Steno seeks Sydney classic
Nothing would delight accomplished WA trainer-driver Jocelyn Young more than to receive an invitation for brilliant mare Steno to contest the $200,000 Queen Elizabeth Mile at Menangle on May 10.
Five-year-old Steno gave yet another thrilling exhibition of her dazzling speed to score a stylish victory in the group 3 Christmas Belles over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“We would like to take her to Sydney,” said Young. “You don’t get a horse like this very often, and I’m keen to go and see how she measures up against the best mares in the country.”
Steno was the $1.60 favourite when she began from the outside of the front line at barrier eight on Friday night. She began with her normal brilliance and burst straight to the front before coasting through the lead time in 37sec. and the opening 400m section in 30.7sec.
“I did my best to time her start a bit better,” said Young. “Being a bit wider helped her at the start, not having speed right alongside me.”
Steno was joined after a lap by the $6.50 second fancy Penny Black, which resulted in fast second and third quarters of 27.9sec. and 27.7sec.
“When Penny Black came around and put pressure on me, it caused Steno to overrace,” said Young.
The final quarter was run in 29sec. when Steno held Penny Black at bay and went on to win by just over a half-length from that mare, rating 1.55. Little Darling ($16) finished solidly to be third, coming from fifth, three back on the pegs, at the bell.
This was a most impressive performance from Steno, who was having her first start for four weeks. The win boosted her record to 47 starts for 22 wins, 13 placings and $512,493.
Her 12 wins and five placings from 26 WA starts followed her nine wins and six placings from 17 starts in New South Wales, two placings from two runs in Queensland and one win from two Victorian starts.
The immediate plans for Steno are for to have “a little Christmas holiday” before being set for the group 3 Laurie Kennedy Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on February 7.
Steno, a daughter of boom sire Sweet Lou, was bred in NSW and is owned by Dianne Kelly, who has rejected several offers from enthusiastic Americans. Ms Kelly also bred and owns four-year-old Sweet Lou mare Peaceful, who was a $11 chance in Friday night’s race and finished a sound fourth after racing in the breeze for the first lap and then enjoying an ideal trail in the one-out, one-back position.
If Steno is invited to run in the Queen Elizabeth Mile she could contest lead-up $50,000 events over1609m for mares at Menangle, the Sibelia Stakes on April 26 and the Robin Dundee Stakes on May 3.
Hold That Gold shows the way
Five-year-old square gaiter Hold That Gold will end the 2024 season with an interesting record as the trotter with the most wins in the year in Australia.
The Bob Mellsop-trained gelding notched his fifth victory in a row when he worked hard before winning the Sky Racing Trot over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was the $2 favourite from the No. 5 barrier when he began with his usual good speed, but was unable to cross to the front, with Nickys Son ($4.20) setting the pace from barrier four.
Deni Roberts was quite content to rate Hold That Gold in the breeze before the gelding burst to the front on the home turn and won by 2m from $8 chance Patched, who finished solidly after enjoying a perfect passage, one-out and one-back. Nickys Son wilted to fifth.
“Nickys Son is the only horse capable of holding out Hold That Gold,” said Mellsop. “However, Hold That Gold has adapted to the breeze, and that doesn’t worry him. He has won three times from the breeze, and did so against Nickys Son two starts earlier.”
Roberts admitted that she was slightly concerned when Hold That Gold was beaten for early speed and had to work in the breeze. “Two starts ago when we raced without cover and won from Nickys Son the first half of the final mile was almost two and a half seconds slower than it was tonight,” she said.
“Hold That Gold is quite fast, and I thought that the quick pace tonight might have taken the speed out of him. But to his credit he stuck on very well. I got the plugs out at the top of the straight and he kicked and held his ground.
“Sometimes he gets a bit weary, but he has got a lot stronger lately, and it’s good to know that we can now drive him like that (in the breeze).”
Hold That Gold has had 19 starts this year for twelve wins, four seconds and $99,363 in prizemoney, and his record now stands at 48 starts for 15 wins (three from 28 starts in Victoria and 12 from 20 starts in WA).
The trotter with the second most wins in Australia in 2024 is the outstanding Victorian-bred three-year-old filly Keayang Zahara, who has been unbeaten at her eleven starts in Australia this year before travelling to New Zealand where she has won very easily at her first three starts there to enhance her record to 14 starts for 14 wins and $688,701 in stakes.
Keayang Zahara, trained by Victorian Margaret Lee and driven by her son Jason, has won the Victoria, New South Wales and New Zealand Oaks as well as winning the Victorian, NSW and New Zealand Derbies.
