OK Boomer set to shine
A perfect barrier at No. 2 should enable OK Boomer to set the pace and prove very hard to beat in the $50,000 group 3 Nova Four-Year-Old Championship over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred OK Boomer, part-owned, trained and driven by Lindsay Harper, should cross his stablemate Chivalry at barrier one and then dictate terms in front.
OK Boomer showed his ability as a frontrunner two starts ago when he led from the No. 3 barrier and dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.8sec. and 27.2sec. to win by a half-length from up-and-coming star Gee Heza Sport, rating 1.56.7 over 2130m at Gloucester Park.
Then, at his next outing last Friday week OK Boomer began from the outside barrier in a field of nine and raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, when he was inclined to overrace and still fought on, out three wide, to finish third behind Soho Seraphine and The Miki Taker.
In an even field on Friday night the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Lusaka, to be driven by Deni Roberts, should enjoy an ideal passage, three back on the pegs, after starting from the inside of the back line at his second outing after a brief spell.
Lusaka, a winner at 14 of his 32 starts, resumed racing when he began from the back line in the $35,000 Pinjarra Four-Year-Old Classic on Monday of last week and was an unlucky fifth behind the pacemaker Sorridere, Im The Black Flash, Skylou and Louie Dior.
Lusaka raced in fifth position, three back on the pegs, and was blocked for a clear run in the final stages.
Sorridere, whose 34 starts have produced 13 wins, eight seconds and four thirds, has returned to racing after a spell in splendid form for trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo with wins at Gloucester Park and Pinjarra.
“It is an even field on Friday night,” said De Campo. “Sorridere is a good horse to have in these kind of races. He is quite versatile and can do work at both ends. Five is an awkward draw, and there is plenty of speed on his inside.”
Gary Hall jnr drove Im The Black Flash in the Pinjarra classic in which he trailed the pacemaking Sorridere and was beaten by a head.
“He should have won at Pinjarra,” said Hall. “He didn’t know what to do with the sprint lane, and it took the length of the straight to get there.”
Hall has chosen to drive Skylou from the outside of the front line (barrier nine), and Stuart McDonald will handle Im The Black Flash from his handy draw at No. 3.
Skylou, trained by Gary Hall snr, notched his ninth win from 18 starts when he began from barrier five and took the lead after 400m before setting a solid pace and winning by more than two lengths from Street Hawk, rating a smart 1.54.8 over 2130m last Friday night.
The Annie Belton-trained Louie Dior impressed when he finished fast out four wide to be an eye-catching fourth in the Pinjarra classic. A winner at eight of his 15 starts, he will be handled by Kyle Symington.
Skylord, with an excellent record of 30 starts for eleven wins and ten placings, will begin out wide from the No. 7 barrier, with part-owner, trainer and driver Jocelyn Young saying: “We will drive for luck as a sit-sprinter.
“I haven’t been overly happy with his past two runs (seventh to To Fast To Serious and sixth behind Sorridere at Gloucester Park three Fridays ago) and I’ve been battling with a foot problem.”
Shes Victorious to make Australian debut
Memories of champion pacer Im Victorious will be revived at Gloucester Park on Friday night when his full-sister Shes Victorious leads the field on to the track to contest the $21,000 Nathan, Nat and Shaun For Breakfast Pace for three-year-old fillies.
Shes Victorious is trained and part-owned by Michael Brennan, who prepared the brilliant Im Victorious, who was successful on debut when Gary Hall jnr drove him to an eight-length victory over Our Dreamweaver at Bunbury on February 18, 2012.
Im Victorious won at ten of his first eleven starts, and injuries forced his retirement after his 34 starts produced 22 wins, three placings and $752,035. Highlights of his career included victories in the WA Derby in January 2012, the Golden Nugget in December that year and the Fremantle Cup in January 2014.
Shes Victorious, the tenth foal out of See Me Run, will begin from the No. 1 barrier in Friday night’s 2130m event in which she will be driven by Stuart McDonald.
Shes Victorious has raced twice in New Zealand for a first-up sixth over 2200m at Invercargill on June 7 this year and then a second placing behind Sallys Pearl over 1700m on the same track eight days later when she began from barrier three in a field of nine and led for the first 100m before taking a sit behind Sallys Pearl.
Sallys Pearl rated 2.0.7 after covering the final 800m in 58.3sc. and the last 400m in 28.2sec. Shes Victorious battled on gamely along the sprint lane and was beaten by one and a half lengths.
