Gloucester Park Review

Harness racing review of Gloucester Park from Ken Casellas.

Skilful Hall’s 18th century

Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr notched his 100TH winner for the season when, with the whip tucked under his right arm, he cajoled recalcitrant harness racing pacer Beat City (A Rocknroll Dance) to dig deep and get up in the final stride to beat the pacemaker Regal Cheval by a head in the $25,000 Bridge Bar Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Once again, it was the inherent skill of the 39-year-old maestro which enabled a horse to produce its best when facing almost inevitable defeat.

Regal Cheval, the $3.20 second fancy, set a solid pace and he appeared to have the measure of Beat City, the $2.40 favourite, when he resisted that pacer’s determined challenges over the final stages of the 2130m event.

Supporters of Beat City were perplexed when Regal Cheval was holding Beat City at bay all the way up the home straight — and saw that Hall did not reach for the whip.

But their bewilderment turned to sheer admiration as Hall coaxed the five-year-old Beat City to fight on grandly to snatch victory after a final 800m of 56.5sec.

“I found out early on that Beat City doesn’t like being hit with the whip; he hates the whip,” explained Hall. “Tonight, I pretended to pull the ear plugs on him a couple of times, just to let him know that it was time to go. I finally pulled the plugs half-way up the straight, and he responded.

“Once before when I pulled him out in a race and gave him a cut with the whip he almost pulled up, and I almost fell into the dust sheet.”

BEAT CITY REPLAY

Hall’s milestone of a hundred winners was achieved at the half-way mark of the season, and it gave the master reinsman a century of winners in 18 consecutive seasons and put him firmly on target to end the year with 200 or more winners for the third year in a row, following tallies of 226 and 252 in the two previous seasons.

Beat City, a winner of eight races in Victoria, has flourished under the care of Mundijong trainer Michael Young, and his 25 starts in Western Australia have produced eight wins and 11 placings. He has earned $180,069 from 16 wins and 21 placings from 57 starts.

Walton scores first metro success

Taking six-year-old pacer Valbonne (Mach Three) to the beach at Naval Base every day for a swim and a gallop along the shore is paying dividends for Oldbury hobby trainer Lisa Walton.

Valbonne, the $2.20 favourite, was driven to a smart all-the-way victory by Michael Grantham in the $18,500 Rob Bovell Hall Of Fame Inductee Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night to give  Walton her first metropolitan-class success — and her fifth success as a trainer.

Walton, who works full-time for her husband Brad’s earthmoving business, was delighted that her daughters Lucy (nine) and Estelle (six) were on course on Friday night to cheer for Valbonne as he crossed the line a clear winner over Rupert Of Lincoln ($7.50) and Fanci A Dance ($6.50).

Walton’s father, and biggest supporter, Anthony Iddon, joined in with the family celebrations on Friday night, and Valbonne’s win rekindled memories of his first success as a trainer and driver with 100/1 outsider Van Action, at Gloucester Park in 1969, when he was having his fourth drive in a race.

Not to be outdone, Walton also chalked up her first training success with an outsider when Michael Tenardi guided nine-year-old gelding Crave to an all-the-way win at tote odds of $87.80 at Northam in a 2560m strand on November 11, 2014.

Walton was offered Valbonne by prominent owner Albert Walmsley late last year, and the New Zealand-bred gelding has been prepared by Walton for 20 races for two wins and ten placings for stakes of $33,389.

“Albert offered me the lease of Valbonne with an option to purchase,” said Walton. “And I bought him a couple of months ago, and he won a week later (in a $4,750 midweek event at Gloucester Park).

“Valbonne had a few soundness issues when I first took him, and I have been able to get on top of them, with a change of work and taking him to the beach every day. He has no hoppled runs between races. He is a lovely horse and a delight to train.”

Valbonne, named after a beautiful old town just north of the famous French riviera cities of Nice and Cannes, will make his 100TH appearance in a race at his next outing.

Valbonne has earned $164,826 from 15 wins and 25 placings. He is the second foal out of the unraced Live Or Die mare Sayang, whose first foal Cavalryman has had 81 starts for ten wins, 20 placings and stakes of $55,951.

Galloping Ronald Scott survives

Supporters of classy colt Ronald Scott (Bonavista Bay) had their hearts in their mouths when the $1.04 favourite broke into an uncontrollable gallop in the home straight in the $25,000 Westsired Pace for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Ronald Scott set the pace for trainer-driver Jocelyn Young, who kept a cool head when he galloped over the final 50 metres and won by just under two lengths from the $5 second fancy Reddy To Fly, who had moved to within a head of the pacemaker approaching the home turn.