The 67-year-old Mellsop, who has trained 599 winners this century, said that Hold That Gold would be set for the $31,000 Trotters Sprint over 1730m at Gloucester Park in four weeks (January 17) and was most unlikely to contest the $50,000 Trotters Cup, a stand over 2503m on January 31.
“There is another metro mobile for him next Friday week before the Trotters Sprint,” said Mellsop. “I’ll nominate him for the Trotters Cup, but he will be off at least 40 metres, so I think we will watch the Cup from the grandstand.”
Hold That Gold’s win on Friday night completed a treble for Roberts, who was successful earlier in the night with Street Hawk and Tualou, taking her tally of wins this year to 166 for a career total of 719.
Roberts (29) has formed a wonderful association with Mellsop, driving about 70 winners for the Bunbury trainer, including 40 in 2023 and 2024.
Hampton Banner upstages his stablemate
Hopeland trainer Debra Lewis had two runners --- Goodfellaz and Hampton Banner --- in the $25,000 Join Trotsynd Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, with Goodfellaz a well-supported $2.30 second favourite and Hampton Banner a $15.20 chance.
Chris Lewis was driving last-start winner Goodfellaz from the No. 3 barrier, with Jocelyn Young in the sulky behind Hampton Banner, who began from the outside barrier in the field of seven.
Goodfellaz began speedily but was unable to cross the polemarker Jaspervellabeach ($18) --- and Young made full use of Hampton Banner’s excellent gate speed by dashing the seasoned veteran to the front after 150m, leaving Goodfellaz in the breeze.
Lusaka, the $2.10 favourite from barrier six, raced at the rear before Deni Roberts dashed him forward with a three-wide burst 550m from home. Goodfellaz moved to be almost on terms with Hampton Banner with 200m to travel.
However, Hampton Banner dug deep and went on to win by a metre from Goodfellaz, with Lusaka a head away in third place. Hampton Banner ran the final 800m in 56sec. and rated 1.54 to end a losing sequence of 22 and a drought of just under eight months.
The New Zealand-bred Hampton Banner, a seven-year-old by Bettors Delight, has earned $325,231 from 16 wins and 20 placings from 92 starts. He won at three of his ten starts in New Zealand before arriving in WA.
Young was pleased with Hampton Banner’s fighting qualities he revealed when challenged hotly late in the race by Goodfellaz and Lusaka. “Normally, when the challenges come, he pricks his ears and stalls,” said Young. “So, I didn’t hit him tonight, and that seems to have worked.”
Tualou shows his class
Three-year-old Tualou unleashed a spectacular finishing burst to crush his older rivals in the $21,000 Download The TABtouch App Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His performance earned high praise from his driver Deni Roberts, who predicted a bright future for the New Zealand-bred Sweet Lou gelding, who was the $3.50 second favourite from barrier five, with the polemarker, five-year-old Whataretheodds the $2.20 favourite.
Whataretheodds set a solid pace while Roberts was happy to give Tualou a comfortable trip, one-out and two-back, in sixth position.
After a swift third 400m section of 28.1sec. Roberts started a three-wide charge with Tualou with 300m to travel. Tualou was switched four wide on the corner before thundering home to hit the front 110m from the post and race away to win by ten metres from 20m chance Storyteller, who rattled home from seventh at the bell.
Tualou rated 1.55.3 over the 2130m journey and improved his record to 16 starts for eight wins, four placings and $87,855. He won once from three starts in New Zealand and he has had 13 starts in WA for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
“It was nice to be able to sit Tualou up tonight,” said Roberts. “He is usually the one doing all the work. The speed was quite solid, and he can reel off a pretty nice quarter. And it was good to be able to show that side of him. With the speed on, I thought he would be fast enough to win.
“For a big horse he has a really good turn of foot, and he was able to showcase that tonight. He used to overrace badly when he wanted to run his race, not mine. His manners have come around and he has gone from strength to strength, and I cannot wait for the next time (next preparation).”
Riding helps Paul Edward
WA-bred Paul Edward continues to suffer from feet problems, and his trainer Dylan Egerton-Green’s decision to relieve him of working on the track and ride him in the heavy sand is paying dividends.
Paul Edward has relished the change of routine, and he bounced back to his best form at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he was a $4.60 chance and gave a spirited frontrunning display to score an easy victory in the $19,000 NYE Pace.
“He hasn’t been handling trackwork, so I have been riding him in the thick sand,” said Egerton-Green, who stole a march on his rivals on Friday night when he fired out Paul Edward from the awkward barrier of No. 6.
Veteran Regal Cheval, the $4 favourite, revealed his usual sparkling gate speed from out wide at barrier eight. He led narrowly in the early stages but was unable to get past Paul Edward.
