Gloucester Park review

Gloucester Park harness racing review with Ken Casellas

McDonald seizes unexpected opportunity

Talented reinsman Stuart McDonald did not have a drive at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and he was looking forward to attending a musical concert — until a most unexpected opportunity arose during the day when he was offered the drive on Acharne Girl (Alta Christiano) in the $30,000 Harry Capararo Four and Five-Year-Old Westbred Pace for mares.

Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr was laid low by a debilitating virus, and the 28-year-old McDonald was called into action to handle Acharne Girl, the hot favourite for Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr.

McDonald made the most of this opportunity and he delivered the goods in style, guiding the $1.30 favourite to an effortless all-the-way victory.

After opening quarters of 30.6sec. and 29.9sec. Acharne Girl sprinted over the final 400m section in 28.9sec. and 27.9sec. to win by five metres from $34 chance Champagne Everyone, rating 1.56.6 over the 2130m.
Acharne Girl was smartest into stride from the No. 2 barrier and led for the first 120m before McDonald relinquished the lead to Champagne Everyone, who had begun speedily from out wide at barrier seven.

However, McDonald was not happy to be trailing Champagne Everyone, and he sent Acharne Girl back into the lead 150m later.

McDonald was driving Acharne Girl for the second time — after he had driven the filly, a $26 outsider in the group 1 $150,000 WA Oaks last October when she finished strongly, out four wide, to be third in a three-way photo finish behind Taking The Miki and Little Darling. The margins were a half-head and a head.

ACHARNE GIRL REPLAY

McDonald, a harsh self-critic, said that he was to blame for Acharne Girl’s defeat in the Oaks, saying: “I should’ve won. It was my fault.

“So, I didn’t want to get things wrong tonight. I nearly did. I could have pushed a bit harder to hold the lead. I nearly went down to the rail and locked myself up. But I didn’t. I knew that the front was there for me.

“Acharne Girl was in cruise control all the way. I didn’t pull the plugs; she did it easily and was just jogging. She loves running and did it on her ear. She will be close to favourite for the big race for mares at the end of the year (the $150,000 Mares Classic over 2536m on November 24).”

Acharne Girl is by former brilliant pacer Alta Christiano and is the fourth foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Slick Bird, who finished third to Artemis Belle in the WA Oaks in May 2011 and was retired with a record of 34 starts for ten wins, nine placings and stakes of $89,999.

She is a full-sister to While They Pray (39 starts for 16 wins, 12 placings and $170,788) and Faster Than Dad (35 starts for ten wins, seven placings and $77,049) and is a half-sister to Slick Artist (143 starts for 29 wins, 50 placings and $370,303).

Sprint run for Magnificent Storm

Star pacer Magnificent Storm (American Ideal) remains on target for a trip to Queensland to contest rich winter feature events after he crushed his rivals in the $30,000 Beau Rivage Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The $1.04 favourite burst straight to the front from the outside barrier in the field of five and was not extended in setting the pace and winning by more than three lengths from $21 chance Mighty Conqueror.

“This was his first run for a month and I’m real happy with the way he went,” said trainer Ray Williams. “At the moment we are looking at two more runs at Gloucester Park before going to Brisbane. He will run in the $30,000 Members Sprint next Friday night.

“Switching from tonight’s 2536m race to the 1730m event next week won’t be a problem. Distances don’t mean much to him, and he will be better after tonight’s run.”

Star reinsman Aiden de Campo was generous in his praise of Magnificent Storm, saying: “He felt terrific and will improve on the run. He ran the final 400 metres in 26.6sec. on the bit.”

Magnificent Storm rated 1.57 and certainly could have gone much quicker. He has now amassed $726,717 in prizemoney from his 31 wins and seven placings from 48 starts.

Swingband is on the right track

Brilliant four-year-old Swingband (Alta Christiano) simply enjoyed a stroll in the park at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he scored a very easy win in the 2130m Beau Rivage Open Through July Pace.

“He is a very good horse who just needs to grow up a bit — and it seems that we’re on the right track,” said trainer Ryan Bell. “He is getting more mature and can go back or forward in his races.

“Aiden (reinsman Aiden de Campo) said that he left the gate real good and drove like a dream. He said that he was jogging the whole way and was bludging. Half-way up the straight he was looking for other runners, but Aiden didn’t bother pulling the plugs.

“In trackwork I can’t split Swingband and Shockwave. They will each have their next start in a fortnight and will have a couple more starts before having a let-up and then resume training and getting ready for the summer.”

Kevin Jeavons, managing part-owner of Swingband, said that the $200,000 Golden Nugget (on December 15) was the long-range plan for the gelding, who boasts a fine record of 25 starts for 13 wins, six placings and stakes of $224,681.

Swingband, the $1.50 favourite, began smartly from barrier five and got to the front after 150m. After opening quarters of 30.2sec. and 29.1sec. he dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 28.4sec. and won by just under two lengths from the $8.50 chance The Mustang, who finished gamely from fifth (on the pegs) at the bell.

