Gloucester Park Review

Perfect Major relieves Olivieri’s woes

A fighting victory by Perfect Major at Gloucester Park on Friday night proved a perfect panacea for star trainer Ross Olivieri’s woes as he recuperated at home after surgery earlier in the week to mend his troublesome right shoulder.

Olivieri, an eight-time West Australian premiership trainer and a former outstanding tennis player, was confined to barracks but was still able to serve an ace, with Chris Voak driving with commendable aggression to land $4 chance Perfect Major an impressive winner over Son Of A Tiger ($8) and the $1.80 favourite Vampiro in the $25,000 Specialised Equipment Funding Solutions Free-For-All.

Olivieri spent the first couple of days last week in hospital where he underwent a right shoulder reconstruction, known as a reverse shoulder replacement, and he is now recuperating at home.

His wife Jemma Hayman filled in admirably for him, taking four pacers to Gloucester Park for a win with Perfect Major, a second with Born To Boogie, and third placings with Boom Time and Carrera Mach.

Perfect Major, a Victorian-bred five-year-old, began speedily from the No. 2 barrier, but Voak was forced to surrender the lead 300m after the start to the rampaging Vampiro, who had begun with a typical great burst of speed.

After an opening quarter of 27.8sec. in the 1730m event, Vampiro was able to get a breather with a second 400m section of 29.8sec. When Voak saw Ideal Liner surging forward with 950m to travel he eased Perfect Major off the pegs and into the breeze.

Perfect Major appeared to be facing a very tough task when Vampiro led clearly 400m from home. But Perfect Major responded grandly to Voak’s urgings, and the gelding hit the front 110m from the post and went on to win by a half-length from Son Of A Tiger, who finished strongly from sixth at the bell. The final quarters were covered in 27.9sec. and 28.sec. and the winner rated 1.53.4.

“The plan was to lead, but Perfect Major didn’t muster (as fast as expected),” Voak explained. “With 450m to go Vampiro was on the left rein and was running up the track from the 700m, and at the 350m Perfect Major rallied and found another gear.

“I don’t think he’s at his best. But I think we’re on the right track and he’s capable of performing well at the summer carnival.”

Friday night’s victory ended a losing run of nine for Perfect Major, who now has raced 49 times for 17 wins, 14 placings and $228,044 in prizemoney. A winner of six races in Victoria and one each in Tasmania and South Australia, Perfect Major has had 23 starts in Western Australia for nine wins and five placings.

Last summer Perfect Major won the group 2 RWWA Cup when he beat Chicago Bull by a half-head before finishing fifth behind Vultan Tin in the WA Pacing Cup the following week.

“I think it is safe to say that he has exceeded expectations here,” declared Voak.

Always An Angel’s successful return

Smart filly Always An Angel made a successful return to racing after a 14-week absence when she scored a narrow victory in the 2130m Cowden Limited The Insurance Brokers Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“We were planning to take her and Mighty Ronaldo for feature events in Melbourne in October but had to abandon the trip because of the complications due to the coronavirus pandemic,” said Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice.

“It was good to win first-up after finishing a very close seconds in the WA Oaks and the Diamond Classic earlier in the year. She is still pretty green and is not sure of what she is doing.”

The New Zealand-bred Always An Angel was the $1.70 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of nine and she settled down in last place before Gary Hall jnr sent her forward after 600m to race in the breeze, with Our Star Billing ($7.50) setting the pace after she had dashed to the front 400m after the start.

Always An Angel got to the front 60m from the post and held on to win by a nose from $3.80 second fancy Three Rumours, who finished fast. Our Star Billing fought on to finish third. The winner rated 1.58.5 after final quarters of 28.1sec. and 27.9sec.

“She has the habit of waiting for a horse to come on her outside before doing her best,” said Prentice.

Always An Angel, the winner of the group 1 Diamond Classic for two-year-old fillies in May 2020, has earned $157,892 from nine wins and five placings from 16 starts. She is the first foal out of Christian Cullen mare Angel Of Destiny, who managed just three placings from ten starts. Angel Of Destiny is a half-sister to former star juvenile Onlyforyou, who won two group 1 feature events for two-year-old fillies and was retired after her 46 starts had produced nine wins, 17 placings and earnings of $365,459.

