Emily’s big night out
Outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko was seen at her brilliant best at Gloucester Park on Friday night when she landed four winners, including the two group 3 feature events.
She drove a copybook race to win the $50,000 Allwood Stud Four and Five-Year-Old Championship with the inexperienced four-year-old Alta Tribute --- 28 minutes after scoring with Penny Black in the $50,000 WASBA Breeders Stakes.
This was the second time the 24-year-old Suvaljko had won four events at a Gloucester Park meeting, following her victories with Hesashark, Sokys Bigbullet, Sahara Storm and Battlescard on December 17, 2021.
She also drove four winners at a meeting at Pinjarra on July 19, 2021, with Rockin Rufus, Burghley Shard, Leosabi and The White Rabbit, and at Albany last December when she scored with Vintage Blu, Heez A Vibe, Lets Rock Tonight and Shoal Bay.
Her best meeting was at Kellerberrin on June 2, 2024, when she notched five winners --- Lets Rock Tonight, Rocknroll Train, Tux And Tails, Shes A Mare and Agent Booth.
Suvaljko didn’t rest on her laurels on Friday night, travelling to Bunbury on Saturday night for two drives --- $21 chance Jilliby Mojito (who finished fourth) and Iseeubaby (when she contested an event which was abandoned) --- and then going to Kellerberrin on Sunday for five drives for a double with Shes A Mare and Alexandra Thegreat as well as two thirds and a fifth placing.
Suvaljko now has driven 49 winners this season and is in second place behind Gary Hall jnr (79 wins) on the State drivers’ premiership table. Her career tally now stands at an impressive 717 wins.
Alta Tribute, drawn ideally at barrier one, was the $3.70 second fancy behind his stablemate, the five-year-old Im The Black Flash, the $2.60 favourite from the No. 2 barrier.
Both pacers are trained by Gary Hall snr, who also was represented by Skylou, a $41 outsider from out wide at barrier eight.
“Senior told me to come out with Alta Tribute and sit on Stuey (Stuart McDonald, driving Im The Black Flash),” said Suvaljko.
As expected, Im The Black Flash took up the running after resisting an early challenge from Gully Gum ($17), leaving Alta Tribute trailing the leader before Suvaljko eased him off the pegs approaching the home turn and hitting the front 110m from the post and winning by just under a length from $8 chance Lusaka, who raced three back on the pegs before sprinting home fast, out three wide. Im The Black Flash finished a length farther back in third place.
“Alta Tribute is still a bit green, and I had to remind him with a lap to go to be a racehorse,” said Suvaljko. “After hitting the front, he was waiting for them for a bit.”
After a fast lead time of 35.6sec. the opening quarters were run in comfortable times of 30.3sec. and 29.7sec. before the final 800m was run in 56.2sec., with the winner rating a smart 1.54.7 over the 2130m.
Alta Tribute was driven for the first time for Suvaljko, who was given the drive because Hall jnr was in Exmouth enjoying a well-deserved holiday.
Alta Tribute is by former brilliant pacer Alta Christiano and is the second foal out of Grinfromeartoear mare Harriet Price, who was retired after her 17 starts produced two wins (in New Zealand) before racing in WA for one second placing (at Bunbury) from eight starts. Her first foal High Price has earned $167,231 from 11 wins and 22 placings from 65 starts.
Friday night’s triumph gave Hall snr his eighth win in the Four and Five-Year-Old Championship, following successes with Love Of Glory (1990), Zakara (1991), Make The Rules (1999), Northview Punter (2014), Chicago Bull (2018), Texas Tiger (2021) and Mister Smartee (2024). For Suvaljkjo, it was her second win in this event, following her success with the Michael Young-trained Doc Holliday, who beat Arma Einstein and Ideal Agent in April 2022.
Penny Black is just too tough
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Penny Black enhanced her prospects in the rich events for mares later this year when she proved too strong for her rivals in the $50,000 group 3 WASBA Breeders Stakes over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Penny Black, trained by Michael Young and driven by Emily Suvaljko, was a $4.40 chance behind the polemarker Wonderful To Fly ($3.30) and last year’s winner Aardiebytheseaside, a $3.90 chance from the No. 5 barrier.
