Gloucester Park review

Gloucester Park harness racing review with Ken Casellas.

Magical moment for Roberts

With an exultant wave of the whip and saluting to the skies Deni Roberts celebrated a memorable milestone in a burgeoning career in the sulky when she drove Dont Bother Me None (Bettor’s Delight) to an emphatic victory in the $23,750 Remembering Blake Live Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

DONT BOTHER ME NONE REPLAY

This gave the 27-year-old Roberts her first metropolitan-class Friday night treble, following wins earlier in the program with Steel The Show and Tenzing Bromac.

Roberts is riding on the crest of a wonderful wave and in the space of 12 days she has landed 12 winners, five seconds and one third placing from 29 drives. After Friday night’s meeting Roberts was in third place in the State drivers’ premiership table with 24 wins, 15 seconds and 16 thirds, trailing Shannon Suvaljko (33 wins) and Gary Hall jnr (29 wins).

Roberts, whose first winner was with Leftrightgoodnight in a C3 event at Pinjarra on August 3, 2015, had an interesting drive behind Dont Bother Me None on Friday night when the New Zealand-bred five-year-old, the $2.90 second fancy, raced fiercely in the breeze while the $2.70 favourite Pradason was setting a brisk pace in the 2130m event with quarters of 30.3sec., 28.7sec. and 27.6sec. before Dont Bother Me None surged to the front 420m from home and went on to win by 8m from the fast-finishing Eldaytona ($4.20), with the final 400m taking 28.4sec. and the winner rating 1.55.

“Running those sort of times is his strength,” said Roberts. “I would have liked to have rated outside of Pradason a bit more, but when a horse is charging like that you don’t have much choice. He really fired up, but I don’t think that is a problem for him.

“He hit the front a lot earlier than I wanted to, and he didn’t really settle until turning into the home straight.”

Roberts admitted that gaining her first city treble was a thrill. “I had been close a few times, including the previous Friday,” she said. That was when Master Yossi led and was beaten by a half-head in the final stride by Onesmartfella after Roberts had won earlier in the program with Vulcan Star and Dont Bother Me None.

Roberts went close to a remarkable feat of winning with all her five drives on Friday night. Apart from her three winners she drove Street Hawk and Minstrel into second place, with Street Hawk beaten by a neck by Alcopony, and Minstrel finishing a half-length behind Glenledi Chief.

Dont Bother Me None gave champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond their fourth winner of the night, following earlier wins with Steel The Show, Tenzing Bromac and Glenledi Chief.

Roberts now has driven Dont Bother Me None three times for two wins and a second placing. The Bettors Delight stallion has had all of his 40 starts in Western Australia for 15 wins, ten placings and $132,815.

First-time owners enjoying success

Veteran trainer Kevin Keys is gaining great satisfaction with the wins of Alcopony (Betting Line), a four-year-old gelding he bred and races in partnership with first-time owners Mark Tonkin, Catherine Yap and Jo Jo and Aaron Van Vliet.

Alcopony, an $18.30 chance, notched his fourth win from his past seven starts when he finished strongly and caused an upset in beating the hot $1.40 favourite Street Talk in the $30,000 Warwick Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Alcopony was driven perfectly by Mitch Miller, who quickly manoeuvred the gelding into the one-out, one-back position, trailing Street Hawk, who was working in the breeze with $6.50 chance Ifeel Sikdarl setting a solid pace.

Street Hawk finished determinedly and hit the front with 25m to travel. But he just failed to hold out the fast-finishing Alcopony, who got up in the final couple of strides. Ifeel Sikdarl held on to finish third, well ahead of the fourth placegetter, the $126 outsider Justlike Turbo.

“Alcopony is a handy and honest horse, and when he gets a run to suit him, which we thought he would tonight, he’s a winning chance,” said the 74-year-old Keys.

Alcopony, who is by the American sire Betting Line, has earned $81,545 from nine wins and nine placings from 32 starts.

Glenledi Chief is simply awesome

Star reinsman Gary Hall jnr described Glenledi Chief (Well Said) as awesome after he had driven the New Zealand-bred six-year-old to an impressive victory in the $30,000 Remembering Diver Hughes Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Hall did not bustle the $1.80 favourite at the start from barrier No. 5 and was content to settle the gelding in seventh position in the field of eight before dashing him forward after a little more than a lap had been covered to move into the breeze while $23 chance Sangue Reale was setting the pace.

This enabled Minstrel ($3.80) to have a breather in the one-out, one-back position after he had raced three wide for the first lap. Glenledi Chief coasted to the front 520m from home, and though Minstrel moved to within a neck on the home turn he was not extended and won by a half-length, rating 1.56.7 over the 2536m journey, with final quarters of 28.7sec. and 28.8sec.

GLENLEDI CHIEF REPLAY

“He is going awesome and is flying,” said Hall. “I’ve been doing nothing out of the gate with him and then putting him into the race after that, and he’s loving it (in the breeze).”