“I wasn’t worried when Reddy To Fly got close,” said Young. “I knew that Ronald Scott had plenty to give, but I was a bit worried about pulling his ear plugs — after what he did at his previous start when he over-reacted, got jammed up and broke.

“Tonight, he was in the clear, but he was trying to go too fast and got out of his gear. He has been sent back to do a satisfactory trial before racing again.”

Ronald Scott, who had dashed away to be two lengths clear of Reddy To Fly when he broke into a gallop, did not lose any ground and did not make up any ground.

He now has won at three of his six starts for earnings of $27,306. He is by former brilliant pacer Bonavista Bay, who amassed $504,499 from 17 wins and six placings from 33 starts. Included in his notable triumphs were feature Gloucester Park victories in the Golden Nugget in November 2009 and the McInerney Ford Classic the following January.

Ronald Scott’s dam Maybe A Corka raced 65 times for eight wins, 17 placings and $32,021. After six wins in South Australia Mybe A Corka was successful at Albany and Wagin in 2016.

Young is hoping that Ronald Scott will continue to improve and become a candidate for the $225,000 Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings on September 16.

Indomitable Symbol on her best behaviour

Inexperienced filly Indomitable Symbol (Follow The Stars) was somewhat of a problem at her first three starts in which she broke in the score-up at her debut run and then ruined her chances by hanging in at her next two appearances.

But she was on her best behaviour when star reinsman Ryan Warwick guided her to an effortless victory in the $25,000 Westsired Pace for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“She has been a work in progress and has been a bit erratic,” said Warwick. “But she was good tonight when she had a stroll in the park. I didn’t intend to go that slowly.”

Indomitable Symbol completed a double for Warwick and leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who combined to win earlier in the night with classy three-year-old filly In The Spotlight.

The double took the Bond team’s tally of winners for the season to 102 after they had notched their century at Pinjarra four days earlier.

Indomitable Symbol, the $1.20 favourite, was having her first start for eleven weeks. She began smoothly from barrier two and dashed straight to the front before dawdling through the lead time in an extremely slow time of 41.6sec. which was followed by slow quarters of 34.1sec. and 31.7sec. before the filly dashed over the final 400m sections in 29.9sec. and 28.6sec. to beat $13 chance Sugar Boo by 4m, rating 2.5.3.

Indomitable Symbol has raced four times for a win, two seconds and a fifth placing for stakes of $20,153. She is the second foal out of the Saab mare Indomitable, who had 81 starts for 13 wins, 18 placings and $133,759 in prizemoney. Her most notable success was in the group 3 Golden Girls Mile at Pinjarra in April 2015.

Joey James resumes in style

Five-year-old pacer Joey James (Heartland Hanover) has derived considerable benefit from a spell and has been produced in fine fettle by trainer Brad Lynn for impressive victories at his first two appearances in his current campaign.

Joey James was a well-supported $5 second fancy when he lined up at barrier two on the front line in the Jim Hand Hall Of Fame Inductee Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night. Punters were keen to support Joey James after his splendid first-up victory at Pinjarra when he rated 1.55.9 and beat Miss Boudica over 2185m.

The polemarker Pontevivo was slow to begin and dropped back to the rear, and punters gasped when the $3.30 favourite Blitzembye galloped badly off the 20m back mark and settled down 100 metres behind the pacemaker and $6 chance Yankee Lincoln.

Deni Roberts, sporting her new sulky with flashy bright pink wheels, was quite content to take the sit behind Yankee Lincoln. Blitzembye made up his lost ground and he moved forward to be eighth, three wide, at the bell.

Blitzembye sustained his strong run to be fourth with 550m to travel and into second place 300m later. The third quarter of the final mile was run in 28.5sec. and Roberts did not panic, waiting until the field approached the home turn before urging Joey James forward.

Joey James burst to the front 100m from the post and won by a half-length from $7.50 chance Deeorse, who finished solidly after racing three back on the pegs. Yankee Lincoln held on to be third, with the final 400m being covered in 27.6sec.

Joey James was bred and is owned by Lynn’s wife Katrina, and the gelding has earned $57,823 from nine wins and ten placings from 39 starts. He is the first foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Soho Honolulu, whose dam Jupiters Darling won the Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park in February 2005 and retired with earnings of $142,720 from 14 wins and 22 placings from 84 starts.

The Good Life is bred to succeed

Lightly-raced four-year-old The Good Life (Mach Three), an impressive winner of the 2130m Follow @Gloucesterpark On Twitter Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, is bred to succeed.

The gelding is the second foal out of the talented Artistic Copper, who was retired to stud after earning $100,014 from seven wins and three placings from 31 starts. Artistic Copper, bred by Mike Howie, won the group 1 Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies in April 2013, and then the Sales Classic for three-year-olds the following February.

