Brennan targets NSW Derby
Coolup trainer Michael Brennan is setting talented young pacers My Hammer Down and Xpress Party for the $200,000 New South Wales Derby at Menangle on March 8 after they fought out the finish of the $23,000 Summer Series 0-2 Win final at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Xpress Party, the $1.05 favourite, set the pace and was beaten by short half-head in the final stride by the $6.80 second fancy My Hammer Down, who trailed his stablemate all the way before he sprinted fast in the final stages.
“I have a good opinion of both of them, and they will head to Sydney in a fortnight to contest the Derby qualifying heats on March 1,” said Brennan.
“They are both really talented, and I’m hoping that Gary Hall jnr will drive them in the heats. The big fellow (Xpress Party) got a bit lost up the straight tonight. His run might look disappointing on paper, but he just got lost. That was only his eighth start in a race.
“Xpress Party is much better chasing (than leading), and both he and My Hammer Down will like Menangle, a bigger track, because they like chasing.”
Xpress Party, driven by Hall, easily won the start from the No. 1 barrier. This was his second appearance after his first-up win (following a four-month absence) at Gloucester Park ten nights earlier when he began from barrier eight and sustained a powerful three-wide burst from seventh with 900m to travel to get to the front 450m later and win convincingly from Kinsaabi.
My Hammer Down, driven by Chris Voak, was having his seventh start in a race, and his thrilling victory completed a hat-trick after easy wins at Bunbury and Northam.
“Getting a good trip was the key tonight,” said Voak. “He closed down strongly after I gave him a couple of cracks with the whip.”
My Hammer Down was bred in New Zealand where his only appearance there was last June when, as a two-year-old, he finished with a powerful burst to defeat two five-year-olds and rated 1.57 over the 1609m journey.
My Hammer Down is by American sire Always B Miki and is the 14TH foal out of Operative Asset, whose 11TH foal is Rockmyster, who is trained by Dylan Egerton-Green and has a record of 44 starts for twelve wins, ten placings and $140,024. My Hammer Down has earned $32,822 from four wins and one placing from seven starts.
Xpress Party was bred in New South Wales. He is a colt by Art Major and is the fifth foal out of Christian Cullen mare Christian Party, who raced 20 times for one win, seven placings and $14,049. He was sold for $60,000 at the 2023 Sydney Nutrien yearling sale and he now has had eight starts for two wins, four placings and $20,872.
My Hammer Down and Xpress Party gave a sample of their ability on Friday night when they were the only three-year-olds in the 2130m event in which they completely outclassed their nine older and more experienced rivals. The Brennan stablemates rated 1.58 and covered the final 400m sections in 29sec. and 28.5sec.
De Campo’s masterly drive
Ace reinsman Aiden De Campo was at his brilliant best when he produced a masterly drive to land the 30m co-backmarker Patched a narrow winner of the $50,000 Trotters Cup over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
And eight-year-old Patched, trained by David Young, became the first trotter in the 19-year history of this group 2 event to win the race when he held on in a thrilling finish to beat Nickys Son ($14) by a head, with the $2.75 favourite Sunnys Little Rose a half-neck away in third place.
Patched, a $7.30 chance, began off 20m when Young and De Campo combined to win the Trotters Cup by two lengths from Chumani in February 2023, and he started off 40m when he finished third to Our Maestoso in last year’s Cup.
“Patched begins really quick from a stand,” said De Campo. “There was a fair bit going on (with Bee Bee Beroc galloping at the start, and Chumani and Elegant Peak being badly checked). I just found that moving line and kept punching through, and we got through to a great position early.
“Then the horse in the breeze (Dark Secret) wasn’t taking us up there, so I was happy to pop around (1300m from home).” Chris Lewis then was able to get Nickys Son to the one-out, one-back position, following Patched.
“Coming to the bell the leader (Uptown Lad) was near on done,” said De Campo. “I had Chris on my back and Junior (Hall) behind the leader, and from then on I was concentrating on those two.” De Campo simply refused to seriously challenge Uptown Lad. He made sure that he had Sunnys Little Rose in a tight pocket until he sent Patched to the front with about 250m to travel.
Nickys Son then ran home strongly, and Sunnys Little Rose was hampered for room in the home straight before finishing determinedly.
“I was quite confident going into the race, and I thought Patched got into the race really well off 30m,” said Young. “Last year he began off 40m and gave 30m to Our Maestoso, who is a top trotter, and was beaten by only five metres. It was a huge run, and on paper it was a stronger Cup last year.
