A brilliant first-up victory by D Mac in the Golden Slipper Prelude at Gloucester Park on Friday night has left champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr in a quandary.
Hall’s dilemma is whether to drive the New Zealand-bred D Mac or star WA-bred two-year-old Ideal Beach in the $150,000 Slipper final next Friday week.
D Mac, trained by Gary Hall snr, was the $1.40 favourite when he revealed sparkling speed to romp to a three-length victory over Wake Up Geoff ($16), rating 1.56.4 over the 2130m journey after zipping over the final 400m sections in 28.6sec. and 27.5sec.
Having only his second start and racing first-up after finishing second in a 1609m event at the Central Southland Raceway in New Zealand on April 17, D Mac was not extended in Friday night’s event and appeared capable of winning by a greater margin in faster time.
Hall has a high opinion of the Justin Prentice-trained Ideal Beach, a colt he has handled in all of his six starts for five wins and one second placing for stakes of $248,481. Ideal Beach is in peak form, and he rated 1.57.1 when he led and won easily after final quarters of 28.2sec. and 27.9sec. in the group 1 Westbred Classic last Friday week.
“It’s a good position to be in, with the choice of drives in the Slipper,” said Hall. “Apart from Ideal Beach and D Mac, there’s Im Stealthy, who was an easy Pinjarra winner on debut and then finished third behind D Mac after racing without cover.”
D Mac and Im Stealthy are prepared by Hall snr, who said, with typical confidence: “Speed, stamina and ability are his main strengths. Im Stealthy hasn’t got the point-to-point speed that D Mac has, but a good barrier would enhance his claims in the Slipper.”
Hall jnr said that D Mac (who burst straight to the front from barrier three on Friday night) didn’t handle the track all that well, but he said: “He was pretty green, but he has got gears, and there is a lot to like about him.
“He has high cruising speed when you need it, and when you switch him on, he keeps getting quicker and quicker until you tell him he’s had enough.”
D Mac is by American sire Downbytheseaside and is the fifth foal out of Flashonbye, who was placed at four of his nine starts as a two and three-year-old in New Zealand in 2010 and 2011.
Hall snr completed a double when Maddison Brown drove $9.20 chance Fakenit to a thrilling last-stride victory over the $1.50 favourite Bettathanlife, driven by her trainer Gary Hall jnr, in the 2536m WA Oaks Prelude.
Fakenit began from the back line and raced at the rear while Delulu ($23) was setting a solid pace, with Bettathanlife working in the breeze. Fakenit sustained a strong burst from ninth at the bell to get up and beat the New Zealand-bred Bettathanlife by a half-head.
Fakenit is by American Ideal and is the first foal out of Alta Christiano mare Fake News, who raced 38 times for 14 wins, seven placings and $177,412 in stakes. She finished fifth behind Has No Fear in the 2019 WA Oaks. Fakenit has had six starts for three wins, three placings and $51,685 and has the ability to win the $150,000 WA Oaks on October 3.