The Code Breaker enjoys pegs passage

Victorian-bred six-year-old The Code Breaker (American Ideal), who ruined his chances a week earlier when he set the pace and overraced badly before wilting to finish third behind Prince of Pleasure, was far better suited and much more tractable from the inside of the back line in the 2536m Bridge Bar Open Tomorrow Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He was a $5.60 chance and he travelled smoothly in fifth position, three back on the pegs, with Stamford ($7.50) setting a solid pace, with Classic Choice ($6.50) in the breeze and the $2.70 favourite Eldaytona trailing the pacemaker.

When Lindsay Harper eased Eldaytona off the pegs about 300m from home Mitch Miller was able to send The Code Breaker through along the pegs to follow the leader. Miller got The Code Breaker into the clear approaching the home turn and the American Ideal gelding surged to the front in the final 50m and won by a head from the fast-finishing Eldaytona, with Classic Choice (who got to the front 250m from home) a fading third.

“The Code Breaker is just a good, honest horse, and three back on the pegs is a very good place,” said trainer Ryan Bell. “He races with a Hidez hood and a one-legged spreader, and one thing we have learned with him is you do not pull the ear plugs.

“When he raced with ear plugs, he was inclined to stop a bit when the plugs were pulled. So, we put a set of pull-downs on him, and Mitch said that when he pulled the pull-downs tonight, he went to the line well.”

The Code Breaker, who was purchased by Albert Walmsley for $72,000 at the 2018 Victorian APG yearling sale, has earned $133,464 from 14 wins and 23 placings from 63 starts.

Outstanding drive by Williams

Henley Brook trainer-reinsman Robbie Williams produced a magnificent and inspired performance in the sulky to land $30.40 outsider Ima Fivestar General (Art Major) a thrilling last-stride winner in the $22,000 Steelos Open Every Race Meeting Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Ima Fivestar General began from the outside barrier in the field of eight and Williams was content to restrain the New Zealand-bred six-year-old and drop him back to last while the $1.30 favourite and polemarker Whos The Dad withstood a strong early challenge for the lead from $8.50 chance Watts Up Sunshine, who began speedily from the No. 6 barrier.

Ima Fivestar General was still last 350m from home when Williams angled him three wide to improve his position. But instead of persisting with the three-wide burst Williams quickly and instinctively switched the gelding to the pegs where he remained hemmed in until Williams eased him out 110m from the post and nudged Watts Up Sunshine.

Ima Fivestar General then sprinted strongly to get up in the final stride to beat Whos The Dad by a head, rating 1.54.9. Many of the gelding’s 18 part-owners leapt with joy, particularly one of them who had invested heavily on the gelding.

Ima Fivestar General, a winner at three of his 15 starts in New Zealand, has performed wonderfully well for the 35-year-old Williams, with his 23 starts in WA producing eight wins and eight placings. He is a smart sprinter, having raced over 1730m three times for two wins and a second placing. He also won the 1780m Village Kid Sprint at Northam in February 2022.

Williams is enjoying a purple patch, with his past eight starters producing four wins — two each for Ima Fivestar General and Brickies Dream.

High Price sprints home strongly

WA-bred four-year-old High Price (Alta Christiano) ended a losing sequence of seven when he overcame the disadvantage of starting from the outside of the back line and sprinted home strongly to score an easy victory in the 2130m Steelos Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

HIGH PRICE REPLAY

He was the $3.40 second favourite and was driven confidently by Maddison Brown, who quickly had him enjoying an ideal passage in sixth position, one-out and two-back, while the $2.35 favourite Flying Rumour was setting a moderate pace.

Cherishthememories ($4.60) raced in the breeze and got to the front with 350m to travel. Then Medieval Man ($14) took the lead 50m later but was unable to hold out the fast-finishing High Price, who began a three-wide burst at the 500m and hit the front 220m from the post.

High Price is prepared by Gary Hall snr and was driven for the first time by Brown, a late replacement for the ill Gary Hall jnr.

High Price is by Hall senior’s former champion pacer Alta Christiano and is the first foal out of the Grinfromeartoear mare Harriet Price, who won two minor events in New Zealand before racing eight times in WA for one placing, a nose second to Fay Darling at Bunbury in December 2016.

High Price, who was having his third start after a six-month absence, looks sure to improve on Friday night’s effort and his career record of 22 starts for five wins, seven placings and $46,535 in stakes.

Brulee is a model of consistency

Busselton owner-trainer Barry Howlett has three-year-old filly Brulee (Vincent) racing in wonderful form and she maintained her great consistency by working hard before winning the $20,250 Bridge Bar At Gloucester Park Pace at headquarters on Friday night.

Brulee’s past 13 starts have resulted in four wins, five seconds and four thirds — after she was unplaced at her first four starts.  She was purchased by Howlett as a weanling in New Zealand for $6000 and she now has earned $63,597.

The New Zealand-bred Brulee (by Vincent) was the only non-WA-bred filly in Friday night’s 1730m event, and she was driven with commendable aggression by Deni Roberts, who sent her forward, three wide, from barrier six before moving to the breeze after 550m, with the polemarker Our Lililou ($11) setting a solid pace.

