Big plans for Gee Heza Sport
“He is pretty scary, and I think he doesn’t know how good he is,” enthused Deni Roberts after driving Gee Heza Sport to an effortless victory in the $31,000 Ultimate Sniper Allwood Stud Farm Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
An indication of the esteem in which the gelding is held by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond is that Greg Bond has revealed that the stable intends to set the seven-year-old for the $1million New Zealand Cup, a 3200m stand at Addington on Tuesday November 11, along with brilliant eight-year-old stablemate Minstrel.
Greg Bond races Gee Heza Sport in partnership with New Zealand Hall Of Fame trainer-reinsman Colin DeFilippi, who prepared the outstanding pacer when he finished 11TH behind Copy That in the 2022 New Zealand Cup when he began from barrier six on the front line, raced four back on the pegs and was blocked for a clear passage until late when he battled on along the sprint lane.
DeFilippi, who trained and drove Kyms Girl for her victory in the 2001 New Zealand Cup, prepared Gee Heza Sport for his seven wins and nine placings from 46 New Zealand starts, including six wins from 26 appearances at Addington.
Gee Heza Sport is a grand stayer who is unbeaten in stands in WA, scoring over 2631m at Pinjarra last October and then over 2503m at Gloucester Park in November.
Minstrel, who has not raced since finishing second to Mister Smartee in the 2936m Fremantle Cup on May 2 this year (with Gee Heza Sport finishing in third place), is unbeaten in five starts in stands in WA.
Gee Heza Sport was racing first-up after a six-week break on Friday night when he was the $1.20 favourite from the No. 3 barrier in the 2130m mobile event. He settled down in fourth spot before Roberts dashed him forward to take up the running after 270m.
After a modest lead time of 37.2sec. Gee Heza Sport was able to amble through the opening 400m section of the final mile in an extremely slow 32.4sec. This was followed by quarters of 29sec., 28.3sec. and 27.7sec. with Gee Heza Sport winning by 5m from $81 outsider Longreach Bay, who led early before enjoying a perfect trip behind the pacemaker, who rated 1.56.8.
This took Gee Heza Sport’s record to 57 starts for 14 wins, 12 placings and $497,281. He has amassed $345,431 from his seven wins and three placings from eleven starts in WA.
“This was a perfect first-up run heading into next Friday’s Winter Cup,” said Roberts. “It was nice and easy with no one wanting to come around to put the pressure on. He would have gone a lot faster if I had asked him.”
Australian winners in the 121-year history of the New Zealand Cup have been Steel Jaw (1983), Lightning Blue (1987), Aeden Rooney (2015) and Swayzee (2023 and 2024).
Roberts, who landed a treble at Gloucester Park on Friday night, did not rest on her laurels. She travelled down to Narrogin on Saturday night where she had five drives, including a win with $3.70 chance Loch Tay for trainer Mike Williams.
Young praises Heavenly Gipsy
Mardella trainer Michael Young lauded experienced pacer Heavenly Gipsy after the seven-year-old had crushed her rivals in the $25,000 Allwood Stud 40 Years Of Industry Service Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The former Victorian performer has impressed with her first five starts in WA in the space of 35 days producing three wins and a second placing for stakes of $54,568 --- a splendid return after Young and five stable clients had outlaid $30,000 to purchase her a couple months ago.
“She has been a good buy after Matt Leppard, one of my owners and a harness racing enthusiast in Victoria, liked her and said she was worth a go,” said Young.
“Heavenly Gipsy is now giving the stable an excellent two-pronged attack, along with Penny Black, in the rich feature events for mares later in the year.”
Heavenly Gipsy won at her first two starts in WA before she sped to the front from the outside barrier and set the pace before finishing a half-head second to Penny Black in a $50,000 group 3 event.
“It is hard to separate the two mares, who have contrasting racing styles, and they give the stable two live winning chances in the Norms Daughter Classic and the Mares Classic,” said Young.
Heavenly Gipsy’s main attribute is her sparkling gate speed and her ability as a frontrunner, while Penny Black is extremely tough and versatile.
Young rates Penny Black as the best mare he has trained. “She has had to do it the hard way in most of her twelve wins and seven placings from 24 starts in WA,” he said.
