Star mare Penny Black faces the biggest test of her career when she clashes with eleven classy male rivals in the $100,000 Retravision J. P. Stratton Cup over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night --- and her trainer Michael Young is confident she is up to the challenge.
Penny Black will begin from the prized No. 1 barrier, and Young said: “We are looking forward to the WA Pacing Cup two weeks later. And if we want her to be a player in the Pacing Cup, we need to be a player in this week’s race.
“It’s not like a mare racing against the boys; she’s one of them. She is outside the top twelve rankings for the Pacing Cup at the moment, and hopefully she will win or perform well enough to earn a spot in the big race.
“If this is the case she won’t go around in the Navy Cup the following Friday. But if she has to run in the Navy Cup (in order to qualify for the Pacing Cup), so be it, and she will contest that race. We think she deserves a spot in the Pacing Cup, so we are trying to get it.”
Penny Black gave another outstanding performance when she finished second to the pacemaker Little Darling in the 2536m group 1 Westral Mares Classic last Friday night. She began from the inside of the back line and was hopelessly blocked for a run until the late stages --- when she was eighth on the home turn and flew home, out four wide, to finish second.
“She wasn’t happy when she was locked away and she did a bit of extricating to get herself off the fence,” said her driver Emily Suvaljko. “It was a bit tight, and she did it (getting into the clear) more than I did. She then got home very good. She has added that versatility this time in and is now able to sprint home after a soft run. I haven’t any set plans yet regarding my tactics on Friday night.”
Young said that this was the first time that Penny Black had drawn the No. 1 barrier and that he would like her to take advantage of the draw.
“Penny Black has decent gate speed, and I’d say she should be able to get to the front,” he said.
It promises to be an exciting contest between Penny Black and established stars Minstrel, Magnificent Storm, Mister Smartee, Mighty Ronaldo, Gee Heza Sport and others.
In recent years the Stratton Cup has been run over 2130m, and in last year’s race Mister Smartee was the $1.40 favourite when he set the pace from barrier two and won easily from stablemate Jumpingjackmac and Mighty Ronaldo.
The 2023 Stratton Cup was won by the polemarker and $2.10 favourite Diego, who set the pace and beat stablemate Gambit and Mighty Ronaldo.
Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr, who prepares Mister Smartee, has won the Stratton Cup eight times, scoring with Bengeeman (2002), Alzona (2011), Waylade (2015), Chicago Bull (2018 and 2020), Diego (January 2023 and October 2023) and Mister Smartee (2024).
Mister Smartee is in top form and he notched his 20TH win from 30 starts last Friday week when he began from barrier five, burst to the front after 200m and won the group 2 Brennan Memorial over 2536m from Minstrel and Magnificent Storm.
He faces a tougher test this week from the outside of the back line, with Minstrel favourably drawn at barrier No. 2 and Magnificent Storm awkwardly drawn out wide at barrier seven.
Deni Roberts is looking forward to driving eight-year-old Minstrel, a fighting last-start second to Mister Smartee after working hard in the breeze.
“Minstrel is spot on for this week’s Stratton Cup and the WA Pacing Cup at his following start,” she said. Minstrel is prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who have won the Stratton Cup with Russley Rascal in 2012 and Vampiro in 2019.
The Bonds also have the talented Gee Heza Sport engaged in Friday night’s Cup. Gee Heza Sport came from last in the middle stages and then raced without cover when an excellent second to stablemate Justcallmemiki over 2536m last Friday week.
Gee Heza Sport will start from the No. 3 barrier, and his driver Stuart McDonald said: “He is going super, but I’m not sure what I will do from what is an awkward draw.”
Quality four-year-old Waverider, who ran home strongly from eighth at the bell to win the group 1 Golden Nugget over 2536m three Fridays ago, will be driven by Jack Callaghan from the inside of the back line.
“This is a perfect draw for Waverider,” said his trainer Ryan Bell. “He is having a hit-out before the Pacing Cup, and if they carve each other up on Friday night he will be the sniper.
“In the Nugget he hit a wheel about the 450m and blundered in his stride. If he had done that six months ago, he would’ve put the cue back in the rack. I know he only just fell in (beating Justcallmemiki by a half-head) but if he hadn’t had that blunder, he would have won easier.”
Mighty Ronaldo, who has finished third in the past two Stratton Cups, is in good form for his trainer Justin Prentice and has won at four of his past six starts. He is favourably drawn at barrier two on the back line and will be driven for the first time by Kyle Harper.
Prentice has two other Cup runners on Friday night, five-year-olds Rolling Fire and Never Ending. Dylan Egerton-Green will handle Rolling Fire from barrier six, while Never Ending will be driven by Trent Wheeler from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
