Halls poised for more glory
Only three four-year-olds --- The Falcon Strike (2002), Mysta Magical Mach (2009) and Chicago Bull (2017) --- have won the prestigious WA Pacing Cup this century, with The Falcon Strike and Chicago Bull being trained by Gary Hall snr and driven by his son Gary Hall jnr.
Now, the all-conquering Halls are poised to enhance their reputations as all-time greats of WA harness racing by winning the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with the exciting an inexperienced Mister Smartee, the only four-year-old in the field.
The Falcon Strike was the only four-year-old in the field in the WA Pacing Cup on January 18, 2002, when he was a 4/1 chance from the outside barrier (No. 9) when he won by a nose from Lomba Rapida.
This was when the Halls began their remarkable domination of the big race, with Hall snr now holding the incredible record of 13 victories as a trainer, and his son being the leading driver with nine winners in the event which was first run in 1913.
“I never imagined I’d be hoping to win the Cup for the tenth time,” said Hall jnr. “When I was growing up and before I started driving The Falcon Strike, I remember asking our stable foreman Ronan Hargadon, who had won the 1996 Fremantle Cup with Sir Lektor, what it felt like to win a group 1 event. It was always just a dream to win a group 1 race.”
The New Zealand-bred Mister Smartee goes into Friday night’s race as the most inexperienced runner in the field of twelve which boasts a record of 221 wins and 201 placings for $7,244,553 in prizemoney.
Mister Smartee won once from two appearances in New Zealand, and he has raced 13 times in WA for 12 wins. Hall jnr has driven him 11 times for 11 wins.
Mister Smartee has drawn awkwardly at barrier five, with Hall jnr saying: “It’s neither here nor there. He just needs a little bit of luck. He is going as good as we can have him, and he worked super this morning (Wednesday) on our track at home, along with Wildwest.”
Aiden de Campo, who drove Magnificent Storm to victory in the Pacing Cup 12 months ago, has high hopes of making it two in a row when he partners the brilliant Captain Ravishing, who is favourably drawn at barrier two on the back line.
De Campo was greatly impressed with Captain Ravishing’s great natural speed when he guided the five-year-old to a superb victory over To Fast To Serious and Steno in the 2130m Navy Cup last Friday night.
“This is a perfect draw for him,” he said. “Once he didn’t draw to lead, he’s got options from his draw. We can drop to three rails or stay in the moving line. So, we won’t have to do any work to find either of those positions, and then I’ve got to pull the right rein at the right time.
“He was good last week, and I think he will improve. He handled the track pretty well, and I’m looking forward to Friday night. From the barrier draws it should be a great spectacle.”
Trainer Jemma Hayman, who is caring for Captain Ravishing for visiting trainer Freddy Taiba, said that the horse was in excellent shape. He was driven by Darren Kerr in a workout at Byford this morning (Wednesday) and Freddy was very happy with him. He worked by himself, nothing too hard, and I’m expecting improvement this week.”
Star reinsman Chris Voak was delighted when the Michael Brennan-trained Pinny Tiger drew the prized No. 1 barrier in the Cup. “At his latest start, from barrier five in the Stratton Cup last Friday week he definitely didn’t show the gate speed that he normally does, possibly because from the No. 5 barrier he was immediately behind the mobile barrier vehicle and couldn’t see clear running and didn’t want to run into the mobile vehicle,” he said.
“This week from No. 1 I expect Pinny Tiger to hold up. I have no doubt about that, and that I think he will run a very good race and is capable of winning.
“If he can produce the same run as he did in winning the Nullarbor Consolation over 2536m in April this year he can win. He went faster (rating 1.55.6) than Catch A Wave (who won the Nullarbor at a 1.55.7 rate).
“Mouse (Brennan) told me that Pinny Tiger is as healthy, fit and sound as he has ever had him.”
Voak trains Sangue Reale, who will be driven by leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko from the inside of the back line. Sangue Reale, who finished second to Mister Smartee in the Brennan Memorial two starts ago, should enjoy a perfect trip behind Pinny Tiger.
“Sangue Reale is as good as he has ever been for us, and if the race opens up, I’d be disappointed if he didn’t make a run at them,” said Voak.
Deni Roberts, who will drive Minstrel for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, said that the millionaire seven-year-old was ready to make a strong bid for victory at his first run for four weeks.
