Troubadour gets his chance
Brilliant young pacer Bettor Fortune has not been extended in winning easily at his five starts in Western Australia in the space of ten weeks, and he will warm up for a tilt at the $200,000 WA Derby in a fortnight when he begins from the outside of the back line in the $50,000 group 3 Western Gateway Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred gelding, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has scored by more than a length at all of his wins, and he is a worthy favourite for the Derby.
He faces a moment of truth this week when he will clash with several quality three-year-olds, including his up-and-coming stablemate Troubadour, the least experienced runner in the field of twelve, but with the advantage of the prized No. 1 barrier.
The Bond stable’s ace driver Deni Roberts is a fervent admirer of Bettor Fortune’s outstanding ability, and she has plenty of faith that the gelding’s class will enable him to overcome the disadvantage of starting from the back line.
However, she has a healthy respect of Troubadour, who she has driven at three of his five starts for wins at Northam and Narrogin, and a second placing from a wide draw at Gloucester Park.
“I wouldn’t swap my drive behind Bettor Fortune for any other horse,” she said. “And hopefully Troubadour can show his true colours this week, and he is a good chance from the draw.”
Troubadour will be driven by Stuart McDonald, who was also in the sulky when Troubadour impressed with his splendid third behind Bettor Fortune and Chase Me in a 2536m Derby prelude last Friday week.
Bettor Fortune began from the No. 1 barrier and was untroubled to lead all the way, while Troubadour began speedily from barrier six but was forced to work in the breeze all the way. The final two 400m sections were run in 29.2sec. and 27.3sec.
Mrs Bond was delighted in Bettor Fortune’s victory, and was also suitably impressed with Troubadour’s performance, saying: “Troubadour is getting better and better all the time, and on their work at home there is not a lot between him and Bettor Fortune.”
While much of the focus on Friday night will be on Bettor Fortune and Troubadour, the Bond camp will be looking for a strong showing from Belly Up, who will be driven by Jack Callaghan from the No. 2 barrier on the back line.
Belly Up, a winner at six of his 21 starts, showed his class with his victory in the group 1 Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and gelding in September last year. He is capable of unwinding a powerful finishing burst.
Highly regarded New Zealand-bred gelding Chase Me, to be driven by Gary Hall jnr for his father, leading trainer Gary Hall snr, is handily drawn at barrier two, and he will have many admirers.
Chase Me, who has won seven times from 13 starts, had no luck last Friday night when he began from the No. 5 barrier and had a tough run outside the pacemaker When In Vegas before wilting to finish fifth behind that Bond-trained gelding.
“I thought he was the winner at the 400m, but he didn’t handle the final bend, and then got pushed wide,” said Hall jnr.
Copper Head Lady is the only filly in Friday night’s event, with trainer-reinsman Ryan Bell saying: “She should acquit herself well from barrier three.” Copper Head Lady led from barrier two and finished third behind Fakenit and Ruby Lovera in the 2536m WA Oaks last Friday week.
Never Ending is getting close
“Another wide draw (No. 9) is not ideal, but Never Ending is definitely on the way up, and he can win,” said star reinsman Jack Callaghan when assessing the Justin Prentice-trained five-year-old’s prospects in the $31,000 Taste Of WA Janette Donnelly Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I’m very happy with where he’s at in this preparation. Both his runs in this campaign have been great --- when he has hit the line strongly.”
Never Ending resumed after an absence of nine and a half months when he began from the outside barrier and was eighth at the bell before finishing powerfully to be fifth behind Magnificent Storm in the 2130m Past Presidents Cup three weeks ago.
And then he started from barrier eight in a 2130m Free-For-All last Friday night when he raced in seventh position in the one-wide line before sprinting home with a sparkling late burst to finish an eye-catching fourth, out wide, behind Minstrel, Gee Heza Sport and Mister Smartee when the final quarters, off the front, were run in 28.5sec. and 26.7sec.
Overall, this week’s event is not as strong, and Never Ending’s chief rivals loom as Swingband, Captain Ravishing, Lusaka and Brickies Dream.
Trainer Ryan Bell will drive Swingband from the favourable No. 2 barrier, and he is full of confidence, saying: “I’ll be leading and Swingband will take some beating. The 2536m will be in our favour.”
Swingband was a luckless seventh behind Captain Ravishing over 1730m last Friday week, after he had impressed with his third behind Magnificent Storm and Gee Heza Sport over 2130m the previous week. Swingband led early before taking the sit behind Magnificent Storm, who charged to the front after 450m. The final 400m was run in 26.9sec.
Captain Ravishing, trained and driven by Lindsay Harper, has the disadvantage of beginning from the outside of the back line on Friday night. He enjoyed an ideal trip, one-out and one-back, before charging home to win at a 1.52.6 rate over 1730m last Friday week. That followed his first-up second to Mister Smartee over 2130m a fortnight earlier.
“He went over a mile (1730m) at his latest start, and now he will be running over 2536m.,” said Harper. “I’m still learning about him, and I’m not quite sure where he’s at. I have been walking with him and cantering and galloping in the cart in heavy sand. Whatever he does on Friday night he will improve on.”
Ace driver Deni Roberts is expecting a strong effort from the Bond-trained Lusaka, who is drawn out wide at barrier eight.
“It’s not a great draw but it’s not a particularly strong Free-For-All, and if he goes like he did in the breeze (when second to Rock Artist two weeks ago) he will be a good chance,” said Roberts.
Hotly Pursued is out to atone
Speedy five-year-old Hotly Pursued wrecked his chances last Friday night when he was in a capricious mood and broke into a bad gallop in the score-up of a 2130m event at Gloucester Park.
