Gloucester Park review

Peterson heads to Sydney

Outstanding young West Australian harness racing trainer-driver Corey Peterson will continue his burgeoning career in Sydney as private trainer for prominent owner Mick Harvey.

The 20-year-old Peterson will drive across the Nullarbor this week, pulling a float containing smart Harvey-owned pacers Cant Refuse and Runaway Three.

He said he was looking forward with considerable anticipation to training Harvey’s team of pacers, as well as some outside horses, and driving at Menangle.

Peterson’s only experience outside of WA was when he competed in a junior drivers’ series in New Zealand a couple of years ago. He is about two winners short of achieving his 200th winner, and he leaves WA as the State’s leading concession driver this season with 20 wins, 17 seconds and 21 thirds from 175 drives.

He has had considerable success with Runaway Three, driving the gelding to six Gloucester Park victories, and Cant Refuse, a pacer he has prepared and driven for eight Gloucester Park starts for two wins and three placings.

He also has trained and driven the six-year-old Bettors Delight gelding Shanway at his 11 WA starts for two wins and five seconds. Shanway, owned by Harvey, will remain in WA and will be prepared by Kim Prentice.

Extradite, a Washington VC gelding trained by Prentice, left WA last week to continue his career in America. He was driven to victory by Peterson in the Group 3 Clarke Pace at Gloucester Park in March this year.

Peterson said that his other Group 3 success – when he trained and drove veteran pacer One For Dave Andme to victory over rising star To Fast To Serious in the Higgins Memorial in July of last year – stood out as the highlight of his fledgling career.

Voak’s birthday double

Star reinsman Chris Voak celebrated his 33rd birthday on Sunday in the afterglow of landing a double in the opening two events at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He was seen at his dashing best in scoring impressive victories with Sugar Street and Fanci A Dance, pacers owned and trained by Barry Howlett, and then notched his 90th win for the season when successful with the Shane Quadrio-trained Shellna at Northam on Saturday night.

Sugar Street was the $2.30 favourite from the inside of the back line in the opening event on Friday night, the 2536m Westside Auto Pace, and Voak asserted his authority when he urged the Bettors Delight three-year-old colt forward in the first lap to take the lead after a lap.

The New Zealand-bred Sugar Street was not extended as he sprinted over the final quarters in 28.2sec. and 27.7sec. to beat the early leader Powerplay ($9) by three lengths at a 1.57.4 rate, with $12 chance Arma Einstein running on solidly to be third. Lil Happy Fella, a stablemate of the winner, caught the eye when he finished powerfully from tenth and last at the bell to be fourth.

This improved Sugar Street’s record to 20 starts for five wins, nine placings and $62,684 in stakes, and the colt looks set for a bright career. As a two-year-old Sugar Street had 12 starts for two wins and five seconds when he was hampered by injury.

“He was never fully fit as a two-year-old,” said Howlett. “He suffered from bruising in a foot, which needed treatment. And with the setbacks we never had him really hardened.

“He is a nice little horse who is tough, and you’ve got to have that toughness. Tonight, Chris didn’t pull the plugs and he said that Sugar Street was cruising at the finish.”

Sugar Street, who finished third behind Mighty Ronaldo and Jumpingjackmac in the WA Derby in late April this year, should prove to be a worthy rival for those two top-flight pacers, as well as the brilliant Lavra Joe in the rich feature events for four-year-olds early next year.

Surgery helps Fanci A Dance

Eight-year-old WA-bred pacer Fanci A Dance has turned the corner after proving extremely frustrating for his breeder-owner-trainer Barry Howlett for several years when he frequently disappointed by breaking in running.

Fanci A Dance was seen at his best when Chris Voak drove him to a strong victory in the 2536m Rock N Roll World Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Starting favourite at $3.30, Fanci A Dance was given a perfect passage in the one-out, one-back position, with $4.60 chance The Verandah setting the pace and Valentines Brook ($8.50) in the breeze.

Fanci A Dance finished full of running as he surged to the front with 100m to travel before beating the fast-finishing Caveman ($7) by a half-length at a 1.58.4 rate.