Penny Black began smartly from barrier two and settled in the breeze, with Wonderful To Fly setting the pace after a lead time of 37.2sec.
Suvaljko made a winning move when she sent Penny Black to the front 700m after the start, and the mare went on to win by a half-length from $5 chance Little Darling, who fought on grimly after working in the breeze over the final 1400m. The final 400m sections whizzed by in 27.4sec. and 27.6sec., with penny Black rating a smart 1.55.1.
“I was very surprised that Shane (Young) handed up with Wonderful To Fly,” said Suvaljko. “I was just happy to sit in the breeze, and then, once we got to the front, I thought it was race over.
“Penny Black was a bit erratic, running up the track in the back straight in the final lap. I was worried that Wonderful To Fly would get through on the inside, but we were able to get back down to the pegs.”
Penny Black was challenged strongly by Little Darling in the closing stages, but the leader refused to give in.
“Penny Black hangs down a bit on the corner, but when she gets into the straight, she gets going,” said Suvaljko. “I knew that she never gives in, and she loves a horse there (on her outside) keeping her honest.”
Nullarbor Navajo ($13) enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position, ran home solidly to finish third, with Aardiebytheseaside (who followed Nullarbor Navajo all the way) in fourth place, ahead of Wonderful To Fly.
Young said after the race that he relinquished the lead because Wonderful To Fly was not travelling strongly, and he now intends sending the six-year-old out for a spell.
Penny Black, who is by boom sire Sweet Lou, has raced 26 times for twelve wins, seven placings and $204,959. Her 20 WA starts for Young have produced eleven wins and five placings and she is sure to be a leading contender for the Norms Daughter Classic and the Mares Classic late this year.
Three out of three for Young
Michael Young, the State’s leading trainer this season, left Gloucester Park on Friday night with a perfect record --- three starters for three victories.
He completed the treble with $18 chance Acushla Machree, who surprised him by winning the Go To Allwood Stud Pace over 2130m after the mare had overraced in the breeze and faded to finish last the previous Friday night.
Acushla Machree’s win came after Young had been successful earlier in the program with Penny Black and Montana D J, with the three winners being driven by Emily Suvaljko.
The treble left Young as the leader on the WA trainers’ premiership table with 47 winners this season --- nine ahead of Aiden De Campo.
Acushla Machree began swiftly from barrier six and led by a half-length early but was unable to cross to the front, with $91 outsider Cry Havoc holding the lead after starting from the No. 1 barrier. Eventually Acushla Machree got to the front after 550m and she set the pace and went on to win by a half-length from the $1.32 favourite Scooter B, who began from the outside barrier in the field of nine and raced without cover for most of the 2130m trip.
When Acushla Machree got to the breeze she started hitting the wheels of her sulky and racing keenly.
“Mitchell (Miller) saw her hitting the wheels and he decided to hand up with Cry Havoc,” said Suvaljko. “My plan was to get to the front and then hand up to Scooter B. But Acushla Machree took off in front, and after the fast lead time of 35.9sec. I can’t believe that she was able to go on and win. She had worked with Penny Black during the week and this certainly helped.”
Acushla Machree, a big, sturdy mare by Vincent, is owned by Hayden King, and now has raced 43 times for nine wins, eleven placings and stakes of $98,040. She won at five of her 32 New Zealand starts, and her WA record now stands at eleven starts for four wins and three placings.
She is the third foal out of Annie Morva, a successful race mare who was retired with earnings of $146,823 from eleven wins and 27 placings from 75 starts.
Follow Rocknroll flies home
Collie trainer Brian Wheeler is enjoying great success with half-brothers Bettor Move Along and Follow Rocknroll, and the latter unwound a sparkling late burst of speed to come from last at the 500m to get up and snatch a last-stride victory in the $23,000 Ramsay’s Horse Transport Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park Friday night.