Shes Victorious faces a stern first-up test against more experienced and better-performed fillies who have had a combined total of 269 starts for 56 wins and 80 placings.
Heading the talent pitted against Shes Victorious is the outstanding Colin Brown-trained Xceptional Arma, who has had 38 starts for 13 wins, eight seconds, five thirds and $327,275.
Maddison Brown has formed a wonderful association with Xceptional Arma, having driven her to her past ten victories after her father was in the sulky for the filly’s first three wins.
Xceptional Arma will start from the outside of the front line (barrier nine) and has the ability to overcome that significant disadvantage.
Serpentine trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green will be looking for a strong showing from Nase Vira, a winner at four of her 17 starts who will begin from the No. 3 barrier.
Nase Vira was an unlucky second to Xceptional Arma over 2130m last Friday week when she began from the outside (barrier two) on the back line and raced three back on the pegs in seventh position and did not gain a clear passage until late.
“Nase Vira has been held up at her past couple of runs and didn’t get out until late,” said Egerton-Green. “She should run a nice solid race. We will try to make the most of the draw and I’ll try for the front.”
Hall has chosen to drive the Kim Prentice-trained Soho Vesper Lind from barrier five, and Mitch Miller will handle stablemate Soho Honey Rider from the No. 2 barrier on the back line.
“This is a good draw for Soho Honey Rider,” said Prentice. “There is a fair bit of speed on the front line, and that should benefit her.”
Capel trainer Aiden De Campo has two runners in the race --- Miss Hepburn (barrier eight) and Copy Cat Queen (outside of the back line). He will handle Copy Cat Queen, who finished strongly from the rear to score a convincing victory over 1609m at Bunbury last Saturday night, and Trent Wheeler will drive Miss Hepburn, who trailed the pacemaker Menemsha and finished second to that gelding in the 2692m Country Derby at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon.
“Miss Hepburn and Copy Cat Queen are more than capable and are racing very well,” said De Campo.
Henley Brook trainer Mike Reed is confident that Lion Queen, a winner at five of her ten starts, will figure prominently when she begins from barrier six for Emily Suvaljko. “It’s a good field, and I’m happy with Lion Queen,” said Reed. “With a bit of luck, she will be right in it.”
Rockandrollartist needs to improve
Placings at his past two starts are indications that Rockandrollartist is close to winning form and ending a losing sequence of eight.
But trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo is cautionary optimistic about the gelding’s prospects when he begins from the prime No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Smooth FM Perth On Digital Radio Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is a nice horse but is just not going at the moment,” said De Campo. “His work suggest he should just win, but he hasn’t been taking it to the track. He should lead without getting much pressure, and I reckon if he takes his trackwork to the races he should win.”
Rockandrollartist was the $1.60 favourite at Gloucester Park three Tuesdays ago when he dashed to an early lead and set the pace before being beaten by a nose by Gov Starzzz. And a week earlier he trailed the pacemaker and finished a close third behind Rupert Of Lincoln and My Ultimate Chevron.
Last-start winners Robbie Easton and Spicey Major loom as the hardest for Rockandrollartist to beat. Robbie Easton, an eight-year-old trained by Debra Lewis and driven by her husband Chris, ended a losing sequence of 15 when he set the pace and withstood strong pressure from Frankie J Holden to win from that pacer over 2130m on Wednesday of last week. Robbie Easton is handily drawn at barrier No. 2.
Four-year-old Spicey Major is a newcomer to the stables of star reinsman Gary Hall jnr who will be making his first appearance in Western Australia after having 34 starts in Victoria for six wins, eight placings and $44,790.
He was a winner at his final start in Victoria when he contested an unusual one-lap dash over 1200m at Melton on September 28. He began from barrier two in a field of seven and took the lead after 100m before winning easily by more than two lengths from Sports Wrack, rating 1.51.5, with quarters of 26.5sec., 28.7sec. and 28sec.
Spicey Major’s previous win was five starts earlier when he began speedily from barrier six, dashed to the front after 250m and went on to beat Illawong Danny by four lengths, rating 1.59.5 over 2080m at Cranbourne.
“He is working in good style and should go okay,” said Hall. Spicey Major will start from barrier six in the field of eight, in which the widest runner is Mikis Pride, the youngest and least experienced runner.