“I now rate Penny Black as the best mare I’ve trained --- ahead of Eighteen Carat, and with Heavenly Gipsy pushing for third ahead of Nevermindthechaos.”
Heavenly Gipsy’s win on Friday night gave Young his 72ND success for the season, giving him a comfortable lead on the WA trainers’ premiership table, ahead of Aiden De Campo (49 winners) and Greg and Skye Bond (44 winners).
“We’re trying to win the premiership,” said Young. “It’s not often you are in a position where you can win, so we will be trying to make the most of it. I mightn’t get another chance.”
Heavenly Gipsy, the $1.40 favourite, began from barrier five and Gary Hall jnr dashed her to the front after about 200m, with the lead time a brisk 36.5sec. followed by 400m sections of 30.3sec. and 29.1sec.
Smart mare Little Darling, the $5 second fancy from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line, began a three-wide move 550m after the start and raced in the breeze over the final 1200m before fighting on to finish fourth, with the winner rating 1.55.6 after final quarters of 28.5sec. and 28.6sec.
Heavenly Gipsy is by Rock N Roll Heaven and is the third foal out of Mach Robyn, who raced 14 times in Victoria for four wins, five placings and $15,975. Heavenly Gipsy has earned $130,589 from 12 wins and 17 placings from 50 starts.
Last Hard Copy is a bargain
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Mark Lee and his wife Kerry made a wise decision to pay $10,000 for a colt by star pacer My Hard Copy at the 2023 Perth APG yearling sale.
The colt named Last Hard Copy has developed into one of the State’s most promising three-year-olds, and he boosted his earnings to $78,304 after winning the $30,000 Ultimate Sniper Pace for Westsired colts and geldings.
He was a hot $1.20 favourite for Hopeland trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo, and his commanding victory by just over a length from the $6 second fancy Into The Future was his ninth win from 15 starts.
Last Hard Copy was the sole runner off the back line and De Campo sent him forward with a three-wide burst soon after the start to take up the running from Into The Future. He then was untroubled to bowl along in front before revealing a taste of his ability be sprinting over the final 400m in 27.7sec. to win at a 1.58.4 rate over 2130m.
“He recently had ten days off and was a bit underdone,” said De Campo. “He keeps on getting better and better and his strength is his high speed. The plan now is to have him ready for the $100,000 group 2 Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings on September 5.
“Mark and Kerry bought him cheaply at the yearling sale and then did a super job in educating him. And then after his first two-year-old preparation they asked me to train him.”
Last Hard Copy is the fourth foal out of Rich And Spoilt mare Call Me Paris, who was retired after racing six times as a two-year-old in 2016 for three placings and $ stakes of $2450.
Call Me Paris is a full-brother to talented pacers New World Order (134 starts for 22 wins, 39 placings and $265,243) and Shipwreck (106 starts for 19 wins, 31 placings and $279,198).
New World Order’s 12 WA wins included the group 1 Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings in July 2016. He was sold to America where he won another ten races.
Shipwreck finished second to Seel N Print in the WA Derby in July 2011, and three months later he finished a nose second to Trigmart in the group 1 State Sires Series final.
Lady Camel is big and strong
Rob Gartrell is enjoying his hobby as a breeder of pacers, and his latest runner Lady Camel looks set for a fruitful career following an impressive performance at Gloucester Park on Friday night which saw her score an easy win in the $21,000 Fly Like An Eagle Pace over 2130m.
This improved Lady Camel’s record to 17 starts for four wins, four placings and $86,384, and Gartrell is looking forward to the four-year-old mare emulating the career of her elder full-sister Rattlin Lilly, the first pacer he has bred.
Lady Camel is a big, strong filly who is at her best when she sets the pace. She is trained by Greg and Skye Bond and was the $2.10 favourite from barrier five in Friday night’s event. Deni Roberts dashed Lady Camel to the front after 450m --- after her main rival and last-start winner Miki Made Monty ($3.30) galloped in the mobile score-up and spent extra energy to catch up and to get away almost on terms with her eleven rivals.
Miki Made Monty raced three wide early to move to the breeze before gaining a sit in the one-out, one-back position in the middle stages when Malakie surged forward from the rear to race outside the pacemaker.
