Halls are poised for with smart four-year-old

Only three harness racing four-year-olds, The Falcon Strike (2002), Mysta Magical Mach (2009) and Chicago Bull (2017), have won the prestigious WA Pacing Cup this century, with The Falcon Strike and Chicago Bull being trained by Gary Hall Snr and driven by his son Gary Hall Jnr.

Now, the all-conquering Halls are poised to enhance their reputations as all-time greats of WA harness racing by winning the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with the exciting an inexperienced Mister Smartee (Always B Miki), the only four-year-old in the field.

The Falcon Strike was the only four-year-old in the field in the WA Pacing Cup on January 18, 2002, when he was a 4/1 chance from the outside barrier (No. 9) when he won by a nose from Lomba Rapida.

This was when the Halls began their remarkable domination of the big race, with Hall Snr now holding the incredible record of 13 victories as a trainer, and his son being the leading driver with nine winners in the event which was first run in 1913.

“I never imagined I’d be hoping to win the Cup for the tenth time,” said Hall Jnr. “When I was growing up and before I started driving The Falcon Strike, I remember asking our stable foreman Ronan Hargadon, who had won the 1996 Fremantle Cup with Sir Lektor, what it felt like to win a Group 1 event. It was always just a dream to win a Group 1 race.”

The New Zealand-bred Mister Smartee goes into Friday night’s race as the most inexperienced runner in the field of twelve which boasts a record of 221 wins and 201 placings for $7,244,553 in prizemoney.

Mister Smartee won once from two appearances in New Zealand, and he has raced 13 times in WA for 12 wins. Hall Jnr has driven him 11 times for 11 wins.

Mister Smartee has drawn awkwardly at barrier five, with Hall Jnr saying: “It’s neither here nor there. He just needs a little bit of luck. He is going as good as we can have him, and he worked super this morning (Wednesday) on our track at home, along with Wildwest.”

Aiden De Campo, who drove Magnificent Storm to victory in the Pacing Cup 12 months ago, has high hopes of making it two in a row when he partners the brilliant Captain Ravishing, who is favourably drawn at barrier two on the back line.

De Campo was greatly impressed with Captain Ravishing’s great natural speed when he guided the five-year-old to a superb victory over To Fast To Serious and Steno in the 2130m Navy Cup last Friday night.

“This is a perfect draw for him,” he said. “Once he didn’t draw to lead, he’s got options from his draw. We can drop to three rails or stay in the moving line. So, we won’t have to do any work to find either of those positions, and then I’ve got to pull the right rein at the right time.

“He was good last week, and I think he will improve. He handled the track pretty well, and I’m looking forward to Friday night. From the barrier draws it should be a great spectacle.”

Trainer Jemma Hayman, who is caring for Captain Ravishing for visiting trainer Freddy Taiba, said that the horse was in excellent shape. He was driven by Darren Kerr in a workout at Byford this morning (Wednesday) and Freddy was very happy with him. He worked by himself, nothing too hard, and I’m expecting improvement this week.”

Star reinsman Chris Voak was delighted when the Michael Brennan-trained Pinny Tiger drew the prized No. 1 barrier in the Cup. “At his latest start, from barrier five in the Stratton Cup last Friday week he definitely didn’t show the gate speed that he normally does, possibly because from the No. 5 barrier he was immediately behind the mobile barrier vehicle and couldn’t see clear running and didn’t want to run into the mobile vehicle,” he said.

“This week from No. 1 I expect Pinny Tiger to hold up. I have no doubt about that, and that I think he will run a very good race and is capable of winning.

“If he can produce the same run as he did in winning the Nullarbor Consolation over 2536m in April this year he can win. He went faster (rating 1.55.6) than Catch A Wave (who won the Nullarbor at a 1.55.7 rate).

“Mouse (Brennan) told me that Pinny Tiger is as healthy, fit and sound as he has ever had him.”

Voak trains Sangue Reale, who will be driven by leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko from the inside of the back line. Sangue Reale, who finished second to Mister Smartee in the Brennan Memorial two starts ago, should enjoy a perfect trip behind Pinny Tiger.

“Sangue Reale is as good as he has ever been for us, and if the race opens up, I’d be disappointed if he didn’t make a run at them,” said Voak.

Deni Roberts, who will drive Minstrel for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, said that the millionaire seven-year-old was ready to make a strong bid for victory at his first run for four weeks.

Minstrel, who is favourably drawn at barrier two, missed an important lead-up race because of a colic attack. But Roberts said that the gelding was fit and ready to go. “He has had a fair bit of work at home, and from this barrier I expect he will race in a forward position,” she said.

“He will get out as quick as he can and will try to hold a forward spot. He does his best racing up there.”

In-form reinsman Stuart McDonald is looking for a bold showing from Jumpingjackmac, who is prepared by Hall snr and will start from the No. 4 barrier.

Jumpingjackmac ran an excellent trial for this week’s Cup when he raced in the breeze for much of the way before fighting on grandly to finish second to Mister Smartee in the 2130m Stratton Cup last Friday week.

“His two runs back after a spell have been fantastic, and his work at home has been sharp,” said McDonald. “I couldn’t be much happier with him, and it would be nice to break through in one of the big races. He should be in the finish, the way he is going.”

Swingband, trained by Ryan Bell, should be at peak fitness at his third appearance after a spell, according to his driver Kyle Symington.

Five-year-old Swingband, who will start from the outside of the back line, ran home strongly to finish fifth behind Captain Ravishing in the 2130m Navy Cup last Friday night.

“There should be some speed early, and that should suit us,” said Symington. “I can’t complain about the draw; it could be a lot worse.”

Adding considerable lustre to the race will be Boyanup trainer Justin Prentices highly decorated pacers Mighty Ronaldo (winner of the 2020 Golden Slipper, the 2021 WA Derby and the 2023 Fremantle Cup) and Tricky Miki (winner of the 2021 Golden Slipper, the 2022 WA Derby and the 2023 Golden Nugget).

Prentice will drive Mighty Ronaldo from barrier No. 3, and Jack Callaghan will handle Tricky Miki from barrier No. 7.

Strong stayers Tenzing Bromac (barrier eight) and Lavra Joe (nine) face stern tests from their wide barriers.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ken Casellas, for Gloucester Park