Gloucester Park review

Now for the Navy Cup

Aiden De Campo will be the new driver for outstanding four-year-old Magnificent Storm when the gelding contests the $50,000 Navy Cup at Gloucester Park next Friday night.

He will replace Aldo Cortopassi, who has handled the New Zealand-bred pacer in all of his 18 starts in Western Australia for 17 wins and a second placing.

Cortopassi will be unavailable to drive Magnificent Storm in the Navy Cup because he will be serving a seven-day suspension – his first sanction for several years and more than 2000 drives since his previous suspension.

Cortopassi was suspended for causing interference to another runner before driving Magnificent Storm’s full-brother Stamford to victory at Pinjarra on Monday of last week. Trainer Ray Williams said that De Campo would also drive Stamford next Friday night.

Williams said that Magnificent Storm had pulled up in excellent shape after his narrow victory in the group 2 $50,000 James Brennan Memorial at Gloucester Park on Saturday night.

“The plan is for Magnificent Storm to run in the Navy Cup,” said Williams. “That will depend on whether he shows over the next couple of days that he has taken no harm from his win in the Brennan Memorial.”

Magnificent Storm, the $1.04 favourite in Saturday night’s feature event, began speedily and led for the first 70 to 80 metres before Cortopassi surrendered the front to Vampiro, who had begun with his usual alacrity from the No. 5 barrier.

Then, about 500m later Cortopassi eased Magnificent Storm off the pegs and dashed past Vampiro to take up the running. Magnificent Storm then was able to relax and coasted through the first three quarters of the final mile in 31.5sec., 30.9sec. and 29.9sec. before sprinting home in 27.5sec.

Ryan Warwick took Vampiro off the pegs about 150m from the post and the seasoned seven-year-old veteran surged home to threaten the favourite who held on grimly to win by a head.

Cortopassi explained that he had not intended to regain the lead in the first lap of the 2536m event, saying: “I didn’t want to get too much into a war when Vampiro was challenging for the lead. If I got stuck into Magnificent Storm, he could’ve held out Vampiro. But being a small field, I was happy to let him go.

“But then I had to go a bit earlier than I wanted to. However, I decided to move out from behind Vampiro when Gary (Hall jnr) was beginning to move up and about to slide into the breeze with Ideal Liner. I didn’t want to get locked in; there would be nothing worse than to get locked in and not getting a run.

“In the home straight when Ryan (Warwick) got to Magnificent Storm with Vampiro, Magnificent Storm kept lifting. Vampiro is an old war horse, a good horse and a hardened Free-For-Aller. That was what Magnificent Storm needs … to cop a few of these hardened Free-For-All campaigners, to harden him up.

“People tend to forget that Magnificent Storm has had only 19 starts. He’s swimming in the deep end with the big fish already. Now, it’s onwards and upwards for him.”

Williams admitted he was somewhat concerned when Vampiro threatened danger in the closing stages, saying: “Vampiro is a good horse, and sitting on you and having the last shot at you is always a worry.

“I might have backed off him a fraction during the week, and he was off his head in the preliminary. Obviously, he is one of those horses who needs to be worked solidly. He is too smart for his own good, and he tried to kick me tonight. After the Navy Cup he will have a few weeks off.”

Cortopassi completed a successful weekend by taking three stable runners to Kellerberrin on Sunday — and driving all three of them Haywire ($8), Marie Long ($1.24) and Johnny Lombo ($2.75) — to victory.

Equalling that feat at Kellerberrin were leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who had three starters — Squinta ($1.14), Hittheroadjack ($1.12) and Mufasa ($1.65) — who were all successful for driver Deni Roberts.

Typhoon Banner overcomes virus

Promising four-year-old Typhoon Banner has made a full recovery from a debilitating virus and he looks set for a bright future after scoring an easy all-the-way victory in the 2130m Nova 93.7 Pace (2) at Gloucester Park on Saturday night.

“His main aim in this campaign was the John Higgins Memorial in July,” said trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green.

Typhoon Banner was one of the main fancies for the $30,000 Higgins Memorial in which he set the pace before fading to finish eighth.