Whatabro breaks through

Former successful South Australian pacer Whatabro, placed at five of his first six starts in Western Australia, broke through for his first win in the State when he scored an excellent victory in the 2130m West Australian Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Second fancy at $3.30, Whatabro began fast from the No. 2 barrier, but had to work hard to get past the polemarker Bee Jays Boy and take the lead after 500m, following a fast lead time of 35.4sec.

Michael Grantham then rated the four-year-old perfectly in front, and the son of Four Starzzz Shark was not seriously challenged as he went on to win by 4m from Bee Jays Boy, rating 1.57.5.

“The fast lead time left him susceptible,” said trainer Michael Brennan. “But it didn’t seem to bother him, and he won pretty easily. Michael really suits him; there’s not too many better drivers in front than him.

“Whatabro was due to win; he just needed the right run. His form has been good, and he has done a super job since arriving here less than three months ago. Darren Billinger always looks after his horses, and Whatabro came over in super order.

“He has been an easy horse to train, and now he will keep punching through his grades.”

Billinger, a veteran South Australian trainer-reinsman, sent Whatabro to Brennan after he had won 18 times and graduated to Free-For-All company. He was keen to give Brennan the opportunity to train the gelding after he had sent Futurist and Whenmechief to be prepared by Brennan in 2018. Futurist won an $18,000 event and Whenmechief won two $22,000 events for Brennan at Gloucester Park.

Whatabro, who has had 77 starts for 19 wins, 35 placings and $102,300, is out of the What’s Next mare Whatacorka, who earned $7797 from three wins and 11 placings from 28 starts. Whatabro’s half-brother Come On Frank won the group 1 Vicbred Four-Year-Old Super Sires Series final at Melton in May 2012 and was retired with earnings of $404,650 from 61 wins and 38 placings from 130 starts.

Disco Under Fire proves his worth

Eight-year-old gelding Disco Under Fire, described by his owner-trainer Giles Inwood as “just a battler,” ended a losing sequence of 17 when he gave a good frontrunning performance to win the 2130m Nova 93.7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Though he had managed just two placings from his previous 16 starts, Disco Under Fire was a popular $2.40 favourite from the coveted No. 1 barrier, and Chris Voak rated him perfectly on his way to a half-length victory over $26 chance Rocknroll Whitby, who finished solidly after enjoying a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position.

“He likes to go slow, and it was ideal tonight,” said Inwood. “HH didn’t go overly fast, and Chris controlled the race. I bought him from Alf Paganoni in February last year when the horse was racing well in Albany and Narrogin. And he has done a good job.”

Inwood paid just $4000 for Disco Under Fire, who now has had 52 starts for his new owner for five wins, 12 placings and stakes of $58,558 in the space of 17 months. The gelding has enjoyed racing in a career of 136 starts that have produced 13 wins, 47 placings and stakes of $125,972.

Disco Under Fire, by Courage Under Fire, is the first foal out of the Pacific Rocket mare Midnight Disco, who had 55 starts for seven wins, 13 placings and $45,351.

No trouble for See Ya Write

Consistent New Zealand-bred four-year-old See Ya Write gave star reinsman Ryan Warwick an armchair drive when he was not extended in setting the pace and coasting to victory in the 2536m TABtouch Better Your Bet Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

A winner at four of his eleven starts in New Zealand, the son of Sportswriter improved his West Australian record for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond to six wins and five seconds from 15 starts for an overall record of 26 starts for ten wins, nine seconds and $93,301 in stakes.

A final 400m of 27.9c. gave See Ya Write’s rivals little chance, and the $1.60 favourite won by just over a half-length from last-start winner and $8 chance Shadow Roll, who fought on determinedly after working hard in the breeze.

See Ya Write is out of the Mach Three mare Lucasta Midfrew, who produced former talented juvenile pacer Eyre Crusher, who finished second to Three Blind Mice in the 2014 WA Derby Gloucester Park.