Brulee moved on terms with Our Lililou with 250m to travel and she went on to beat that filly by a head, rating 1.57.6 after final quarters of 29.4sec. and 29.7sec.

Hunt The Magic, a $34 outsider, impressed in charging home, out five wide, to finish a close fourth after racing in seventh position, four back on the pegs.

More stands for Soho Dow Jones

Smart American Ideal four-year-old Soho Dow Jones will continue racing in stands after impressing with a powerful frontrunning display in the Xmas In July Handicap, a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

SOW DOW JONES REPLAY

Soho Dow Jones, trained by Kim Prentice and driven by Mitch Miller, was a runaway winner in a mobile event at his previous outing, but was a major disappointment two starts before that when, as an odds-on favourite, he ruined his chances by beginning badly in a stand at Bunbury and finishing fifth behind Extraordinary.

“I wasn’t super confident tonight,” said Miller. “I thought we could beat Otis (a brilliant first-up winner in a stand two weeks earlier) as long as Soho Dow Jones got away safely. That was the biggest worry.

“However, he stepped good, which was the main thing. We know he has the ability but sometimes he doesn’t bring it to the races.”

Soho Dow Jones, the $3.50 second favourite, burst straight to the front from barrier two and he set a brisk pace before winning by a half-length from $12 chance Beat the Bank, who ran home strongly after trailing the leader all the way.

Otis, the $1.95 favourite, was a fading third. He began from the 10m mark and settled in tenth place in the field of eleven before Dylan Egerton-Green dashed him forward to move to the breeze in the first lap.

Soho Dow Jones has resumed after a spell in fine fettle, and he has earned $87,196 from ten wins and eight placings from 27 starts.

Rockmyster is on the way up

New Zealand-bred pacer Rockmyster (Rock N Roll Heaven) is giving every indication of developing into a good candidate for the rich feature events for four-year-olds later this year.

He has resumed after a spell in fine style for trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green, with a fast-finishing first-up third to Soho Firestone at Narrogin followed by successive wins at Northam, Bunbury and Gloucester Park.

The third of those wins was in the 2130m Follow @Gloucester Park On Twitter Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he gave a commanding performance. He was the $1.30 favourite from the No. 1 barrier when he set the pace and scored by more than two lengths from $8.50 chance Ardens Horizon, rating 1.57.1 after final 400m sections of 27.7sec. and 28.8sec.

ROCKMYSTER REPLAY

“He didn’t get out as good as I thought he would,” said Egerton-Green. “I probably didn’t time it just right. But he was good enough to hold out the early challenge from Heza Head Honcho.

“He then was able to lead and dictate terms and was able to get away with opening quarters of 30.9sec. and 30.5sec. before getting on the chewy and running 27.7sec. down the back before getting home in 28.8sec.

“He has come back after a spell very well. He needed to develop a bit when he went out, and he did and has bulked up nicely.”

Rockmyster is by American stallion Rock N Roll Heaven and is the tenth foal out of the unraced New Zealand mare Operative Asset, whose progeny includes Im Jimmy James (120 starts for 15 wins, 27 placings and $107,790) and Takitumu Express (121 starts for 11 wins, 22 placings and $76,088).

Im Jimmy James has won races in New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. He was a $31 outsider when he ran home strongly from the rear to win over 1720m at Melton last Saturday week.

Rockmyster has raced 21 times for seven wins, four placings and $56,808. A winner at one of his nine New Zealand appearances he has had 12 WA starts for six wins and three placings.

Thelittle Master has the runs on the board

Champion Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar is the leading scorer in the history of Test cricket with a tally of 15,921 runs — and his namesake, two-year-old pacer Thelittle Master, is showing wonderful potential and the ability to develop into a champion in his own right.

Thelittle Master was the $1.20 favourite when he scored the accolades from pacing aficionados by bowling his rivals over with a dominant victory in the $20,250 www.Gloucesterpark.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Thelittle Master, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond and driven by Deni Roberts, began from the outside in the field of four and burst to the front after 300m before setting the pace and sprinting over the final 400m in 27.7sec. to win by a length from stablemate Thenu Came Along, the $3.40 second fancy.

“We are lucky to have a horse with his ability and great racing manners,” said Greg Bond, who outlaid $40,000 to buy Thelittle Master at the 2022 Perth APG yearling sale on behalf of Team Bond, Rob Gartrell’s The Running Camel syndicate and members of the Gibellini family. The gelding has won in fine style at his past three starts after second placings at three of his first five race starts. He now has earned $28,007 in prizemoney.

“Hopefully, Thelittle Master will be a player in the feature events for two-year-olds this year,” said Bond. “He is a push-button horse. Sitting behind him, he feels like a four or five-year-old. He is an absolute professional.

“We gave all our yearling of last year stable names of cricketers, and obviously Sachin is Thelittle Master’s stable name. Thenu Came Along’s stable name is Virat, named after Virat Kohli, who succeeded Tendulkar as India’s outstanding batsman.

For complete Gloucester Park results, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park