Miki Made Monty battled on doggedly to finish second, three lengths from the winner, who rated 1.57.6 after a 58.6sec. final 800m.
“Lady Camel is a big rolling type who will improve,” said Roberts. “She is pretty immature, and I don’t know how good she is. At the moment she doesn’t have that real turn of foot that quality mares have.
“She paces better than Rattlin Lilly, who would have been a top mare if her action was better. Lady Camel is a delight to train; she has no head check and races in a big, long hopple.”
Rattlin Lilly and Lady Camel are by star American sire Always B Miki and are the first two foals out of the Bettors Delight mare Baileys Gold, who was raced in partnership by Gartrell and earned $74,019 from her 12 wins and 11 placings from 67 starts in WA.
Rattlin Lilly has raced 31 times for eight wins, 12 placings and $86,384, while Lady Camel has earned $37,224 from four wins and four placings from 17 starts. Gartrell has also bred Baileys Gold’s third foal Koh I Noor Camel (by For A Reason) who has had two starts as a two-year-old for a debut victory at Northam in February this year.
Soho Moonraker enjoys a drop in class
Five-year-old Sweet Lou gelding Soho Moonraker made the most of a significant drop in class when Mitchell Miller drove the Kim Prentice-trained gelding to victory in the $21,000 Interdominion Winner Ultimate Sniper Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was a heavily-supported $1.70 favourite who began from the No. 5 barrier and settled down in fifth place before Miller urged him forward to foil Gary Hall junior’s spirited bid to charge to the front.
Soho Moonraker took the lead after 500m after a fast lead time of 36.3sec. and he sustained a strong pace before winning by a half-length from dead-heaters Mega Mach ($81) and Gota Good Warhol ($101), rating 1.56.
Soho Moonraker, a winner of four races on Victorian country tracks, had won only once from nine WA starts before Friday night’s race, and he appears set to develop into a smart performer who now has earned $67,467 from six wins and seven placings from 27 starts.
“The pressure came a bit earlier than I expected,” said Mitchell. “They got a big closer than I would have liked. He switched off late, but that probably was my fault because I let him knock off.
“With that win on the board hopefully he now gets more respect.”
Soho Moonraker is the sixth foal out of Bettors Delight mare Aussie Made Lombo, who earned $578,456 from 22 wins, 19 seconds and seven thirds from 62 starts.
Aussie Made Lombo’s third foal Soho Interceptor was retired after her 41 starts produced five wins, 12 placings and $177,643. Her victories included two group 1 events, the Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies in March 2018 and the Westbred Classic three months later.
Hunt The Magic ends lean run
An ideal draw on the inside of the back line draw paved the way for Hunt The Magic’s victory in the $21,000 Bob and Marilyn Fowler Pasce over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, a win which ended a 15-month drought and a losing sequence of 21.
The five-year-old mare trained by Ian Gossage, was a $10.40 chance who was given every chance by Kyle Symington, who gave her a perfect sit behind the overracing pacemaker and $3.60 favourite Franco Mecca.
Fat Louie ($4.20) raced in the breeze, and Symington was able to ease Hunt The Magic off the pegs in the final lap before the mare finished solidly to windy a half-length from $34 chance Del Bocavista Bay, with Fat Louie in third place.
“She hasn’t had a run like that for a while and it was perfect for her,” said Symington, who predicted further successes for the mare.
“She is a horse who feeds off confidence because the previous time she won (in April 2024) I think she won four in a row,” said Symington. In fact, Symington drove her to three successive wins at Pinjarra in March and April in 2024.
Hunt The Magic is by American sire Huntsville and is the first foal out of Jeremes Jet mare Playin With Magic, who won once (at Bunbury in May 2015) from 16 starts. Hunt The Magic’s younger sister Seaside Magic won the group 3 Pearl Classic in May this year when she beat Captain Stirling.
Hunt The Magic has proved to be a handy performer who now has earned $98,756 from eight wins and 17 placings from 56 starts.
Crunchnsip is a classic hope
Champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond are hoping that Crunchnsip will emulate her half-sister Red Hot Roxy and become a rich classic winner this year.