Artistic Copper’s first foal Some Copper Beach won the group 3 Gold Bracelet in July 2019 and earned $100,020 from nine wins and six placings from 39 starts.

The Good Life, trained and driven by Aiden de Campo, was purchased for $57,500 at the 2019 APG Perth yearling sale, and is raced by ten owners, clients of the de Campo stable. He has earned $56,708 from eight wins and nine placings from 28 starts and looks destined to win many more races.

The Good Life, the $1.50 favourite, began from barrier two on the back line and impressed in dashing forward from seventh at the bell to take the lead with 320m to travel on his way to winning by one and a half lengths from $19 chance Allwoods Rocknroll, who finished strongly after trailing the pacemaker Soho Gigolo all the way.

Bell lauds Miss Limelight

Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell was lavish in his praise of Miss Limelight (Bettors Delight) after the New Zealand-bred four-year-old mare had scored a runaway victory in the Andy Sheahan Hall Of Fame Inductee Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“I think she is a really good mare, and I am setting her for the major events for mares later this year,” he said.

Miss Limelight certainly has all the earmarks of developing into a candidate for the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 11, the $150,000 Mares Classic on November 25 and the $50,000 Christmas Belles on December 23.

“Her work has been really good, week after week, but she has been up for a while and deserves a break,” said Bell. “Then after a few weeks off I’ll prepare her for those big races for mares.”

Miss Limelight was third favourite at $7.20 from barrier six, and Kyle Symington did not bustle her early while Lady Jadore ($5.50) sped through the lead time in 35.6sec., with Angel In White, the $2.50 favourite, quickly moving to the breeze.

Miss Limelight was sixth at the bell before Symington set her alight with a three-wide burst which took her to the lead 270m from home. She then careered away from her rivals and won by seven and a half lengths from $41 outsider Miss Lamarr, who finished powerfully from seventh at the bell.

Miss Limelight, owned by Albert Walmsley, is the ninth foal out of Its Showtime, whose fourth foal Elios is a full-sister to Miss Limelight. Elios raced 28 times for ten wins, eight placings and $220,176. His wins included the group 2 2700m Futurity Stakes (beating champion pacer Christen Me) at Waikato in January 2014 and the group 1 Messenger Free-For-All at Alexandra Park in May 2014 when he defeated Franco Nelson and Norvic Nightowl.

Miss Limelight’s 46 starts have produced 13 wins, 12 placings and $128,450.

Classic assignment for In The Spotlight

Smart filly In The Spotlight (Bettors Delight) will be set for the group 3 $30,000 Daintys Daughter Country Classic at Pinjarra next Monday after scoring an impressive victory in the $20,250 Book Now For Xmas In July Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The New Zealand-bred In The Spotlight, owned by Team Bond and prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, overcame the disadvantage of starting from the outside barrier (No. 8) on her way to beating Acharne Girl by a half neck, rating 1.55.9 over the 1730m journey.

In The Spotlight now has won at all her five starts as a three-year-old, and she is an early fancy for the $150,000 WA Oaks on October 14.

In the Spotlight was the $3.90 favourite in an open betting race, and Ryan Warwick seized the initiative by urging her forward, three wide, at the start to quickly move to the breeze, with the $4.40 second fancy Precocious Lady setting a brisk pace. In The Spotlight got to the front on the home turn and won in good style.

“Strength is her main asset,” said Warwick. “She had a preparation last year where things didn’t go right, but in this preparation, everything is falling into place.

“Tonight, we didn’t know where we would end up from the wide draw, so we had to come off the arm just because if we went back we would be left with no other option. If we went forward, we could always go back. So, we had to test the water and see what happened.

“She actually travelled too strongly in the breeze, and even tough she might have appeared to be struggling at the end, that was not the case.”

In the Spotlight has earned $119,005 from eight wins and three placings from 13 starts. She is a half-sister to the four-year-old American Ideal mare Allamericanlover, who has had 16 starts for eight wins, six placings and $102,142.

Jumpingjackmac makes amends

Star four-year-old Jumpingjackmac (Mach Three) made amends for his disappointing effort when a fading fifth behind Magnificent Storm a week earlier when he coasted to a soft win in the $30,000 Royal Force Hall Of Fame Inductee Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He was the $1.40 favourite and was not extended in setting a modest pace and rating a slow 2.2.3 over the 2536m in beating the fast-finishing To Fast To Serious ($11) by just over a length. After leisurely quarters of 32.7sec., 31.1sec. and 29.3sec. Jumpingjackmac dashed over the final 400m in 27sec.