Alta Blues the first of Hall’s treble

Up-and-coming star Alta Blues gave champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr the first leg of a treble at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he outclassed his rivals in the 2536m Allwood Stud Farm Pace.

Hall, who has a substantial lead in the WA drivers’ premiership table, followed the win of Alta Blues (trained by his father Gary Hall snr) with victories behind the Justin Prentice-trained pair of Alta Louisa and Always An Angel.

Alta Blues, the $1.50 favourite from the No. 6 barrier, settled down in seventh position in the field of eight before Hall, concerned at the moderate pace set by stablemate Alta Intrigue, dashed Alta Blues forward, three wide, after 650m to move into the breeze position.

Alta Blues eventually forged to the front 250m from home, and he raced away to win by 7m from Alta Intrigue, with $51 chance Carrera Mach finishing solidly into third place. The final quarters were covered in 28.9sec. and 27.9sec. and Alta Blues rated 1.58.6.

Alta Blues, a four-year-old by Alta Christiano, looks set for a bright career. He has had 24 starts for 12 wins, five seconds and $120,386 in prizemoney.

Burning Rubber charges home

Experienced New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Burning Rubber bounced back to his best form when he overcame the disadvantage of starting from the outside barrier in the field of nine to score an exciting victory in the 2130m Mondo Doro Smallgoods Pace at Gloucester Park on Fiday night.

The Mach Three gelding trained by Brett Smith settled down in last position before Chris Lewis sent him forward to be sixth at the bell, with La Suleiman setting a moderate pace.

Burning Rubber, a $9.80 chance, was still sixth at the 400m before Lewis switched him four wide with 300m to travel. He then sprinted fast to burst to the front 70m from the post and win by just over a half-length from the $2.15 favourite Jesse Allwood, who was badly blocked for a clear run and was seventh 250m from home.

Finally, Aldo Cortopassi was able to ease Jesse Allwood off the pegs and the gelding charged home, out wide, to finish an unlucky second.

Burning Rubber, who has had to contend with unfavourable barriers at several previous outings, notched his 16TH win from 103 starts. A winner at three of his 18 starts in New Zealand and at three of his 13 starts in New South Wales, has raced 72 times in Western Australia for ten wins and 13 placings.

He is the first foal out of Lady Valentia, whose half-sister Carabella was an outstanding pacer, who amassed $693,615 in stakes from 17 wins and two seconds from just 19 starts. Her wins included six at group 1 level, two in group 2 feature events and one in a group 3 race.

Manning runs well for Maddison

Talented driver Maddison Brown has forged a wonderful association with WA-bred four-year-old Manning, who is proving a great bargain for a band of Trotsynd members.

Brown gave a splendid exhibition in the sulky to land Manning, a $5.90 chance, an easy winner of the 2130m Channel 7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This took Manning’s record to eleven wins and four placings from 36 starts for $164,585 in prizemoney — a splendid return for a pacer who was sold for $19,000 at the 2018 Perth APG yearling sale.

Brown has handled Manning in 18 of his starts for seven wins and a second placing. “Maddy has a really good affinity with Manning, and he runs well for her,” said trainer Justin Prentice.

Manning began well from the No. 2 barrier and led for the first 150m before the $2.75 favourite Tyler Brett burst to the front, with the fast starting $3.60 chance Euphoria in the breeze.

Brown was able to ease Manning off the pegs 250m from home and the Sportswriter gelding went three wide on the home turn before charging to the lead with 80m to travel and going on to win by 5m from Euphoria, with $5.50 chance Boom Time finishing fast out wide to be third. The final quarters were covered in 27.7sec. and 28.7sec. and the winner rated 1.57.5.

“Manning has been a good horse,” said Prentice. “But he is pretty frustrating in a way because he is pretty hard to get out of first gear. He is just so laid back. The harder you drive him, the better it suits him. If you drive him too cute, he goes to sleep, and you can’t wake him up. Maddy wanted to lead tonight, but she couldn’t hold out Tyler Brett.