“I felt I had Patched peaking at the right time. His work on Tuesday was perfect, and even on the hot days, like last Wednesday, he was running around and carrying on around his yard, which is not like him.”
Patched, who ended a losing sequence of nine, has raced 81 times for 22 wins, 30 placings and $241,309. He had 30 starts in Victoria for four wins and eleven placings before he arrived in WA early in 2022 when he won at his first two appearances, both in stands.
Young races Patched on lease from his owner Vicki Woodhouse, who purchased the trotter after he had recovered from laminitis (a painful hoof ailment), and he was trained by Mrs Woodhouse’s daughter Alison Alford, and driven in his Victorian races by Alison’s husband Chris.
Young trained Conquer All about twelve years ago when he won five races with the trotter, who had been driven by Alford before coming to WA. And it was this connection that led to Young receiving Patched to race in WA.
Dalvey Robyn flies home
Seven-year-old Dalvey Robyn caused an upset when he was a $15.20 chance who sprinted home fast to get up and snatch a head victory over the $1.75 favourite Swingband in the $31,000 Media Cup over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It was a victory which surprised his trainer and driver Gary Hall jnr, who had been contemplating sending the New Zealand-bred gelding for a spell a couple of weeks ago.
“He had lightened off and had lost a fair bit of weight, and I thought he looked like he needed a bit of a break,” said Hall. But he was persuaded by his father, Hall Of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr, to keep racing him. This turned out to be sound advice.
“What I liked about Dalvey Robyn tonight was that he really stuck it out and had to dig deep,” said Hall jnr.
Pinny Tiger, the $2.90 second favourite, began speedily from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line and got to a three-quarter of a length lead over Swingband, who began fast from barrier eight and was able to deny Pinny Tiger the lead.
With the early speed (a lead time of 35.9sec.) Chris Voak was able to quickly angle Pinny Tiger across to trail the frontrunning Swingband, who steadied and went through the opening 400m sections in comfortable times of 31.1sec. and 30.2sec.
Dalvey Robyn was enjoying an ideal passage, one-out and two-back, in sixth position before Hall switched him three wide with 700m to travel. The gelding sustained his spirited burst and got up in the final stride.
Dalvey Robyn is by Washington VC and is the first foal out of unraced New Zealand mare Casey Robyn. He won twice in New Zealand, twice in New South Wales and five times in Victoria before arriving in WA where he now has had eight starts for two wins and three placings.
The win gave Hall the third leg of a driving quartet, with his other winners being Blaze On, Illawong Mustang and Jaxs Ideal.
Im Lightning Banner’s narrow escape
Up-and-coming four-year-old Im Lightning Banner is emerging as a strong candidate for the rich Golden Nugget later in the year when he notched his fourth win in a row with an all-the-way success in the $27,000 Summer Series 0-2W/15K final at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
But he had to survive a flying finish from another classy four-year-old, the $6 chance Waverider, who failed by a head to overhaul the $1.50 favourite. Magnus Victor ($23) was a nose away in third place after working in the breeze all the way.
“Im Lightning Banner probably switched off a bit, and I was surprised that the others got so close,” said trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green. “At the top of the straight he probably thought he had done it easily, like he had in his previous wins.
“He will probably go out for a spell now and come back stronger and sharper. He has a tendency to be a bit crazy, and early on he was a nightmare. Early on, when I worked him, he drilled me and dropped me about five times. But he has finally got it about right in the head. So, hopefully, he will come back and do a good job in the middle of the year.”
The New Zealand-bred Im Lightning Banner is bred in the purple, being by outstanding sire Sweet Lou, and is the seventh foal out of When You’re Hot, whose seven foals have won a total of 118 races for earnings of $1,291,268. Im Lightning Banner has had 20 starts for eight wins, four seconds, one third and $69,040.
He rated 1.56 over 2130m on Friday night after dashing over the final quarters in 28.4sec. and 27.8sec.
Waverider was superb in defeat, and he looks set for an outstanding career. He raced three back on the pegs in fifth position before getting clear in the late stages and charging home, out wide.
Early double for Young and Hall
Mardella trainer Michael Young and champion reinsman Gary Hall got away to a flying start at Gloucester Park on Friday night, scoring convincing wins in the opening two events.
They were successful with Blaze On ($4.10) in the $25,000 Bobby Breadcarter Summer Series final and Illawong Mustang ($1.20) in the $23,000 Summer Series NR Up to 60 final.