“He pulled up very sick with a virus,” said Egerton-Green. “Luckily he has overcome that setback and has won at his two runs since resuming (after a 36-day absence).

Typhoon Banner returned to action after his Higgins failure in a 2503m stand at Bunbury on August 28 when he started off the 40m mark and outclassed his rivals, winning by more than ten lengths from Bountiful Reactor.

On Saturday night Typhoon Banner was a hot $1.28 favourite and he was untroubled to set the pace and win by two lengths from Sidstrepo, rating 1.58.4 after final quarters of 28.8sec. and 28.4sec.

A winner at one of his two New Zealand starts, Typhoon Banner has had 16 starts in Western Australia for eight wins and three placings. “He steps from a stand, so we will keep an eye on any suitable stands,” said Egerton-Green.

Typhoon Banner is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is a full-brother to Zahven Banner (50 starts for 15 wins, 18 placings and $130,527) and Cyclone Banner, who won the Group 3 Chandon final at Gloucester Park in July 2020 and finished third behind Wildwest in the group 2 Governors Cup last February. Cyclone Banner had a record of 42 starts for 15 wins, ten placings and $142,060 in stakes before being sold two months ago to race in America.

Stands suit The Tiger Army

Sportswriter four-year-old The Tiger Army maintained his excellent form in standing-start events when he unwound a spirited finishing burst to win the Nova 93.7 Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Saturday night.

“He is not (exclusively) a stand horse,” said trainer Michael Young. “But the tempo in stands suits him a lot better than mobiles. In stands you can make your own luck, whereas in mobiles you need to draw good. So, stands are a better option for him.”

The Tiger Army, owned by Sydneysiders Eddie and Erica Burchill, was a $5.60 chance from the inside barrier on the front line in Saturday night’s event. He was beaten out by Manofthepeople, and then was relegated to three back on the pegs after Gee Smith burst to an early lead and set a fast pace.

Gary Hall jnr eased The Tiger Army off the pegs at the bell and the gelding finished strongly to win by a neck from the fast-finishing Hit the Sky. This was The Tiger Army’s second win from 13 WA starts, which include seven in stands for two wins and five placings. He showed signs of better things to come when he finished solidly to be a half-length second to star pacer Magnificent Storm in the 3309m Marathon Handicap last month.

The Tiger Army raced exclusively in mobiles in the eastern states before the Burchills sent him across the Nullarbor to be trained by Young. He had won at two of his ten Victorian starts and at six of his 17 appearances in New South Wales.

He now has earned $99,525 from 10 wins and 16 placings from 40 starts. His dame, the Elsu mare Scottish Glamour had 50 starts for ten wins,12 placings and stakes of $43,655.

Always An Angel shows her class

Always An Angel gave further proof that she is one of the State’s best three-year-old fillies when she overcame the disadvantage if the outside barrier in a field of eight and sustained a powerful burst to come from last in the middle stages to win the 2130m Nova 93.7 Pace (6) at Gloucester Park on Saturday night.

She completed a double for champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr when she settled down in last position, started a three-wide move with 1000m to travel and got to the front 100m from the post before winning by a half-length from Three Rumours, the only other New Zealand-bred filly in the event.

Our Star Billing took the lead 500m after the start which left the highly-promising Three Rumours in the breeze. Chris Lewis sent the Barry Howlett-trained Three Rumours to the front 450m from home, and she fought on tenaciously, but was unable to match Always An Angel, who got to the front 100m from the post.

Always An Angel, the $1.80 favourite, has thrived under the care of Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice and now boasts a splendid record of 17 starts for ten wins, five placings and $168,773 in prizemoney.

“I’m really happy with her run,” said Prentice. “It was a perfect drive. We expected that Three Rumours would be very hard to beat if she got to the front or to the breeze. So, Always An Angel did a good job to get over Three Rumours.”

Walsh gives Suvaljko a double

Twenty-year-old Emily Suvaljko continued her remarkable run of success when she completed a double at Gloucester Park on Saturday night by driving Walsh to victory in the Happy 30th Birthday Adam Mulroy Pace.