“Things will probably be a bit harder for him when he goes up a grade and faces horses who are in form. It’s not that he can’t run the time against the better ones; it is just that when he gets back in the field, he is happy to follow them around all day.”

Manning, who won the group 1 Pearl Classic in June 2019, is the seventh foal out of the unraced Northern Lights mare Stephanie Rose, who also produced handy performers in Arts Gangsta (112 starts for 11 wins, 25 placings and $66,827) and Brotha Ofa Gangsta (82 starts for 12 wins, 18 placings and $92,851).

Hit The Sky hits the mark

New Zealand-bred six-year-old Hit The Sky is proving a wonderful standing-start performer for Darling Downs trainer Amber Sparks and her partner, ace reinsman Aldo Cortopassi.

Cortopassi took full advantage of a front-line draw, and the Mach Three gelding relished his pacemaking role to score an easy all-the-way victory in the 2503m Intersport Slater Gartrell Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Hit The Sky, the second fancy at $2.60, whizzed over the final three 400m sections in 29.1sec., 28.3sec. and 28.7sec. to make life extremely difficult for the 20m backmarker and $1.95 favourite Star Of Diamonds, who fought in gamely to finish second, three lengths behind the winner.

Just over four months ago Cortopassi was offered Hit The Sky, and he has no regrets that he paid $15,000 for the gelding who is raced by Sparks in partnership with six stable clients. Hit The Sky is proving an excellent buy, earning $29,500 from his three wins and six placings from 14 starts in WA.

“Neale Donnelley rang me and offered Hit the Sky to me,” said Cortopassi. “He said that he was moving on a couple of horses because he had bought some new ones and suggested I should take up the offer.” Donnelley had fond memories of Cortopassi driving one of his pacers, Machiatto, to three wins at Gloucester Park in 2018, including a win at that pacer’s final run in Australia before being sold to race in America.

“When we got Hit the Sky, I thought he was a mobile horse,” said Cortopassi. “But when I watched the replays of his races in New Zealand, I discovered many (13) were in stands.”

Hit The Sky contested mobiles at his first two starts in WA, and his following 12 starts have been in stands.

Alta Louisa overcomes setbacks

Inexperienced four-year-old Alta Louisa defied death as a yearling when struck down by a severe attack of colic, and she then had to overcome further setbacks before being strong enough to race.

She lined up for her 14TH start when she began from the outside of the back line in the group 3 $30,000 Simmonds Steel The Schrader Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night — and she further enhanced her reputation with a tough, hard-fought victory.

Alta Louisa, trained at Boyanup by Justin Prentice, was a $3 chance and was driven in fine style by Gary Hall jnr. She settled down in ninth position, with $71 outsider Sheza Bromac the surprise pacemaker.

After a solid lead time of 35.8sec. and an opening quarter of 30sec. Hall dashed Alta Louisa forward and she moved to the breeze with 1050m to travel. She got to the front 400m from home and sprinted the final 400m in 28.7sec. to hold on and win by a neck from Born To Boogie, who got off the pegs at the 400m and finished with admirable determination.

“It was a perfect drive by Junior,” said Prentice. “I don’t think that breezing is necessarily her go, but she is obviously versatile enough to race without cover. If the speed (of the race) says that she has to go, then Junior went at the perfect time, and she was good enough.

“We have had a lot of troubles with her. As a yearling she had colic and needed surgery to save her. Later, she had a really bad virus, and had to go out for a couple of months. So, we have had a lot of setbacks with her.

“Now we will just keep her ticking over and run her in suitable races and see whether she will be able to measure up to the better ones later on. I think that when she goes up in class it will suit her because she will be able to be driven quietly, which will suit her. She quick and can sprint.”

Alta Louisa, who was unraced as a two-year-old, is by Art Major and is out of the Mach Three mare Famous Alchemist, who earned $322,869 from five wins in New Zealand and 11 in WA, including the $40,000 WASBA Breeders Stakes at Gloucester Park in May 2014. She shows great promise and should improve considerably on her record of 14 starts for seven wins and four placings for earnings of $64,238.

By Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park