Perfect Major ($13) caught the eye when he was seventh at the bell before running on, out wide, to be third.

Driver Deni Roberts was full of praise for Minstrel, saying: “My plan was to go forward, but they were going so quickly that I had to hang out there (three wide) until they backed off. But they didn’t really back off that much. He did a power of work to get round to the breeze, and that’s why he had to take cover.

“The runs of Minstrel and Glenledi Chief were exactly what we wanted going into the Pinjarra Cup (on Monday week).”

Glenledi Chief looms as a major prospect in the Pinjarra Cup, with his past eleven starts producing six wins, three seconds, one third and one fifth. He has earned $281,357 from 20 wins and 17 placings from 59 starts.

Steel The Show in second gear

New Zealand-bred six-year-old Steel The Show (Bettor’s Delight) looks set for a successful career in Western Australia after he romped to an effortless win in the 1730m Brett de Campo Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This followed his easy all-the-way victory at Gloucester Park ten days earlier when making his Australian debut.

Driver Deni Roberts heaped praise on Steel The Show, saying: “He is very laid-back, so he does only what he has to. He probably makes it look like he is doing it tough, but he’s in sort of second gear. He is very versatile, has good gate speed and he’s fast and tough.”

Steel The Show has raced 46 times for eight wins, 15 placings and stakes of $169,313. He won at his first two starts in late 2019 and then at his seventh appearance he impressed when he finished second to Heroes Square over 1980m at Addington. He finished ahead of Glenledi Chief (third) and Minstrel (fourth).

He is raced by Greg Bond and New Zealander Grant Eynon, who enjoyed considerable success with Risk, who had 23 starts in WA in 2016-17-18 for six wins and nine placings before continuing his career in America.

Greg and Skye Bond train Steel The Show, who was the $1.04 favourite from the No. 3 barrier on Friday night. He burst straight to the front and relished his pacemaking role as he beat $16 chance Hengheng by 5m at a 1.55 rate, with the final 800m taking 55.8sec.

STEEL THE SHOW REPLAY

Steel The Show is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the first foal out of the Falcon Seelster mare Steel The Light. He is the elder full-brother of the Bond-trained Jett Star, who has earned $131,821 from 13 wins and five placings from 24 starts. Jett Star’s most notable victory was in the Pearl Class in June 2020 when he defeated Lavra Joe.

Madeliene Young’s perfect record

Madeliene Young maintained her perfect record in the sulky behind Rocknroll Elliot (A Rocknroll Dance) when she was successful with the WA-bred five-year-old in the 2130m WA Regional Tree Services Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This was her third drive behind Rocknroll Elliot — and her third win with the gelding, who ended a losing sequence of eight when he was the $2.70 second fancy and defeated Tradie ($11) and Carrera Mach ($4.60).

Early in the week part-owner Dave Clement rang Ravenswood trainer Jocelyn Young (Madeliene’s elder sister) and pleaded with her to nominate Rocknroll Elliot for Friday night’s meeting because he was paying a heartfelt tribute to his widow Maureen by sponsoring the opening event on the program in her honour.

Jocelyn agreed and advised Clement to invest on the gelding — which, indeed, he did.

Rocknroll Elliot began from barrier three and settled down in fifth position, with the $2.65 favourite Shadow Roll setting a modest pace. Madeliene Young made a decisive move when she left the comfortable one-out, two-back position 1350m from home and dashed forward to move alongside Shadow Roll.

Rocknroll Elliot took the lead with 450m to travel and scored by just over a length from Tradie, who finished strongly from eighth and last at the bell. Madeliene’s previous wins with Rocknroll Elliot were at Wagin in June last year and at Narrogin three months later. Rocknroll Elliot is the second foal out of the Elsu mare Pure Empathy, who raced 72 times for 12 wins, 20 placings and $88,025. Rocknroll Elliot has had 50 starts for 12 wins, 12 placings and $80,593.

Like A Thief In The Night

“Drive him like you have stolen him,” was the unusual but explicit instruction to star reinsman Gary Hall jnr from Valbonne’s owner-trainer Lisa Walton before he left the birdcage to contest the 1730m Celebrating Jimmy Glennie’s 60TH Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Hall correctly interpreted this advice and he planned to set Valbonne (Mach Three)on fire from out wide at barrier seven. Valbonne began like a bullet and led his pursuers on a merry dance on his way to an extremely easy all-the-way victory at a brisk 1.55.1 rate.

Valbonne, unplaced at his previous eight starts, was the second fancy at $7.20, with most punters relying on Twobob Cracker, the $1.40 favourite from the No. 1 barrier.

Twobob Cracker was beaten for early speed by Valbonne and the $12 chance The Kraken, who began speedily from the outside barrier in the field of nine but was unable to wrest the early lead from the flying Valbonne.