Minstrel, who is favourably drawn at barrier two, missed an important lead-up race because of a colic attack. But Roberts said that the gelding was fit and ready to go. “He has had a fair bit of work at home, and from this barrier I expect he will race in a forward position,” she said.
“He will get out as quick as he can and will try to hold a forward spot. He does his best racing up there.”
In-form reinsman Stuart McDonald is looking for a bold showing from Jumpingjackmac, who is prepared by Hall snr and will start from the No. 4 barrier.
Jumpingjackmac ran an excellent trial for this week’s Cup when he raced in the breeze for much of the way before fighting in grandly to finish second to Mister Smartee in the 2130m Stratton Cup last Friday week.
“His two runs back after a spell have been fantastic, and his work at home has been sharp,” said McDonald. “I couldn’t be much happier with him, and it would be nice to break through in one of the big races. He should be in the finish, the way he is going.”
Swingband, trained by Ryan Bell, should be at peak fitness at his third appearance after a spell, according to his driver Kyle Symington.
Five-year-old Swingband, who will start from the outside of the back line, ran home strongly to finish fifth behind Captain Ravishing in the 2130m Navy Cup last Friday night.
“There should be some speed early, and that should suit us,” said Symington. “I can’t complain about the draw; it could be a lot worse.”
Adding considerable lustre to the race will be Boyanup trainer Justin Prentices highly decorated pacers Mighty Ronaldo (winner of the 2020 Golden Slipper, the 2021 WA Derby and the 2023 Fremantle Cup) and Tricky Miki (winner of the 2021 Golden Slipper, the 2022 WA Derby and the 2023 Golden Nugget).
Prentice will drive Mighty Ronaldo from barrier No. 3, and Jack Callaghan will handle Tricky Miki from barrier No. 7.
Strong stayers Tenzing Bromac (barrier eight) and Lavra Joe (nine) face stern tests from their wide barriers.
Barrier points to Steno
Ravenswood trainer Jocelyn Young has star five-year-old Steno at her peak for the $100,000 Barbagallo Norms Daughter Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night --- and she looks the winner after drawing an ideal barrier at No. 2.
Young should use Steno’s sparkling gate speed to burst straight to the front and make life tough for her richly talented rival Aardiebytheseaside, who will start from barrier four.
“To lead is always the first plan,” said Young, who gave Steno an impressive warm up for this week’s group 2 feature event for mares when she contested the group 3 Navy Cup against eleven horses and geldings last Friday night.
Steno began from barrier two and raced outside the pacemaker Lavra Joe for the first 450m before dropping back to race in the sixth position, one-out and two-back. After a fast third 400m section of the final mile of 27.9sec. Steno was switched three wide 250m from home and she finished strongly to be an excellent third behind Captain Ravishing and To Fast To Serious.
“With another run under her belt (her third after a spell) Steno will be fitter this week,” said Young, who finished third with The Amber Hare behind Eighteen Carat in the 2022 Norms Daughter Classic.
Two weeks before last week’s third placing Steno set the pace from barrier one and won easily from Stormyskyes and Three Rumours over 2130m. Ardiebytheseaside broke in the score up and then raced without cover before fading to finish ninth.
Aardiebytheseaside, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, then bounced back in style when she led from barrier one and won easily from Little Darling and Penny Black over 2130m last Friday night, with final quarters of 28.8sec. and 27.1sec.
“She won nicely last week,” said star driver Deni Roberts. “Hopefully, in a couple of weeks Aardiebytheseaside will get a draw inside of Steno. But she will still go well this week, even though she will have to do a bit of work at some stage.”
Young holds a strong hand in this week’s event, in which she will be represented with Castella Dellacqua (barrier six) and Peaceful (barrier two on the back line). Maddison Brown will handle Castella Dellacqua, and Kyle Symington will drive Peaceful. Each of the four-year-olds is racing in fine form.
Trainer-reinsman Shane Young will be looking for a strong showing from Wonderful To Fly, who is ideally drawn on the inside of the backline. Wonderful To Fly returned to top form last Friday night when she sprinted home brilliantly from eighth at the 400m to win from dead-heaters Hampton banner and Cordero.
Michael Young’s Penny Black (Gary Hall jnr), Barry Howlett’s Little Darling (Chris Lewis) and Kim Prentice’s Soho Seraphine (Mitch Miller) are all in excellent form, while young trainer Corey Peterson will be looking for a solid first-up performance from smart seven-year-old Nullarbor Navajo, who faces a tough assignment from out wide at barrier nine.