Five-year-old Blaze On is getting better with every start and he proved too good for the $1.55 favourite Gully Gum, who set the pace from the No. 1 barrier before being overhauled 65m from the post and being beaten by a half-length, with Blaze On rating a smart 1.55.5 over 2130m after final 400m sections of 28.3sec. and 28.6sec.
“In his first few starts for me he galloped or got posted three deep for the journey,” said Young. “He hasn’t had much racing luck, but now he is making his own luck. I think he will go better when he draws well and finds the front. He is running exceptional times in the breeze, and they run faster when they find the rails.”
Gully Gum ran a quick lead time of 36.3sec. before going through the opening quarters in 30sec. and 29.7sec. Blaze On settled in eighth position before Hall sent him forward with a three-wide burst after 600m to move to the breeze.
“From the 600m Blaze On always felt he had the leader beaten, even when that horse found a length on the home bend,” said Hall. “He got home quite comfortably. It’s good that Michael has found the key to him, and he has finally got him going like the horse he probably hoped for when he first took him over.”
Blaze On won once from four New Zealand starts, and his 28 WA starts have produced nine wins and six placings. He is by Sweet Lou and is the third foal out of Victors Delight, who earned $130,523 from 14 wins and 13 placings from 61 starts. Victors Delight’s younger full-sister Utmost Delight has had 29 starts for ten wins, nine placings and $256,802.
Eight-year-old Illawong Mustang made it a one-act affair when he was the $1.20 favourite who set the pace from the No. 3 barrier and dashed home over the final quarters in 28.7sec. and 25sec. to beat $7 second fancy Sea Fury, who led early and then trailed the pacemaker.
“I think he has another couple of wins in him,” said Young, who has prepared the Victorian-bred gelding for his past five starts for three wins, one second and one fourth placing to boost his career record to 128 starts for 14 wins, 27 placings and $164,776. His dam Light In Every Day raced 72 times for eleven wins, 32 placings and $129,255.
Drinks all round
It was drinks all round for the owners of Champagne Everyone after the six-year-old mare, trained and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, had relished her frontrunning role to score an effortless victory in the $25,000 TABtouch Summer Series 0W/15K final at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Champagne Everyone, the $1.80 favourite, led from barrier two and romped home to beat $9.50 chance Hunt The Magic, who finished strongly from well back. The winning margin was five lengths.
Champagne Everyone, racing second-up after a spell, dawdled early before sprinting over the final quarters in 28.9sec. and 28.3sec.
“I lost her on the corner at her previous start (when second to Princess Katie),” said Egerton-Green. “She has always shown a bit but has lacked a bit on the strength side of things. Now she has put it all together and is a nice mare. She didn’t have to do too much, and I was able to get it cheaply before running away from them.
“When she switches on, she goes good, and, hopefully, she will go through the grades.”
Norman chalks up his first win
“We’re just battlers who take pride in our horses,” said 62-year-old Mark Norman after Mitch Miller had brought $16.80 chance Blitzar home with a determined burst from ninth at the bell to win the $21,000 Running Camel Summer Series Maiden final over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The victory gave owner Norman his first success in a brief training career with a pacer bred by his father Alan Norman (86), a prominent breeder, owner, trainer and reinsman in the 1980s and 1990s.
It was in that period that Norman had driven a few winners for his father before he concentrated on his cricket career as a middle-order first-grade batsman for the Willetton club.
“I had a 75 per cent success rate of placings and wins as a driver before I chose cricket ahead of harness racing,” he said. “I’m a full-time carer for Dad, but I’m also a published author, a journalist in the hospitality industry, writing positive stories on the hospitality business around Australia.
“My sister Vicki was one of the first female drivers in the State back in the eighties, and my brother Bradley was an excellent driver who won many races. Bradley has been for many years one of the world’s leading marine scientists, an authority on whale sharks who is currently the guest speaker on a luxury yacht cruising in the Timor Sea. And my sister is a top-line scientist.”
The family started breeding pacers in the 1980s with Vein Of Gold, a Romeo Hanover mare who won at four of her 62 starts. Vein Of Gold’s second foal was On Golden Pond, a mare who raced 108 times for eight wins, 23 placings and $34,500 in prizemoney. She finished third behind Alfa Dyna in the 1992 WA Oaks.
On Golden Pond was a good broodmare who produced Our Golden Finale (17 wins), Miss Placed (five wins from 30 starts for $96,704, including her win in the group 1 $100,000 Two-Year-Old Sires in June 2007) and Full Package, who in his ten-year career raced 298 times for 23 wins, 56 placings and $176,118.