Ace driver Kyle Harper was surprised with the large amount of ground that Hotly Pursued made up in coming from a distant last early to finishing sixth behind Minstrel, Gee Heza Sport and Mister Smartee, and he is full of confidence the Murray Lindau-trained gelding will make amends by winning the $27,000 Heather and Blackie Kulin Bush Races Winner Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I reckon he gave them almost 200 metres start and then made up so much ground on horses like Mister Smartee and Never Ending,” said Harper.
“It was a rare mistake when he bungled the start last week. He was feeling too frisky for his own good, and he tried to put the boots in going up to the gate. And he finished a lot closer than I thought he would.
“It was a pretty impressive performance to do what he did, and this looks quite a drop in class this week. I think he is good enough to go with the best of them. Nine is not the best draw but considering the way he has gone at his past two runs he should be a class above his rivals this week.
“There is no such thing as a good thing, but he should be hard to beat.”
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Chris Voak refuses to concede that Hotly Pursued has a mortgage on Friday night’s event, declaring that last-start winner Rock Artist (barrier six) has sound prospects.
“Rock Artist handled Lusaka and Otis when he won two weeks ago like they were maidens,” he said. “He rated 1.54.8 and I’m confident he will run top three on Friday night.”
The main dangers to Hotly Pursued and Rock Artist are likely to be The Iron Duke (who has fought on strongly to win at his first two appearances in WA) and last-start winners Sweet Lucifer and Rockandrollartist.
Suvaljko opts for Bettors Pride
Veteran trainer Mike Reed holds a powerful hand in the $27,000 Electrolux Golden Nugget Prelude over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with five runners --- and star reinsman Shannon Suvaljko has given punters a valuable tip by choosing to drive Bettors Pride (barrier six) ahead of Lion Queen (one), Mikis Pride (two), Dark Eyes (nine) and Quinton (ten).
“I think Bettors Pride is more versatile than the other four stablemates,” explained Suvaljko. “He is a quality horse who won first-up two starts ago when he probably was underdone. He was backed up a week later when he started out wide at barrier eight, and it was a super run when he ran home to finish third (behind Sweet Vivienne). That was a better effort than his first-up win.”
Suvaljko said that he restricted his choice to one between Bettors Pride and Mikis Pride (Callan Suvaljko). “Mikis Pride is on a par with Bettors Pride and is working very well,” he said. “Bettors Pride has good gate speed; he can sit and sprint and he has good closing speed. And the faster they go, the better he goes.”
Suvaljko said that Lion Queen was sure to perform strongly from the inside barrier, and that Quinton was likely to gain an excellent run from the inside of the back line.
Emily Suvaljko is looking forward for a strong showing from the Michael Young-trainer Blaze Away, who will begin from barrier three.
“Blaze Away went really good last start (when seventh behind Copy Cat Queen in a group 3 event last Friday night) when he got to the line very well,” she said. “He is also a very good frontrunner but it doesn’t look like he will be able to get to the lead.”
Trainer Gary Hall snr will be represented with smart four-year-olds Alta Tribute and Franco Motu, with Gary Hall jnr opting to drive Franco Motu (a winner at six of his eight starts) from the outside of the back line, with Stuart McDonald booked to handle the in-form Alta Tribute from the No. 2 barrier on the back line.
Emily’s tough task
“Her work at Byford this morning (Tuesday) was awesome when she worked with Heavenly Gipsy, but I know that I will face some problems when I drive Penny Black at Gloucester Park on Friday night,” said outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko.
Penny Black, an impressive winner over Aardiebytheseaside and Wonderful To Fly last Friday week, is awkwardly drawn on the inside of the back line in the $50,000 Schrader Pace over 2130m on Friday night.
Suvaljko would dearly love to overcome this distinct disadvantage and win the group 3 feature event to provide her with a welcome birthday present. She turns 25 on Thursday.
Suvaljko’s main problems are how to handle Penny Black --- whether to drive the mare for luck by remaining on the pegs and enjoying a soft trip behind the pole horse and expected pacemaker Sweet Vivienne or deciding to ease off the inside at the earliest possibility and charge forward to apply pressure to the frontrunners.
Two Friday nights ago Penny Black began from barrier seven when Suvaljko sent her forward in the first lap to race in the breeze outside her frontrunning stablemate Heavenly Gipsy before forging to the front with 120m to travel and win by more than a length from Aardiebytheseaside, who ran home strongly, out wide, from sixth at the bell. The final quarters were run in 27.9sec. and 27.7sec.
“I will discus tactics with Michael (trainer Michael Young),” said Suvaljko. “Penny Black is very versatile, and at her last start she showed she is very tough and has the ability run home fast after a slow early pace.”
Apart from Penny Black, Heavenly Gipsy, Wonderful To Fly and Little Darling, Aardiebytheseaside will have a legion of admirers, who will be relying on the big mare’s toughness and ability to sprint home powerfully.
Suvaljko is also hoping to end the ten-event program on a winning note with the smart four-year-old mare Majestic Ga Ga in the $21,000 Retravision, Lowest Price Guarantee Trot, a mobile over 2130m in which she will begin from out wide at barrier No. 7.
“We have drawn inside Aldebaran Boyd (who will start from the outside in the field of eight), and hopefully that’s the difference,” said Suvaljko.
Aldebaran Boyd, trained and driven by Chris Voak, began from the 10m mark when he dashed to an early lead and went on to win a 2631m stand at Pinjarra last Monday week, beating Majestic Ga Ga (who started from the 20m mark) by a half-length
“Majestic Ga Ga’s run was huge,” said Suvaljko. “She galloped from the stand and lost a heap of ground before finishing second. She actually hit the front on the top of the straight and just peaked a little bit.”