Good advice from de Campo
Punters at Gloucester Park on Friday night should take heed of the advice of outstanding trainer-reinsman Aiden de Campo, who is confident of ending the ten-event program on a winning note with his lightly-raced four-year-old Frisky Styx in the 2536m Barbagallo Volvo Pace.
Frisky Styx notched his seventh win from 19 starts when he worked hard in the breeze before fighting on determinedly to beat Robbie Easton and Sugar Apple over 2130m on Tuesday of last week when he rated 1.56.3.
He is ideally drawn at barrier two on Friday night, with de Campo saying: “I think he should find the lead and looks very hard to beat. I’ll be disappointed if he leads and doesn’t get the job done.”
Frisky Styx will need to be on song because High Price (barrier four) has resumed after a spell in excellent style for Northam trainer Garry Sayers with three excellent strong-finishing efforts for two thirds and a fourth placing.
High Price will be driven by Stuart McDonald, who said the five-year-old was chasing the whole way when a last-start third to Insta Gator and The Beaudster.
McDonald also has good prospects in several other events, including Thomson Bay (race two) and Coney Island Lou (race three).
Thomson Bay, trained by Hayden Reeves, is favourably drawn at barrier No. 1 in the 2130m Barbagallo Maserati Pace, with McDonald saying: “He goes best in front, and he has the draw and the gate speed to hold everything.”
Thomson Bay, an all-the-way winner from barrier one two starts ago, is likely to find promising five-year-old Brickies Dream (trained and driven by Robbie Williams) the hardest to beat. Brickies Dream, a winner at nine of his 27 starts, resumed after a spell in fine style when he ran home strongly from 12TH and last in the middle stages to finish sixth behind Acuto over 1730m last Friday night.
Coney Island Lou, trained by Gary Hall snr, will be making his first appearance after an eleven-week absence when he begins from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the $23,000 Barbagallo Jaguar Pace over 2130m. He has shown promise with seven wins from 22 starts.
“Coney Island Lou’s second to Pinny Tiger in a trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week was super,” said McDonald. “I imagine that the plan will be to lead, and if he goes up to his trial form, he should go close.”
Pinny Tiger rated 1.55.5 in winning the 2185m three-horse trial by a length from Coney Island Lou, with final quarters of 28.4sec. and 26.8sec.
Toughest for Coney Island Lou to beat should be his stablemate and 2023 WA Derby winner Skylou, who will be driven by Gary Hall jnr.
Whataretheodds ready to fire
Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell has promising five-year-old Whataretheodds ready to produce a strong first-up effort when he begins from the No. 1 barrier in race one, the $21,000 Barbagallo Leaders In Motoring Excellence Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Whataretheodds, a winner at eight of his 27 starts, warmed up for his first appearance for three months with a smart trial win over 2150m in a field of four at Byford on Sunday morning when he was driven by Lachlan Kennedy and defeated Ragazzo Mach by a metre, rating 1.58.7, with final quarters of 28.6sec., 29.8sec. and 28.4sec.
Whataretheodds raced in the breeze early before sitting three back on the pegs and then going to the front about 400m from home and fighting on to beat Ragazzo Mach.
“I watched the trial, and he went pretty good,” said Symington, who will be in the sulky in Friday night’s race. “This is only a mile (1730m) so, hopefully, he will hold up and lead.”
Also resuming after a spell, and having his first start for trainer Gary Hall jnr, is the New Zealand-bred Ventura, who has shown considerable promise with nine wins and seven placings from 27 starts.
“I have been training Ventura for five weeks, and he has been working well,” said Hall. Star driver Deni Roberts looks set for a successful night when her best winning prospects look to be Gee Heza Sport in the 2536m Barbagallo Ferrari Pace and Christopher Dance in the 2536m Barbagallo Rolls-Royce Pace.
The New Zealand-bred Gee Heza Sport was most impressive for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond at his second Australian start when he began from 20m and broke a 26-month drought and a losing sequence of 30 in a 2631m stand at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
He set a track record when he rated 1.55.6 after dashing over the final four quarters in 29.2sec., 28.1sec., 28.3sec. and 27.7sec. and beating Caliente by almost seven lengths.
“I have a lot of time for him, and his win at Pinjarra was sensational,” said Roberts. “The quicker they go, the better it is for him. I think we will try to set a good speed.”