“He had stifle lock really bad,” said Howlett. “And, eventually, being sick of the horse being sent back to trials I decided on surgery about six months ago. Since the surgery he has become a different horse, not breaking up. I probably should have had this done two or three years ago.”

A horse’s stifle on his back legs is somewhat similar to a human knee, though a stifle is made up of three separate joints. Surgery entails cutting the ligament that catches the femur.

“Fanci A Dance has always had the ability, but he kept breaking in races,” said Howlett. “The problem was there right from his very first start.” Fanci A Dance made his debut in a race at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park on June 27, 2015, when he broke into a gallop 150m after the start and dropped back to last. He was still last approaching the home turn before finishing strongly, out five wide to finish third behind Johnny Disco.

Fanci A Dance is by the American stallion Rock N Roll Heaven and is out of the Queensland-bred Fake Left mare Fancipance, who raced 129 times in Queensland for 11 wins and 38 placings before ending her career in WA in 2007 with ten starts for one win and a third placing.

Friday night’s long-overdue victory ended a losing sequence of 15 over a 32-month period. His previous success was in a C5/C9 event at Gloucester Park on October 26, 2018. Howlett has never lost faith in the black gelding who now has earned $84,857 from 11 wins and 15 placings from 49 starts.

Shockwave sets race record

There was a keen sense of déjà vu at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Aiden De Campo drove the Ryan Bell-trained Shockwave to an effortless victory in the $25,000 Past Presidents Cup.

Shockwave’s victory rekindled memories of the 2009 Past Presidents Cup which was won by 12/1 chance Glencadam, who was driven expertly by Bell for de Campo’s father, Capel trainer Andrew De Campo to score a shock victory over the 7/1 on favourite Mysta Magical Mach.

Aiden De Campo was similarly skilful in the sulky on Friday night when he guided Shockwave, the $1.50 favourite from the No. 6 barrier, to victory over the fast-finishing Mighty Conqueror ($11) and Perfect Major ($15).

The five-year-old WA-bred Shockwave settled in eighth position before De Campo sent him forward, three wide, after 600m to move into the breeze while the freewheeling Patronus Star ($3.70) set a brisk pace. De Campo finally gave Shockwave his head and the handsome stallion stormed to the front with 250m to travel.

The final quarters were run in 27.6sec. and 28sec. and Shockwave rated 1.54, which broke the race record rate of 1.54.3 set by four-year-old Run Oneover in 2016. The win took Shockwave’s record to 46 starts for 18 wins, 17 placings and stakes of $499,690.

“Aiden said that Shockwave won pretty arrogantly, and he didn’t pull the plugs,” said Bell, who added that future plans for the star pacer were up in the air because of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding interstate travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I would love to take Shockwave to Melbourne for the Victoria Cup at Melton in October; it is one of my favourite races.  But the last thing we want to do is to get stuck somewhere and not be able to get back home.”

It is now becoming increasingly likely that Shockwave will remain in Western Australia where he will be a major player in the rich Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup in the summer.

Brown’s brilliant drive

A brilliant performance in the sulky by Maddison Brown paved the way for Back In Twenty’s easy victory in the 2130m Fly Like An Eagle Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

It also led to the undoing and defeat of the $1.70 favourite To Fast To Serious.

Brown sent noted frontrunner Back In Twenty straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier and was able to dawdle through the lead time in a very slow 39.2sec. before ambling through the first quarters of the final mile in 31.5sec. and 30.1sec. while To Fast To Serious, restrained from out wide at barrier seven, was travelling easily in sixth position, one-out and two-back.

Aldo Cortopassi sent To Fast To Serious forward with a three-wide burst with 750m to travel and the outstanding five-year-old moved to fourth 400m from home while the third 400m section whizzed by in 27.2sec. Back In Twenty sustained his strong sprint in front and sped over the final 400m in 28.1sec., leaving To Fast To Serious with little hope of overhauling the pacemaker, who beat the fast-finishing Shanway by two lengths at a 1.57.9 rate. To Fast To Serious finished fourth.