This left Regal Cheval working in the breeze, and Paul Edward dashed over the final 400m sections in 27.9sec. and 28.1sec. to win by just under three lengths from $6 chance Flying Rumour, who ran home solidly after enjoying a soft passage three back on the pegs.
“I have been happy with him for a few weeks, and he won with the plugs in tonight,” said Egerton-Green.
Paul Edward is by American sire Always B Miki and is the ninth foal out of the Golden Greek mare Like A Dame, who raced 36 times for three wins, 12 placings and $10,312.
Like A Dame has a far better record as a brood mare, whose progeny includes former star pacer David Hercules, who amassed $1,263,159 from 39 wins and 35 placings from 108 starts.
Street Hawk sizzles in front
Talented New Zealand-bred five-year-old Street Hawk appreciated a considerable drop in class when he gave a sparkling frontrunning display to score a runaway victory in the 1730m The Christmas Camel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Nothing at home can beat him when he leads (in trackwork),” said Deni Roberts after driving Street Hawk to a decisive win by ten metres over $34 chance Ezana, rating 1.53.4 after sprinting over the final 400m sections in 27.6sec. and 27.9sec.
“He is a really good frontrunner who has not had a barrier to lead for quite some time. Tonight, you could see what sort of time he can run.”
Street Hawk, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, shot straight to the front from the No. 1 barrier and then travelled smoothly with $11 chance Otis in the breeze.
A winner at two of his six New Zealand starts, Street Hawk has earned $214,034 from 13 wins and 16 placings from 42 starts. He is by Bettors Delight and is the fourth foal out of the Falcon Seelster mare Racketeers Girl, who raced 54 times for eight wins, 14 placings and $111,503.
Awaitinginstructions ends lean spell
Diminutive pacer Awaitinginstructions caused a surprise when he ended an 18-month drought and broke a losing sequence of 21 when he overcame the disadvantage of the outside barrier before flying home to win the 2130m Twinkly Tinsel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Awaitinginstructions, prepared by Serpentine trainer Matt Scott, was driven perfectly by Kyle Harper, who quickly got the seven-year-old from barrier eight to the favourable one-out and two-back position in fifth place while Major Freeway ($8) was setting the pace from Major Jay ($11) in the breeze.
The polemarker and $2.30 favourite Hengheng trailed the pacemaker before getting into the clear approaching the home turn, with Awaitinginstructions still in sixth or seventh place.
“Before the race it looked hard for Awaitinginstructions from the wide barrier, but it proved to be not that bad,” said Harper. “Nearing the home turn Hengheng pulled out and I jumped on to his back. The others were going up and down on the one spot.”
Awaitinginstructions, an $11.30 chance on the tote, was a $31 outsider on the fixed market. He flashed home out four wide to beat Hengheng by a length at a 1.58.8 rate.
The Victorian-bred Awaitinginstructions, whose previous win was at Gloucester Park in June 2023, won at nine of his first eleven starts in WA. He now has a record of 81 starts for 16 wins, 13 placings and $126,344.
He is by Courage Under Fire and is the eleventh foal out of Armbro Operative mare Indigenous, who had 21 starts for 14 wins (13 in Victoria and one in New South Wales) for earnings of $112,245. A highlight of her brief career was her second placing to Oaxaca Lass in the group 1 Australian Oaks at Moonee Valley in August 2002.
Blinkers do the trick
The decision of Henley Brook trainer-reinsman Robbie Williams to add Dolly Vardon blinkers paved the way for Brickies Dream’s splendid victory in the $50,000 Christmas Gift at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I haven’t had them on lately because we didn’t have the opportunity to use him off the gate,” explained Williams. “I put the blinkers on tonight and the plan was to jump to the front (from barrier four).
“Brickies Dream has always had blistering gate speed and when this field came out, I felt that this was the time to put the blinkers on and ask him to come out of the gate.
“They weren’t going to hold him, and once I got there (to the front) and was able to back off with a 31sec. first quarter I was happy.”
Brickies Dream, an $18.30 chance on the tote and $26 on the fixed market, zoomed straight to the front and after a smart lead time of 36.2sec. he relaxed with an opening 800m of the final mile in 60.5sec. He then sprinted over the final quarters in 27.4sec. and 28.4sec. to win by a half length from $5.50 chance Ventura, who finished strongly from fifth at the bell.
Brickies Dream, a five-year-old New Zealand-bred pacer, has been lightly raced, and now has a fine record of 32 starts for eleven wins, ten placings and $125,238. He finished third at each of his two starts in New Zealand before being purchased by Williams on behalf of 17 stable clients.
“He has been late maturing, and he will progress,” said Williams. “With his gate speed he will make his way to open class. He has certainly got the high speed you need against the better horses.”