Twobob Cracker was then relegated to the position behind Valbonne before Shannon Suvaljko eased him off the pegs at the bell, forcing Pierre Whitby three wide. Valbonne sped over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 28.4sec. and won by four lengths from The Kraken, with Twobob Cracker fighting on, out wide, to finish third.

Valbonne, a seven-year-old by Mach Three, is the second foal out of unraced New Zealand mare Sayang, and he now boats a record of 108 starts for 16 wins, 25 placings and $178,373. For Walton, he has had 29 starts for three wins and ten placings.

Tenzing Bromac’s rapid rise

Seven months ago Tenzing Bromac was driven for the first time by Deni Roberts when he worked hard in the breeze before winning a 1730m event at Kellerberrin by two lengths from Tevarich, earning $3178.

TENZING BROMAC REPLAY

Fifteen starts later Roberts handled Tenzing Bromac for only the second time — when he gave a tough staying performance to win the 2536m Tony Ditri Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This took his earning to $142,958 from 13 wins and six placings from 23 starts, illustrating the giant strides he has taken since his Kellerberrin success.

“He was first-up at Kellerberrin and he’s gone through to Free-For-Alls,” said a proud Roberts. “That just goes to show how much in grade he’s gone up in this campaign.”

Tenzing Bromac was the $2.40 favourite from the outside barrier in a field of six on Friday night. Aussie Scooter ($15) dashed to the front after 80m, leaving Tenzing Bromac in the breeze. Roberts was happy to retain this position, and Tenzing Bromac forged to the front with 220m to travel on his way to winning by a half-length from Ima Fivestar General ($2.60). He rated 1.58.6, with the final quarters being run in 28.4sec. and 28.3sec.

“He has always had to do it pretty tough, and he is well suited in the breeze,” said Roberts. The win gave champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond the second leg of a winning quartet.

Nevermindthechaos defies a problem

Star mare Nevermindthechaos maintained her brilliant form to snatch victory in the 2130m Maureen Clement Memorial Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night despite giving champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr a few headaches.

“She didn’t feel as smooth as she normally does and she did a good job to get up and win,” said Hall. “She didn’t feel like she was quite comfortable in her gear. I tightened the lugging pole (nearside) because it was too loose, and then I couldn’t find the happy medium. She is a bit temperamental, and the pole rubbed her, making her to run up the track.”

Nevermindthechaos was the $2.20 favourite from the outside of the back line, and Hall quickly had her enjoying the perfect trail in the one-out, one-back position, trailing the breeze horse and $4.80 chance The Amber Hare, who was racing on the outside of the pacemaker Bettor Get It On ($3.80).

Bettor Get It On had worked hard to get to the front after 550m after Vivere Damore had set the early pace. Bettor Get It On held a comfortable lead on the home turn, but she was unable to hold out the fast-finishing Nevermindthechaos, who got up in the final stride to score by a head at a 1.54.2 rate.

“Gary wasn’t happy with her tonight,” said trainer Michael Young. “He said that she was uncomfortable all the way and that’s why he waited so long to pull her out (200m from home) because she was running up pretty badly. We’ll sort that problem out in the next couple of weeks.”

Young said that Nevermindthechaos would have her next run in the $50,000 Lombardo Pace next Friday week before contesting the $75,000 Empress Stakes a fortnight later. Nevermindthechaos now has earned $146,722 from 12 wins and seven placings from 28 starts.

August Moon set to shine

“It’s pretty exciting times, and we’re looking forward to next Friday,” said trainer Luke Edwards after August Moon had coasted to an easy victory in the 2130m Mates Stick Together Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

August Moon, the $2.60 second fancy, ran a most impressive trial for next Friday night’s $50,000 Sales Classic for three-year-old fillies when she raced in last position in the field of six before Gary Hall jnr eased her off the pegs 1300m from home and overhauled the pacemaker and $1.65 favourite Fly To Fame at the 220m mark on her way to winning, untouched, by 4m from the wilting Fly To Fame.

After Fly To Fame had set an extremely slow pace with a lead time of 40.4sec. and opening quarters of 32.3sec. and 30.5sec. August Moon sped over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 28sec.

“Going into the race I wanted August Moon to finish in the best possible spot without having a gut buster,” said Edwards. “She won easily first-up a fortnight earlier and then we were very easy on her at home.

“I’m always cautious going into a race with the possibility of the second-up blues. We haven’t really screwed her down yet. But she managed to overhaul the leader pretty well.

“Considering that Fly To Fame ran the last half in 55.8sec. when she raced in the breeze and finished second to August Moon two weeks ago, she had her chance to beat us tonight (starting from the No. 1 barrier). After the race Junior was full of praise for August Moon.”

August Moon is by American stallion Captaintreacherous and is out of the New Zealand mare My Samantha Jane, who earned $166,426 from15 wins, 21 placings from 72 starts. She was a smart juvenile who won four times as a three-year-old in 2014.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park