A $20 chance driven by Wheeler’s son Trent, six-year-old Follow Rocknroll, bred and owned by Bob Fowler’s Allwood Stud Farm, has been most consistent in recent seasons and now has earned $98,033 from ten wins and 20 placings from 63 starts.
By Follow The Stars, Follow Rocknroll is the second foal out of the unraced mare Rocknroll Loyalty, whose first foal Bettor Move Along has raced 104 times for 14 wins, 29 placings and $124,768.
Both these geldings have inherited much of their ability from their maternal granddam Amongst Royalty, who was a star on the track, earning $570,820 from 23 wins and 27 placings from 86 starts before being retired to the breeding barn where she has produced Lady Willoughby (53 starts for 16 wins, 14 placings and $167,293) and Lord Willoughby (273 starts for 44 wins, 86 placings and $423,198).
Lord Willoughby won 15 times in WA before winning another 29 times in America.
Oceanfront gets the job done
Victorian-bred pacer Oceanfront was beaten out from the No. 1 barrier but was able to get clear in the home straight and win the $21,000 Allwood Stud Pace for three-year-old fillies over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was a $13.70 chance, with Ruby Lou ($1.90 favourite) and Wicked Lover ($3) dominating the betting on the race, in which ace driver Deni Roberts was hoping to set the pace.
“Her gate speed was a little slower than I expected,” said Roberts. “But we ended up sitting behind the right horse (the $7.50 chance Spirited Whitby), and things worked out perfectly.”
Wicked Lover had a tough run in the breeze before wilting to finish fourth, while Ruby Lou disappointed in finishing eighth in the field of nine.
Ruby Lou went forward, three wide, from out wide at barrier eight before being restrained to the rear. She began a three-wide move from last at the bell but failed to threaten any danger to the leaders.
Oceanfront is prepared by Bunbury trainer Bob Mellsop for Russell Crossen, who purchased the filly after she had won as a $31 outsider at Shepparton in January this year and then was advertised at a cheap price.
Oceanfront is by Vincent and is the second foal out of unraced mare Special Beach. She now has had ten starts for two wins, one second placings and $18,067 in prizemoney.
Mellsop and Roberts kept up the good work at the Bunbury meeting on Saturday night when they combinedto win a 2100m event with the$1.50 favourite Swizzlestick.
Unpopular Montana D J scores
“He’s the stable’s least favourite horse because of his character and a habit of not trying hard,” said Emily Suvaljko after driving Montana D J to victory in the $31,000 Grange Bloodstock Insurance Company Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred six-year-old, trained by Michael Young, was a $6.90 chance from the No. 4 barrier when he raced without cover for the first 600m and then enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position before starting a three-wide move 350m from home, taking the lead 130m later and holding on to win by a neck from the $3.70 equal favourite Vegas Strip.
“When I pulled him out, he sprinted really good before he switched off a bit when left alone in front,” said Suvaljko. “I worked harder than the horse, who is not everybody’s favourite.
“He did a bit of work early and fired up, but once he got cover, he relaxed. I knew the 2536m wouldn’t bother him after he performed so well over 2936m the previous week.”
Vegas Strip, making his second appearance after a spell, trailed the pacemaker and $3.70 equal favourite Hoppys Way and he finished strongly in between horses in the home straight to finish second.
Montana D J, who rated 1.57.9, is by American sire Captaintreacherous and is the ninth foal out of One Dream, who was retired after a superb career of 23 starts for 18 wins, five placings and $846,467 in prizemoney. His WA record stands at 15 starts for three wins and four placings.
Bet On The River wins for busy trainer
Serpentine trainer Matt Scott enjoys a busy life, and he was at Gloucester Park at 4 o’clock on Friday afternoon with a team of six horses --- after a long day on Thursday when he drove to Albany with his thoroughbred mare Cherokee Miss.
“I left at 9.30 in the morning with Cherokee Miss, who won the second-last race when ridden by Tash Faithfull, and I got home with her at 9.30 last night,” said 48-year-old Scott.
“I’m working three gallopers and several pacers, and the Albany win on Thursday was my 20TH with a galloper.”