Brown has developed a good association with Back In Twenty. She has driven the gelding eight times for three wins and two third placings.

Back In Twenty, bred and owned by Bob Fowler and trained by Justin Prentice, has always proved hard to beat when he leads. This was his 10th victory after setting the pace, and it took his record to 12 wins, 15 placings for stakes of $117,985 from 61 starts.

Back In Twenty is by American sire Sportswriter and is the first foal out of Northern Luck mare Aristocratic Glow, who raced 44 times fore nine wins, 13 placings and $74,756 in prizemoney.

Aristocratic Glow’s second foal is four-year-old Aristocratic Star, who shone as a two-year-old with his second to Manning in the Group 1 Pearl Classic, his second to Major Martini in the Group 1 Westbred Classic, and his fourth behind Jaspervellabeach in the Golden Slipper. As a three-year-old he won the Group 3 Country Derby in Bunbury in March 2020.

Fifty Five Reborn loves to lead

Fifty Five Reborn, one of only two mares and two four-year-olds in the field of 12 in the 2130m Westside Auto Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, relishes the role of pacemaking, and her ability to generate great early speed to hold the $2.40 favourite Thereugo at bay was the pivotal factor in her impressive victory at a 1.57.4 rate.

Lindsay Harper made a spirited bid to send Thereugo to the front from the No. 5 barrier, but he was thwarted by trainer Colin Brown who drove Fifty Five Reborn hard from barrier three to resist the strong early challenge.

After a scorching lead time of 35.4sec. Brown was able to get Fifty Five Reborn, the third favourite at $6.10, to relax and coast through the opening 400m section of the final mile in 32.3sec. before increasing the tempo with quarters of 29.5sec., 29sec. and 29.2sec.

Fifty Five Reborn resisted a last-lap challenge from $4.20 chance Heez Our Perseus and beat that pacer by just under a length. Rebel With A Grin ($9) was an unlucky third after trailing the pacemaker and being badly blocked for a clear run in the final stages.

Fifty Five Reborn, a mare by Renaissance Man, ended a losing sequence of eight. She has earned $133,545 from 11 wins (seven of them when leading) and four placings from 38 starts.

Young praises Wonderful To Fly

Pinjarra horseman Shane Young was lavish in his praise of Wonderful To Fly after driving her to a convincing victory in the $100,000 Allwood Stud Farm Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“She went terrific, and I was rapt with her,” said a jubilant 57-year-old Young. “She now looks the like the best pacer I’ve trained. I really liked Rosies Ideal, but this girl is faster, definitely quicker point to point, and she has a bit of toughness.

Wonderful To Fly gave Young his fourth driving success in a group 1 $100,00 feature event – after wins with Miss Placed in the State Sires Series final for two-year-old fillies in June 2007, Trigmart in the State Sires Series final for three-year-old colts and geldings in July 2011 and Rosies Ideal in the Westbred Classic for three-year-old fillies in June 2018.

Wonderful To Fly was a warm favourite at $1.50 from barrier No. 6. She began speedily but was trapped three wide early and then raced without cover. After a fast lead time of 35.7sec. Chris Lewis sent $17 chance Little Darling to the front after 500m.

Wonderful To Fly settled well in the breeze and put no pressure on the leader until Young sent his filly forward in the final circuit to take the lead 500m from home and win by 2m from $5 second fancy Taking the Miki, who had enjoyed a perfect run behind the pacemaker. The win improved Wonderful To Fly’s record to 11 starts for six wins, three placings and $116,424 in stakes.

“I was in a bit of pain, three wide early and then in the breeze,” said Young. “Wonderful To Fly settled not too badly and travelled strongly. But I thought I could be in a bit of trouble with Taking the Miki on our back. However, she went very well and all going well she will run in the Gold Bracelet next Friday night.

“And there is a possibility I could run her in the Golden Slipper next Friday week. Tonight, she rated 1.58 which was better than the 1.59.4 rated by Rock On Top in winning tonight’s classic for two-year-old colts and geldings.

“On the way she went tonight you wouldn’t say that she wouldn’t be competitive from a good draw in the Slipper.”

