Bettors Delight, has won five races, and Cotton On, a gelding by Vincent, is unbeaten in five WA runs.

Lusaka, who finished third behind Never Ending and Skylord in the Golden Slipper last September, won at his only New Zealand appearance when he beat Rakero Raider by three lengths over 1980m at Addington last July.

His half-brother Kenya ended a losing sequence of 21 when he won over 2200m at Launceston last Friday week. That took his record to 94 starts for ten wins, 25 placings and stakes of $85,689.

For complete Gloucester Park results, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park