After a second placing with En Pariant Sur in the opening event at Gloucester Park on Friday night Scott was successful in race two, the $21,000 Shop Budget Stockfeeds In Oakford Pace over 2130m with $12.60 chance Bet On The River to give him his 610TH harness racing winner.
Bet On The River, driven by Tom Nally from the inside of the back line, had a perfect trail behind the polemarker and pacemaker Minor Catastrophe, the $2.50 favourite, before he got into the clear and finished solidly to take the lead 120m from the post and win by two and a half lengths from $34 chance Pocketful Of Opals, who raced four back on the pegs before finishing with a spirited burst.
“Bet On The River is an opportunist who got the right run tonight,” said Scott.
Eight-time WA premiership trainer Ross Oliviero purchased Bet On The River for $20,000 at the 2021 Perth APG yearling sale, and the youngster made a perfect start, winning on debut for Olivieri at Pinjarra as a two-year-old in January 2022 when he sprinted over the final 400m of the 1684m event in 27.2sec.
Olivieri raced Bet On The River with John Ellis and Don McLean, and the youngster broke down with a tendon injury which kept him out of action for 16 months before he resumed with a well-beaten fifth at Bunbury in February 2024 which kept him on the sidelines for ten and a half months.
“Ross told John and Don that Bet On The River was not viable for him, and he said ‘you guys can take over my share,’” explained Scott.
“John looked after him and jogged him up, and he asked me to take him to race in the stands at the Busselton carnival last December and January where I gave him four starts for three wins, including the Busselton Cup.
“The deal was that John should resume as the trainer after the Busselton venture, and he gave the gelding four starts for two placings before he (John) had back surgery and returned the horse to me. Bet On The River was having his third start for me in this preparation when he raced on Friday night.”
Bet On The River has had only 17 starts for six wins, three placings and $42,113, and Scott is confident the five-year-old will win more races, particularly when used as a sit-sprinter.
Riding revives veteran Fireplay
Late last year Pinjarra owner-trainer Russell Eddy was considering retiring his veteran pacer Fireplay before he was persuaded by Hamel trainer Kym Neal to give the old gelding a chance to revive his career.
Eddy has no regrets that he agreed to send Fireplay to be prepared by Neal, who brought the nine-year-old to Gloucester Park on Friday night when he was a $27.80 outsider from the No. 1 barrier in the $21,000 Pegasus and Milne Feeds Pace over 2130m.
Driven by Mitch Miller, Fireplay led for the first 600m before taking the sit behind the $2.50 favourite En Pariant Sur and finally easing off the pegs 200m from home and hitting the front soon afterwards before winning by a length from En Pariant Sur, rating 1.59.5.
“All credit is due to Kym,” said Eddy. “Last year we thought Fireplay was getting close to the end of his career, and Kym suggested that she take the horse and work him in the saddle. I agreed, and Kym has been riding him. He goes out in the pines and works up the hill.
“I bought him as a four-year-old for $10,000 from Michael Young, and this win takes his earnings past the $90,000 mark. We lost a bit of time with him a couple of years ago when he got his leg caught in a fence, and he was out for six or seven months.
Fireplay is an evergreen performer who has now raced 171 times for eight wins, 23 placings and $91,742. He is by American sire Shadow Play and is the second foal out of Kilifi Fire, who had 66 starts for ten wins, 15 placings and $57,273.
The New South Wales-bred Fireplay won once from 24 NSW appearances and once from three starts in Victoria before Young won once from ten starts with him. Then Eddy gave Fireplay 115 starts before sending him to Neal, who has scored two wins from 14 starts under her care.
Star Casino is bred to shine
New Zealand-bred six-year-old Star Casino is certainly bred to be a star, and he looks assured of winning many more races.