Crunchnsip was the $2.20 favourite at her second race start when she began from barrier three and scored a decisive victory in the $21,000 Christmas In July Next Friday Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Red Hot Roxy, the first foal out of unraced For Starzzz Shark mare Gabriella Rocks, won the group 1 $100,000 Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies in April 2016, and Crunchnsip, the seventh foal out of Gabriella Rocks, looks set to be a leading contender along with promising stablemates Slay Queen and Cocobolo for the group 2 $100,000 Diamond Classic on August 8 and the $215,000 Westbred Classic on September 5.
“Crunchnsip made me work for it tonight,” said her driver Deni Roberts. “She is very green and big in condition, and out in front was to get going. She will improve on that run.”
Crunchnsip began from barrier three and took the lead after 200m before covering the first two quarters in 32sec. and 31sec.and then sprinted home with 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 28sec. to beat Drop The Ace ($5.50) by 2m, rating 1.58.6.
Interestingly, a few hours before Crunchnsip’s win, her half-brother, five-year-old Rocket City rated 1.51.6 when he won a 1660m event at Brisbane’s Albion Park.
Rocket City and Crunchnsip were bred in WA by Steve Johnson, with Rocket City having earned $181,669 from 12 wins and ten placings from 39 starts. He won the Gold Bullion for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park in April 2023 after finishing second to Never Ending in the group 1 Westbred Classic seven months earlier.
Crunchnsip, who was sold for $52,000 at the 2024 Perth APG yearling sale, has raced twice for a win, a third placing and $12,910 in stakes.
Chekker revives memories
Chekker’s surprise victory in the $30,000 Fly Like An Eagle Pace for Westsired three-year-old fillies over 2130m at Gloucester Park revived happy memories for Pinjarra trainer Kyle Anderson.
Anderson trains Chekker, who caused a major upset when he was a $32.10 tote outsider (and a $41 chance on the fixed market) who finished solidly to beat the $1.06 favourite Iseeubaby after that filly had proved a handful for her driver Emily Suvaljko.
Chekker, a filly by Caribbean Blaster, is the first foal out of the Mach Three mare Our Clarisa, who raced 130 times for six wins, 31 placings and $59,313 in prizemoney.
Our Clarisa holds a special place in Anderson’s heart. “She was my first starter as a trainer when she won at Busselton on January 2, 2016 (when she was a $24.40 chance driven by Dean Miller and finished solidly to beat the pacemaker Augusta Moonlight),” said Anderson.
After that Anderson had his first drive in a race when he drove Our Clarisa into third place behind King Lebron at Bunbury on April 23, 2016.
Our Clarisa won at three of her 21 New Zealand starts and had seven trainers in WA, winning three more times, at Wagin, Busselton and Kalgoorlie.
“Our Clarisa was bred and is owned by Jim Morgan, who is my Dad’s stepdad, and he has been a part-owner of almost every horse I’ve had, including Al Guerrero (70 starts for 15 wins, 18 placings and $175,368),” said 37-year-old Anderson.
Chekker was driven by on Friday night by Kyle Harper, who drove the filly to an all-the-way nine-length victory as the $1.75 favourite at Bridgetown five starts earlier on April 6.
Iseeubaby gave Suvaljko an extremely torrid time after leading from the No. 1 barrier and refusing to settle. She contacted her sulky wheels and raced erratically, charging to lead by several lengths and then threatening to pull up before again dashing away to open up a big lead. She led until the final 50m before Harper got Chekker to the front to beat Iseeubaby by a half-length, rating 1.58.7.
After a slow lead time of 38.3sec. Iseeubaby sprinted over the opening 400m section of the final mile in a flying 27.9sec. to leave her rivals floundering in her wake.
Chekker raced in third place in the Indian file affair, with Harper explaining: “They were running too quickly so I decided to rate her own race. We made some ground up with the slower second quarter of 31.7sec. and she sustained a good run to get up and win.”
Elliott’s birthday triumph
Promising reinsman Liam Elliott celebrated his 19TH birthday at Gloucester Park on Friday night in style with a patient drive to land Whataretheodds a thrilling final-stride winner by a nose in the $23,000 Michael Holtham Pace over 2130m.
Elliott, having his second drive on Whataretheodds, originally planned to get Whataretheodds away to a flying start in a bid for an all-the-way win.
“But I talked with Ryan (trainer Ryan Bell) during the week when it was decided not to burn him off the gate,” said Elliott.