Williams purchased Brickies Dream on the recommendation of his friend Chris Butt, who was a successful driver in WA a decade ago before returning to New Zealand.
Lavra Joe on the way back
Powerful six-year-old Lavra Joe ended the longest losing sequence (eleven) of his illustrious career when he dashed to an early lead and went on to score an easy win in the $31,000 Yuletide Free-For-All over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven for the second time by Maddison Brown, Lavra Joe, the $2.10 favourite, was trapped three wide early before being restrained to the one-out, one-back position.
But then Brown, celebrating her 29TH birthday, made a snap decision to ease Lavra Joe out three wide 400m after the start, and the handsome gelding dashed past To Fast To Serious ($10) to take up the running 100m later.
The lead time was a fast 35.6sec. before Lavra Joe relaxed and coasted through the opening quarters in 30.1sec. and 29.2sec. He sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 28.1sec. and won by a length from To Fast To Serious, with $41 outsider Alcopony running on from last in the field of eight at the bell to finish three lengths farther back in third place, a half-head in front of $2.20 second fancy Jumpingjackmac.
Jumpingjackmac began from the outside barrier and was not bustled early. He was fifth in the one-wide line at the bell and after being switched three wide with just over 400m to travel he was pushed four wide by Machnificent.
Lavra Joe rated 1.54.7 and took his record to 78 starts for 34 wins, 17 placings and $772,934 in stakes.
Owner-trainer Ray Jones was a relieved man after the race, admitting he was concerned at the gelding’s recent form. “He just got very fat when he had a break,” he said. “He is still very heavy, but it was nice to win tonight.
“We decided not to push him at the start, and then Maddy made a decision to get to the front.”
Jones said that Lavra Joe would keep racing and hopefully would be able to contest the $1.25 million Nullarbor slot race on April 25.
Lavra Joe finished fourth behind Catch A Wave, Minstrel and Swingband in the Nullarbor last April. “He’s not guaranteed of a spot in the upcoming Nullarbor,” said Jones. “He will also be heading for the $300,000 Fremantle Cup (May 2) and the Bunbury and Pinjarra Cups.”
Egerton-Green flies the banner
Serpentine trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green had a special motivation to win the opening event, the $21,000 Merry Christmas Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was driving three-year-old colt Im Lightning Banner, a $13 chance from the No. 5 barrier, who mustered excellent early speed to dash to the front after 150m and then set a solid pace before holding to win by a neck from the $6 third favourite Thenu Came Along, rating 1.57.1 after final quarters of 28sec. and 28.4sec.
It was a nostalgic victory, coming after Im Lightning Banner’s half-brother Typhoon Banner had also begun from the No. 5 barrier and had won the inaugural $250,000 MGM Grand Prix last Monday at Yonkers in New York --- 11,600km from Perth.
He led early and then trailed the pacemaker Coaches Corner before finishing strongly to beat that pacer by three-quarters of a length.
Typhoon Banner, who revelled on the heavy track and in driving rain, went to America in June 2023 after Egerton-Green had trained and driven him in a successful career in West Australia, with his 52 starts producing 14 wins and 17 placings. His final Australian appearance was in the inaugural Nullarbor in April 2023 when he finished fifth behind Betterzippit.
Typhoon Banner has now won 25 races for earnings of $466,735. His full-brother Cyclone Banner won 13 times in WA between 2019 and 2021 before travelling to the United States where he continued his winning ways before being retired with earnings of $419,281 from 40 wins and 43 placings from 150 starts.
Im Lightning Banner, who is by Sweet Lou and is the ninth foal out of the unraced McArdle mare When You’re Hot, looks set for a bountiful career. He has raced 17 times for five wins, five placings and $43,227. His win on Friday night came at his third appearance at Gloucester Park, following two wins at Northam and two at Pinjarra earlier in the year.
There was plenty of early action in Friday night’s race, with the $3.20 favourite Jimmy Rocks going forward from barrier three and was challenging the polemarker and $91 outsider Drive Line when he paced roughly and broke into a bad gallop 150m after the start.
It appeared that Jimmy Rocks was going to hold out Im Lightning Banner before he galloped. Egerton-Green then was able to send Im Lightning Banner to the front as Jimmy Rocks dropped back to last in the field of eleven.
“I have a big opinion of Im Lightning Banner,” said Egerton-Green. “I have been trying to settle him off the gate, and credit to him he came back to me good tonight.
“A few horses came around during the race and Im Lightning Banner did it all on the bridle and wasn’t too silly. During his first few preparations he was pretty untractable, and you never knew what you were going to get out there in a race. But he is now maturing well.”