Mikis Pride is a three-year-old trained by Mike Reed and has a record of eight starts for one win and two placings from eight starts.
“It’s tough from out there but his form is a lot better than it looks,” said Reed. “He is a three-year-old against older horses but if they run along, they will know he’s there.”
Ragazzo Mach back in action
Former boom young pacer Ragazzo Mach is now a six-year-old who will resume racing after a 22-month absence when he begins from the No. 1 barrier in the $31,000 Nova Nation’s Free-For-All over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He showed that he is ready to produce a strong first-up effort when he was not extended in finishing a one-metre second to Whataretheodds in a four-horse field in a 2150m trial at Byford last Sunday week. The final three quarters were run in 28.6sec., 29.8sec. and 28.4sec.
“Whatever Ragazzo Mach does, he will improve on,” said his trainer Mike Reed. “If he runs in the first four or five, I’ll be happy.”
Ragazzo Mach will be driven for the first time by Emily Suvaljko, who replaces the gelding’s regular reinsman, her father Shannon, who is serving a brief term of suspension for causing interference in a race. Raggazo Mach will clash with several in-form pacers, headed by the brilliant speedster Pinny Tiger.
Pinny Tiger, trained by Michael Brennan and driven by Chris Voak, was strongly fancied in the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup last Friday night when he began from the No. 1 barrier and set the pace before fading to finish last behind Minstrel. He ruined his chances by overracing.
This week Pinny Tiger will start from the No. 6 barrier, and Voak will determine his tactics after discussions with Brennan.
“Mouse (Brennan) is happy backing Pinny Tiger up after last week’s run,” said Voak. “He said the horse pulled up brilliantly after last week’s run and is ready to go again.
“This is not a strong field, and Pinny Tiger is not one dimensional. He’s good enough to win. I may drive him with a sit.”
Recent winners Jawsoflincoln, Alcopony, To Fast To Serious, Soho Dow Jones and Steel The Show will have admirers in what should be a highly competitive affair.
Jawsoflincoln, trained by Justin Prentice, is favourably drawn at barrier two. He won second-up two starts ago after working hard in the breeze and beating Dominus Factum and Hoppys Way.
Then, last Friday week Jawsoflincoln was restrained from barrier seven before covering extra ground and fading to finish sixth behind Captain Ravishing in the 2130m Navy Cup.
“Nothing went right at his last start, and he’s a chance this week,” said his reinsman Gary Hall jnr.
Alcopony, driven by Ryan Warwick for trainer Kevin Keys, bounced back to form last Friday night when he set the pace and fought on grandly to win the 2536m WA Pacing Cup Consolation from Steel The Show and Wildwest.
Alcopony will start from the No. 3 barrier, with To Fast To Serious on his immediate outside. Trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green is confident To Fast To Serious will prove hard to beat, saying: “I’ll drive him to his strength, his sprint. There should be a bit of speed on early which will suit him. His second to Captain Ravishing (and beating home Steno) in the Navy Cup was really good when he didn’t get out until late.”
Brennan and Hall will join forces in the final event, the 2130m Perth’s Kate Mac For Breakfast Pace, when My Hammer Down will begin from the No. 2 barrier in the race restricted to two-year-olds.
My Hammer Down has had only one start, when he began from barrier three in a field of nine over 1609m at Forbury Park on June 22 this year. He settled down in sixth position, ten lengths from the leader Top Pocket Chance, before he raced three wide (with cover) in the final circuit and sprinted home fast to take the lead in the final 75m and win by almost two lengths from Glenkenick, rating 1.57 after a final 400m of 29.1sec.
My Hammer Down will clash with When In Vegas (barrier one) and Mad Monday (barrier six), smart performers prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
When In Vegas, to be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, has impressed with three wins and two seconds from five starts, while Mad Monday (Deni Roberts) has shone at five appearances after a spell with two wins and two seconds.
Adding further intrigue to the race will be Fabulous Dream, a New Zealand-bred filly who has impressed with easy victories at her two starts, winning from Boy Blue at a 1.56.7 rate over 1684m at Pinjarra and setting the pace and winning from Ladieshavtime at a 2.0.1 rate over 2130m at Gloucester Park three Tuesdays ago.
“Fabulous Dream (driven by Emily Suvaljko) is very smart, and she doesn’t have to lead,” said Reed. “She can sit and sprint.”