Prepared by astute Mt Helena trainer Ray Williams, Star Casino ended a losing sequence of 17 when he began off the 50m mark and scored an easy win over 2631m at Pinjarra late last month, and he maintained his splendid form with a runaway victory over 2536m in the $21,000 Larkhill Vets Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was the $2.90 favourite from the No. 6 barrier and Aldo Coprtopassi did not bustle him early before sending him to the front after 450m. After modest opening quarters of 31.7sec. and 29.9sec. Star Casino dashed over the final 400m sections in 27.7sec. and 28.6sec. and won by three lengths from Dark Eyes ($8), with a half-length back to the fast-finishing Thelittle Master.
“I was confident once we got to the top,” said Cortopassi. “I didn’t rush him; I just let him get to the front over his own steam, and we were able to run a solid 1200m after that. He is tougher than he is given credit for. His run at Pinjarra showed he’s got a bottom to him.”
Star Casino is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the eighth and last foal out of Christian Cullen mare Star Of Venus, who raced 23 times for two wins, six placings and $20,098 in stakes.
Star Of Venus has proved her worth as a broodmare, having also produced outstanding pacers Self Assured and Caviar Star.
Self Assured, an elder full-brother to Star Casino, amassed $2,410,066 in prizemoney from 30 wins and 33 placings from 74 starts. His group 1 victories include the 2019 Queensland Derby, the 2019 and 2022 Auckland Cups, the 2020 New Zealand Cup and the 2021 Easter Cup at Addington and rich Free-For-Alls at Addington and Alexandra Park.
Caviar Star, trained by Gary Hall snr, won the Fremantle Cup in January 2020 when he beat Vampiro by a head. He earned $362,582 from 14 wins and 15 placings from 49 starts.
Star Casino is destined for bigger and better things. He has raced 67 times for 12 wins and 15 placings for earnings of $168,743.
Im Category Five aimed at Diamond Classic
WA-bred two-year-old filly Im Category Five has made a wonderful start to her racing career, winning twice at Gloucester Park in the space of four days last week.
And now her breeder and owner Colleen Lindsay is hoping that Im Category Five, trained by Colin Brown, will go one better than her dam Typhoon Tiff by winning the group 1 $100,000 Diamond Classic on August 8.
Typhoon Tiff was a brilliant young pacer who finished a close second to Majorpride in the Diamond Classic for two-year-old fillies in June 2018, and she was retired with earnings of $205,673 from eleven wins and five placings from 24 starts, with her major victories being as a three-year-old in the group 2 Daintys Daughters Classic and group 1 Westbred Classic for fillies.
Im Category Five is the second of Typhoon Tiff’s foals, and apart from the Diamond Classic she is likely to tackle the $215,000 Westbred Classic for fillies on September 5.
Mrs Lindsay and her husband Trevor are planning to run their other promising, Brown-trained filly The Sea Siren in the upcoming rich classic events.
Mrs Lindsay also bred Typhoon Tiff’s dam Tiffany Twisted, who shone as a two-year-old in the 2009-10 season when she raced eight times for three wins and two placings.
Tiffany Twisted’s elder half-sister Centrefold Angel, bred and owned by Mrs Lindsay, was a star performer who raced 47 times for 14 wins, 15 placings and $237,348. She won the Diamond Classic as a two-year-old in June 2009 before finishing second in the group 1 Sires Series Stakes and second in the group 1 Golden Slipper at her following two starts.
Dylan Egerton-Green drove Im Category Five when she was a $8.70 chance from the No. 4 barrier in the $21,000 Allwood Stud Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Miss Bejeweled was the $1.55 favourite from the No. 1 barrier on debut when her prospects were ruined when she met with a check on the first bend after the start and galloped badly.
Viva Lost Wages, a $6.50 chance trained and driven by Chris Voak, dashed to the front after 220m, with Im Category Five settling down in third place in the Indian file of the four runners left in calculation.
Im Category Five locked wheels with Altas Last 700m from home and was forced three wide before getting untangled and finishing strongly to get to the front with 350m to travel on her way to winning by two lengths from Altas Last, rating 1.59.9.
This followed Im Category Five’s impressive win at Gloucester Park on debut three days earlier when she was a $12.20 chance who trailed the pacemaker and favourite Gentlemans Promise before sprinting strongly to burst to the front 100m from the post and win by 5m from the leader.