This followed her victory with Boom Time earlier in the night, and she ended the weekend with 109 West Australian winners this season to sit in third place on the State drivers’ premiership table – behind Gary Hall jnr (159 wins) and Chris Voak (124).

Five-year-old WA-bred gelding Walsh settled down in ninth position after starting from the outside of the back line, with Thereugo wresting the early lead from Caruba. Suvaljko then seized the initiative by sending Walsh, the $2 favourite, forward with a three-wide burst after 600m.

Walsh charged to the front, and he relished his frontrunning role as he went on to win convincingly from Regal Cheval and Valbonne. This ended a losing sequence of 12 and came after his encouraging second to stablemate The White Rabbit at Bunbury a fortnight earlier when he was having his first start for Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey.

“His first run for me was really good when he did all the work, and I was reasonably confident he would win tonight,” said Turvey. “He came to me because the owners thought he might benefit from a change of environment.”

Walsh, who is by Art Major, is the first foal out of the Courage Under Fire mare Dontgetmeruffled, who had 97 starts for 13 wins, 24 placings and $71,685 in prizemoney. Six of her wins were at Globe Derby Park and her final seven wins were in WA. Turvey drove her at her final five starts early in 2014 which included a close second to Mohegan Sun at Narrogin. Mohegan Sun was part-owned by Kevin Jeavons, a part-owner of Walsh.

Boom Time, trained by Ross Olivieri, has struck a purple patch, with his effortless victory over Shadow Roll in the Nova 93.7 Pace (3) following his brilliant last-to-first win eight nights earlier.

Boom Time, the $2 favourite, began from barrier five and Suvaljko sent him forward, three wide to quickly move to the breeze outside the $2.70 second fancy Shadow Roll, who had crossed Saleahs Comand to take up the running 450m after the start.

When Manning dashed forward to the breeze after about 750m Boom Time then was able to enjoy the perfect trail in the one-out, one-back position. Manning challenged Shadow Roll in the back straight in the final circuit, and Suvaljko bided her time until the final 250m when she switched Boom Time three wide. Boom Time sprinted fast to take the lead 100m from the post before racing away from his rivals.

“Boom Time showed his customary speed, and he is racing like a fresh horse after having a short break,” said Olivieri who expects the Gotta Go Cullect seven-year-old to improve on his record of 45 starts for 14 wins, 13 placings and $134,219 in stakes.

My Prayer is proving a bargain

Busselton owner-trainer Barry Howlett has no regrets that he paid $9000 for a Renaissance Man filly at the 2017 Perth APG yearling sale.

Now a five-year-old mare named My Prayer, she is proving a wonderful bargain, with her fast-finishing victory in the 2130m Nova 93.7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Saturday night improving her record to 48 starts for seven wins and 16 placings for earnings of $133,183.

My Prayer is out of Mystery Oro, who managed just one placing from 11 starts, a third at Kellerberrin in April 2003, but many of her relatives were good winners, including Bin Oro, one of the State’s best pacers in the late 1950s and 1960s.

However, it has not been plain sailing for My Prayer, who has always had problems as a knee knocker. “She races with go straights, and that is helping her,” said Howlett. “She is a lot stronger now.”

My Prayer’s win as a $24.60 outsider over the $1.45 favourite Euphoria ended a losing sequence of eleven and a 13-month drought. She started from barrier two on the back line and raced in sixth place three back on the pegs before Mitch Miller eased her off the pegs 250m from home and brought her home with a powerful burst to snatch victory from Euphoria, who had set the pace and had to withstand some strong opposition for much of the race.

Howlett’s other runner in the race, eight-year-old Fanci A Dance ($8) was an excellent third after racing three wide early and then being restrained to the rear before going forward again and racing three wide without cover approaching the bell.

“Hopefully, My Prayer will keep improving and develop into a candidate for feature races for mares in the summer, along with stablemate Star of Diamonds,” said Howlett. “My Prayer now has had five runs after a spell and she has got better with every run.”