On Golden Pond’s ninth and final foal was the Blissfull Hall mare Momentous, who had 50 starts for two wins, four seconds and stakes of $12,042.
The only foal out of Momentous is the Follow The Stars gelding Blitzar, who has been handled by five different drivers in his five-start career of one win, two placings and $14,929. Teenager Abbey Vidovich brought Blitzar home with a strong burst to finish second to Hold Your Fire at Gloucester Park on January 21 to qualify the gelding for Friday night’s race. Norman wanted her to drive Blitzar in the final, but she had not qualified to drive in city-class events.
Blitzar turned the tables on Hold Your Fire in the final, with that pacer setting the pace and holding on to finish third, with Arise Lazarus fighting on to take second place.
Montana Glory set for sprint event
Redoubtable New Zealand-bred mare Montana Glory will be set for the $50,000 Laurie Kennedy Pace over 1730m next Friday night after her impressive victory in the $23,000 Trotsynd Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She is right up there with the best mares in the State,” declared Shannon Suvaljko after guiding $13.60 chance Montana Glory to a 4m win over Regal Cheval ($12), with Blaze Coops ($2.15 favourite) and Navy Street ($31) a half-head farther back, dead-heating for third place.
Trainer Mike Reed said that Montana Glory would be suited by the sprint trip of next Friday night’s event for mares, and he is hoping for a favourable barrier in the random draw.
One of Montana Glory’s rivals in the sprint will be her brilliant stablemate Water Lou, who will be driven by Suvaljko in her comeback to racing after a spell.
Montana Glory was not bustled out from out wide at barrier seven, with Chaco Eagle ($9.50) dashing to the front after 220m after starting from the No. 6 barrier and proving too speedy for the noted fast beginner Blaze Coops at barrier one.
Montana Glory settled down in tenth position before Suvaljko set her alight after 550m and getting her to the breeze 350m later. The lead time was a fast 36.4sec., and when Chaco Eagle slackened the pace Suvaljko took the opportunity to get Montana Glory into the firing line. Montana Glory dashed to the front 380m from home, and she won comfortably, rating 1.57.5.
“After they had gone hard early, I was able to go around to the breeze cheaply,” said Suvaljko. “It was a good move to have her run in a trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday (when the mare set the pace in the ten-horse field and won by seven lengths) because she always races better with runs close together.”
Montana Glory, a mare by Always B Miki, won once from seven New Zealand starts and has had 28 WA starts for eight wins and eight placings for a career record of 35 starts for nine wins, 12 placings and $145,073.
Blaze Coops trailed the frontrunning Chaco Eagle and was blocked for a clear run until the final stages when she ran on strongly. Chaco Eagle wilted to finish eleventh.
Young’s magical month
Hard-working trainer Michael Young ended the month of January on a high note at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Jaxs Ideal scored a smart win in the $21,000 Allwood Stud Summer Series 0-1W L/T Pace for fillies and mares to complete a winning treble.
Young’s three winners, Blaze On, Illawong Mustang and Jaxs Ideal, boosted his tally of winners for January to 20 from 48 starters (as well as preparing ten placegetters), and he leads the trainers’ premiership table from Dylan Egerton-Green (who took his tally to ten when $8.40 chance Follow My Stride was successful at Bunbury on Saturday night).
Jaxs Ideal, the $1.40 favourite, gave star reinsman Gary Hall jnr his fourth win on the ten-event program. She was smartest to begin from barrier three and she bowled along in front to win by a length from $9.50 second favourite Elizabeth Aitch, who sustained a strong run from the rear.
“She’s not at her best yet,” said Young, who races Jaxs Ideal in partnership with Dion Perrella, Dave Boyd, Bob Sherwood, Adam Durrant, Matt Leppard, Aaron Bain’s Racing syndicate and Summit Bloodstock Pty Ltd.
Jaxs Ideal was purchased for $55,000 at the 2023 APG Perth yearling sale, and she has now earned $48,180 from three wins and five placings from 15 starts. Jaxs Ideal is by American Ideal and is the sixth foal out of unraced Christian Cullen mare Jacinta Jones.
Hall was happy with Jaxs Ideal’s performance, saying: “The first quarter (31.2sec.) was to our liking. About the 400m (when Elizabeth Aitch was challenging for the lead) I thought we might have been in trouble. But when I pulled the plugs, she won well.”
Young said that Jaxs Ideal would be set for the $100,000 Sales Classic for three-year-old fillies on February 28 before planning her program leading into the WA Oaks later in the year.