“It was nice to get a trial here at Gloucester Park and to come to the races and get a track workout,” said reinsman Gary Hall jnr. “Last week he was challenged early and got stirred up, and he hadn’t had the runs under his belt to do that.

“I don’t know why others try to cross him, because he has got really good gate speed. When he gets into Cup events he could be used more like a sniper. Obviously, he’d lead if the front was available. Otherwise, driven ice-cold he would be hard to beat because he is so fast; that’s his biggest asset.

“And it was nice to leave the course tonight with him still being my mate.”

Jumpingjackmac’s champion stablemate Chicago Bull was a $5.50 chance in Friday night’s race in which he raced three back on the pegs in the Indian file affair before Callan Suvaljko eased him off the inside and into the breeze approaching the bell. Chicago Bull fought on gamely to finish third. Jumpingjackmac now has had 23 starts for 13 wins and six seconds for earnings of $217,854.

Stamford is making his mark

Trainer Ray Williams and the owners of Stamford (American Ideal) are looking forward keenly to the New Zealand-bred gelding going one better than his champion full-brother Magnificent Storm and winning the $200,000 Golden Nugget in December.

Magnificent Storm finished a neck second to Minstrel in the Golden Nugget in February 2021 and has gone from strength to strength since then.

Stamford obviously does not have an inferiority complex, and he is making a name for himself with his recent deeds at Gloucester Park, including his excellent victory in the 2130m Alan Parker Hall Of Fame Inductee Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“He will go out now and have a bit of a break before coming back to be prepared for the big races for four-year-olds at the end of the year,” said Williams.

STAMFORD REPLAY

Magnificent Storm won the Four-Year-Old Classic and Four-Year-Old Championship in January of last year before finishing second in the Golden Nugget. Now Stamford will be aimed at those three rich feature events this year.

“Stamford has had a bit of a mixed campaign this time,” said Williams. “He won first-up at Northam and then had a bit of a hoof crack before he had a succession of four bad draws and then broke through from barrier six tonight.

“He is a tough horse and he and Magnificent Storm look quite similar. Magnificent Storm will race at Gloucester Park next Friday night when we will be looking forward to Aldo Cortopassi resuming in the sulky after recovering from his injuries received in a fall in April.”

Stamford, driven by Aiden de Campo, was the $3.70 second favourite from barrier six on Friday night, with veteran Rokorico the $2.90 favourite from barrier one.

Longreach Bay ($23) dashed to an early lead before de Campo sent Stamford to the front after 550m. He then set a solid pace and won comfortably at a 1.55.7 rate from Rokorico, who finished strongly from fifth on the pegs at the bell. Longreach Bay also finished determinedly to be third.

The win improved Stamford’s record to 20 starts for 11 wins, four placings and $69,809 in prizemoney.

Lavra Joe resumes in fine style

Brilliant four-year-old Lavra Joe (Roll With Joe) has recovered fully from a damaged nearside front suspensory ligament, and he made a wonderful return to racing after a 55-week absence when Chris Lewis drove him to an effortless victory in the 2130m Beau Rivage Xmas In July Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

During his recovery period Lavra Joe was gelded, and owner-trainer Ray Jones declared that the gelding is now better than he was in his pomp as a two and three-year-old.

“On his work at home, galloping, compared with what he was doing as a three-year-old, he is a better horse and does his work more easily now,” said Jones. “He still has plenty of spirit and holds his condition really well.”

LAVRA JOE REPLAY

Remarkably, Lavra Joe was kept in work by Jones throughout his recuperation. “He has been in work for 12 months,” said Jones. “I never turned him out, because he doesn’t like going in the paddock. He will go into the paddock for two to three hours, but then he wants to get back into his stall.

“I was jogging him for nine months before starting his galloping work in preparation for his comeback to racing. He has had the hopple on only twice (in two recent trials). Jogging didn’t affect his injury or interfere with his recovery. His legs are now as clean as a whistle.

“I was a bit nervous before tonight’s race, because it was such a long time out. He has had a lot of work at home, and I was hoping that I had got it right. And I’m relieved that he got a nice soft race.

“He will probably race again next Friday night, and I’m going to take each race as it comes, heading towards the Golden Nugget.”

Lavra Joe was great value as the $1.70 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier. Lewis gave him an easy time in front before he dashed home with final quarters of 28.5sec. and 27sec. and won by 4m from Typhoon Banner ($2.40) who trailed the leader throughout. He rated 1.55.9 and his record now stands at 35 starts for 21 wins, eight placings and $308,188 in prizemoney.

Delighted to watch Lavra Joe in action for the first time for about two years was part-owner Sayjai Sakaew, who was stranded in Thailand due to COVID protocols until she was able to return to Western Australia two months ago.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park