Twoandahalf Tigers emerges from the wilderness

Veteran pacer Twoandahalf Tigers ended a four and a half-year drought and a losing sequence of 28 when he caused an upset as a $34 outsider when he stormed home from last at the bell to snatch a neck victory over $81 chance Adda Spoilt Major in the 2130m Nova 93.7 Pace (1) at Gloucester Park on Saturday night.

This was the New Zealand-bred nine-year-old’s third run for Hopeland trainer Giles Inwood, who paid just $2000 to buy the Jeremes Jet gelding five weeks ago.

Inwood is already showing a good profit, with Twoandahalf Tigers earning $6075 from Saturday night’s win and a second placing at Gloucester Park four days earlier.

Emily Suvaljko had the choice of driving Twoandahalf Tigers and the Brad Lynn-trained Joey James, who started favourite at $2.35 and set the pace before wilting to finish fourth. The drive behind Twoandahalf Tigers went to Emily’s father Shannon Suvaljko, who was content to keep the old gelding in last place in the field of nine before starting a three-wide move with just over a lap to travel.

Twoandahalf Tigers was switched four wide at the 300m and finished solidly to win from Adda Spoilt Major, who had enjoyed the perfect one-out, one-back trail. Inwood’s other runner Bettor Pack It, a $26 chance from barrier eight, was sixth at the bell before finishing strongly, out wide, to be third.

Twoandahalf Tigers was a shining light when he arrived in WA from New Zealand in 2016, with his first 22 starts in the State producing ten wins (including seven in a row) and eleven placings.

A friend told Inwood that Twoandahalf Tigers was advertised for sale, and Inwood decided to take the gamble and bought the gelding for $2000. “I bought him just because he was a cheapie,” Inwood said.

“He drew wide tonight (barrier six) and didn’t expect him to run anywhere. But he got a cart up in the last lap and hung a bit on the final turn. He got around the turn and just got up.

“Twoandahalf Tigers had recently been having hoppled training runs on the harder track at Byford, and he had pads (under his shoes). I removed the pads and I have been galloping him in the heavy sand and don’t work him on the track.”

Twoandahalf Tigers now has raced 82 times for 14 wins, 25 placings and $177,276. His dam Tiger Dion won at three of her 30 starts and is the dam of Texas Tiger, who won twice from 20 New Zealand starts before coming to Western Australia where he is unbeaten at his eight starts, including the group 2 $50,000 Four And Five-Year-Old Championship in March, and a Free-For-All in which he defeated Stroke Of Luck and Vultan Tin.

Wainui Creek is on song

Talented New Zealand-bred mare Wainui Creek is emerging as a strong candidate for the rich feature event for mares in the summer – and leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond are hoping that she will be able to improve on her unlucky fifth in last summer’s Westral Mares Classic by winning the group 1 feature event this year.

Five-year-old Wainui Creek has resumed after a spell in fine form, and she was not extended in scoring an all-the-way victory in the Nova 93.7 Pace (4) at Gloucester Park on Saturday night.

This took her record in four starts after a five-month absence to three wins and a third placing for a career record of 42 starts for 13 wins, 14 placings and stakes of $293,557.

She had an extremely tough run in the Westral Mares Classic last summer when she started from the outside barrier (No. 9) and raced in the breeze early and then out wide without cover before finishing fifth behind Balcatherine.

She has demonstrated her class by winning the group 2 Daintys Daughter Classic last November and the group 2 Empress Stakes in March this year.

Ryan Warwick had an armchair drive behind Wainui Creek, the $1.60 favourite in Saturday night’s 2130m event. Wainui Creek started from the No. 2 barrier, dashed straight to the front and was able to saunter through the lead time in 38.5sec. and the opening 400m sections in 31.5sec. and 31sec. before increasing the tempo with final quarters of 28.7sec. and 27.9sec.

She won at a 1.59 rate by more than a length from Star Of Diamonds ($4.60), with My Sweet Deal ($9.50) third after trailing the leader throughout.

To view all the results from Gloucester Park last Saturday, click here.

By Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park