Problem pacer turns the corner

Victorian-bred pacer Will I Rocknroll arrived in Gary Hall’s senior’s Serpentine stables last September as a haughty stallion who upset the champion trainer with his antics.

He was an immediate disappointment at his West Australian debut at Gloucester Park on November 20 when he began fast before breaking into a bad gallop after 120m and finishing a distant last, 145m behind the winner To Fast To Serious.

“He was a problem with his bullish temperament,” said Hall. “He wanted to squeal and kick everything, so I got him gelded.  But then I couldn’t get him going.”

After his dismal WA debut Will I Rocknroll chalked up six consecutive unplaced efforts from wide barriers before he finally showed a glimpse of form, racing wide early and then working hard in the breeze when a fighting but well-beaten third behind Al Guerrero at Gloucester Park last Friday week.

He drew out wide at barrier eight in the Michael Holtham Pace on Friday night and was second favourite at $4.40 against modest opposition.

Gary Hall jnr restrained the six-year-old at the start and he was content to remain at the rear while the $2.75 favourite Cavalry Call was setting a solid pace. Will I Rocknroll was twelfth and last at the 650m mark when Hall set him on fire.

He revealed a blistering burst of speed to dash past his rivals and charge to the front at the 400m before going on to win by a length and a half from the fast-finishing Pierre Whitby.

This was Will I Rocknroll’s first win from nine WA starts and it took his record to 43 starts for 12 wins, seven placings and stakes of $87,085. By Rock N Roll Heaven, Will I Rocknroll is out of the Mach Three mare Laughing Lilly, who won twice in New Zealand and three times in New South Wales from 28 starts.

“He’s just starting to come good,” said Hall snr. “He is a class horse and can race in good company because he’s got high speed. Hopefully, he will get better and better.”

Rock On Top set for the Golden Slipper

Aiden De Campo notched his fourth Group 1 win as a trainer when he drove Rock On Top to a convincing victory in the $100,000 Allwood Stud Farm Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

It was not all plain sailing for De Campo, who had a testing time to get the A Rocknroll Dance gelding to pace smoothly before he dashed away from his rivals over the final 100 metres to score a decisive four metre win over Whataretheodds and Tricky Miki.

“He has got a lot of speed, but has still got a lot to learn,” said de Campo. “He is a bit erratic in his races, wanting to get up the track all the time. I did a few gear changes that didn’t work. I am disappointed that he didn’t do everything right, bit I’m happy with the result.

“I got off the pegs about the 1000m mark which enabled me to keep Tricky Miki on the rails.”

Polemarker Floewriter, also trained by De Campo, was a $4.80 chance with Ryan Warwick in the sulky. He led for the first 1000m with Whataretheodds ($4.80) in the breeze, Rock On Top ($4) behind the leader and Paul Edward enjoying the one-out, one-back trail.

Tricky Miki, the $2.80 favourite from the No. 5 barrier, raced three wide early before Gary Hall jnr restrained him and the gelding settled down in eleventh place. Hall then began a three-wide move 550m after the start and Tricky Miki sprinted brilliantly in a determined bid for the lead. This was foiled when Michael Grantham urged Whataretheodds to the front with 1100m to travel.

Hall then angled Tricky Miki to the inside, and he was third in Indian file behind Whataretheodds and Floewriter at the bell. Tricky Miki got off the pegs 250m from home but was badly hampered for room until he got clear approaching the home turn. He ran on fast to be third.

“Rock On Top will now run in the Golden Slipper in two weeks,” said De Campo. “And that will be it for him. He will go to the paddock for a well-deserved break.

Rock On Top, purchased for $18,000 at the 2020 APG Perth yearling sale, is owned by Rob Tomlinson, Damian Keating and Peter Morris. He has raced eight times for four wins and a third placing for stakes of $103,503.

He is out of the Victorian-bred Grinfromeartoear mare Harper Grace, who earned $47,185 from six wins and five placings from 27 starts. Rock On Top is a half-brother to Just For Love, who won the group 3 Gold Bracelet last July and the Group 2 Sales Classic for three-year-old fillies last February.

by Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park