Whataretheodds was the $2.30 favourite from the No. 4 barrier, and he settled down eighth position in the one-wide line while the polemarker and $8.50 chance Twobob Cracker was setting a brisk pace with a lead time of 36.1sec. opening quarters of 29.6sec. and 29.4sec.
Whataretheodds was seventh at the bell and Elliott bided his time before setting Whataretheodds alight with a three-wide burst with about 500m to travel. Whataretheodds sustained a powerful run out wide to get up and beat $9.50 chance Cams Boulder after that pacer had taken a narrow lead 50m from the post after having trailed the pacemaker all the way.
“I wasn’t sure we had beaten Cams Boulder,” said Elliott. “Around the corner I was hoping to keep him in a pocket but was unable to do so. In the end it was the speed of Whataretheodds that got him over the line.
“After winning my first metro-class race the previous week with Swagger Man, to get two in the space of a week was very special for me.”
Whataretheodds, a five-year-old by American sire Betting Line, has been a consistent performer who has earned $168,234 from ten wins and 15 placings from 40 starts, with Bell explaining that the gelding had been a problem for most of his career.
“He has run some good races, and this was a drop in grade,” he said. “We have got to take the wins when they come because there is always something wrong with him. He suffers from a permanent worm burden. Worms are stuck to his intestines, and nothing can cure this problem.
“So, we have to manage him, and he goes on a special diet, without any starch in his feed.”
Vinciullo flies the flag
Sicilian-born Vince Vinciullo migrated to Western Australia in 1962, and he considers himself as a dinkum Aussie.
But the 76-year-old still proudly flies the Italian flag and rejoices when one of his pacers wins a race with the driver sporting the bright Italian colours of green with a white star and red sleeves.
His latest success came at Gloucester Park on Friday night when trainer Aiden De Campo donned the green, white and red silks and drove Vinciullo’s four-year-old mare Copy Cat Queen to a superb victory in the $30,000 Allwood Stud Farm Westbred Pace for four and five-year-olds.
Copy Cat Queen, purchased by Vinciullo for $10,000 at the 2022 Perth APG yearling sale, boosted her earnings to $100,399 from nine wins and six placings from 29 starts when she was a $7.80 chance who sprinted home brilliantly to win by a length and a half from $7.50 chance Caberneigh, rating a smart 1.55.1 over the 2130m journey.
Copy Cat Queen was not bustled out from the No. 3 barrier and De Campo was happy to settle her down in eighth position, with the polemarker and $3.60 favourite Our Sandy Shore setting the pace and $4.40 chance Louie Dior racing in the breeze after being fastest to begin but being unable to cross to the front.
Copy Cat Queen was seventh with 650m to travel before she sprinted strongly to burst to the front 120m from the post.
“She was super when she won first-up at Pinjarra, and then there were excuses when she ran sixth behind No Noney last week when was hindered with a hopple hooked under a knee boot,” said De Campo.
“Copy Cat Queen has always been a bit of a funny mare, but now she seems to be in the zone, and hopefully keeps going. Her high speed should take her a long way.”
Copy Cat Queen is by My Hard Copy and is the 11TH foal out of Jet Laag mare Luvya Maddy Lombo, who raced 16 times in Victoria in 2006 and 2007 for nine placings and stakes of $8444. In contrast, Luvya Maddy Lombo’s younger half-brother Suave Stuey Lombo was a brilliant performer who raced 110 times for 33 wins, 23 placings and stakes of $587,032.
Vinciullo was educated at CBC Highgate, and he proudly recalls having played football with Ron Alexander as one of his teammates in junior ranks at East Perth.
A builder by trade, Vinciullo has enjoyed plenty of success as a breeder, owner and harness racing trainer. He bred, broke in and trained his best pacer, Raceaway Too, who had 70 starts in the 1980s for 21 wins, 15 placings and $164,985 in prizemoney.
Raceaway Too won a Stratton Cup and was also successful in an APC Consolation event at Adelaide’s Globe Derby Park in 1986. Among Vinciullo’s good pacers were Devils Arrow (48 starts in the 1990s for 12 wins, 11 placings and $61,071) and Tosca Lombo, who won five races in 1999.
