Rixon Seeks Major double
Outstanding young New South Wales reinsman Will Rixon has high hopes that history will repeat itself and that veteran pacer Max Delight will follow his Nullarbor slot race victory last week by winning the $300,000 Retravision Cup over the marathon 2936m journey at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
In 2024, Victorian pacer Catch A Wave followed his Nullarbor win with a splendid victory in the Fremantle Cup, and last year West Australian star Mister Smartee followed suit with dashing wins in both rich feature events.
The 25-year-old Rixon has an extra incentive for the ten-year-old Max Delight to win on Friday night, and that’s to make amends for his father Peter having the disappointment of training and driving Divisive when the six-year-old met with interference and locked wheels with another runner before finishing an unlucky second to Power Of Tara in the 2902m Fremantle Cup in January 2009, a week before Divisive turned for home in front and was beaten by a nose in the final stride by Mysta Magical Mach in the WA Pacing Cup.
Trainer David Aiken is delighted with the way Max Delight has pulled up after his strong-finishing win over Golden Lode and the pacemaker Magnificent Storm in the 2536m Nullarbor last Friday night.
“Number five is not a great draw, but Will will have a few options,” said Aiken. “The horse has pulled up really well after his win. He worked free-legged yesterday (Monday) and will have a hoppled run tomorrow.
“He loves the distance and has won over 2900m (scoring over 2887m at Young in December 2023).”
Max Delight finished fourth behind Boncel Benjamin in the Interdominion championship final over 3009m at Menangle in December 2021 and was fourth behind Leap To Fame in the 3157m Inters final at Albion Park in July 2025.
Astute trainer Ray Williams declared that Magnificent Storm had pulled up a treat and was poised for a powerful performance after drawing the prized No. 1 barrier in Friday night’s big race.
Nine-year-old Magnificent Storm began from barrier four in the 2536m Nullarbor and took the lead after 400m before being put under pressure for most of the way by the favourite Minstrel in the breeze. He finished a close-up third behind Max Delight and the fast-finishing Golden Lode.
“He had a jog this morning (Tuesday) and felt very good,” said Williams. “So, there will be no excuses. The long distance won’t worry him at all, and he won the Marathon over 3309 metres (in August 2021).
“There are no particular dangers for him this week. They are all dangers, but I don’t expect he will get the pressure like he did last week.”
Aiden De Campo, WA’s leading reinsman this season, agreed that the distance would not be a worry for Magnificent Storm. “I thought he was super last week when we had to run too hard a lead time which took it out of him late,” he explained.
Champion WA trainers Greg and Skye Bond hold a strong hand in Friday night’s race in which they will be represented by Minstrel (Deni Roberts; barrier eight), Golden Lode (inside of the back line; Kyle Symington), Justcallmemiki (barrier six; Jack Callaghan) and Gee Heza Sport (outside of the back line of three runners; Stuart McDonald).
“Barrier eight makes it tough for Minstrel,” said Greg Bond. “We will let Deni sort things out. Justcallmemiki was solid when sixth in the Nullarbor; and Golden Lode has a good draw, being on the fence over the long trip, but obviously he will have to get a (clear) run.
“We like running Gee Heza Sport with a trail, so this is an ideal draw for him. Normally, I would say that Minstrel is our best chance, but you might even lean towards Golden Lode, going on his effort last week.”
Visiting pacers Ubetcha Tigerpie, Bulletproof Boy and Triedtotellya cannot be underestimated and will have many admirers.
Ubetcha Tigerpie, who is awkwardly drawn out wide at barrier seven, pleased trainer-reinsman Mick Stanley with his effort in the Nullarbor when he raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, and fought on strongly, out wide, to finish fourth. He appears certain to surge forward at the start in a bid to gain a prominent position.
Trainer Scott Ewen is confident his 11-year-old gelding Bulletproof Boy will improve dramatically on his ninth placing in the Nullarbor when he was restrained from out wide at barrier eight and raced at the rear. James Herbertson should be able to get him into a handy position in the one-wide line soon after the start.
Tasmanian trainer-reinsman Rohan Hillier will be looking for a good effort from noted stayer Triedtotellya, who boasts a wonderful record of 19 wins, four seconds and one third placing from 26 starts.
A Nostalgic Turnbull Return
Fond memories will come flooding back at Gloucester Park on Friday night when teenager Jett Turnbull makes his West Australian debut as a reinsman as the driver of A Little Silence and Raklou.
Oldtimers will recall admiring the skill of Jett’s great grandfather Tony Turnbull as he drove the mighty Hondo Grattan to victory in the 1974 Interdominion championship final at Gloucester Park.
His grandfather Steve Turnbull was also a star reinsman who drove Smooth Satin to victory in the 2002 Inters final at Harold Park. The late and legendary Tony Turnbull was the first driver to land 2000 winners in Australia, and he retired with a record of 2878 wins and as the winner of the New South Wales drivers’ premiership eleven times.
Nathan Turnbull, Jett’s father, is the leading trainer in NSW this season. He has prepared 79 winners and holds a substantial lead over Jason Grimson (38 winners). He has a career record of training 982 winners as well as driving 820 winners.
Eighteen-year-old Jett Turnbull has shown outstanding ability in the sulky and is currently in second place with 75 winners, four behind Cameron Hart in the NSW drivers’ premiership table.
One day after his 16TH birthday Jett Turnbull was successful with his second drive in a race, coming from the rear to win with Faze Of Glory at Bathurst on July 19, 2023. At the age of 16 and nine months he became the youngest person in Australia to drive 100 winners.
He is in sparkling form, having driven seven winners this week, Tigernator, Midnight Crimes and Its Down To Digger in Canberra on Sunday, Memphis Fury at Menangle on Tuesday and Duffy Hollow, Wheres The Gold and Machzine Mahoney at Bathurst on Wednesday. His record now stands at 2156 drives for 491 wins and 516 placings.
He has bright prospects on Friday night with A Little Silence, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old prepared by master trainer Gary Hall Snr, who will begin from the No. 4 barrier in the 2130m RAC Members Save 5% Every Day at Retravision Pace.
A Little Silence raced twice in New Zealand as a two-year-old for two second placings and his four WA starts at Gloucester Park have resulted in two wins and two close seconds after beginning from unfavourable draws.
At his most recent appearance, over 2130m last Friday week he raced without cover early and then was shuffled back before surging home from sixth (three wide) at the bell to finish a half-length second to the pacemaker Hunger Strike, who rated 1.56.2 after final 400m sections of 28.4sec. and 29.3sec.
A Little Silence’s main rivals are likely to be High Price and Sweet Pins.
Seven-year-old High Price, to be driven by Shannon Suvaljko for trainer Garry Sayers, has a losing sequence of 13. But he drops significantly in class after starting at $151 and racing three back on the pegs before running home solidly and finishing fourth behind Magnificent Storm, Mighty Ronaldo and Franco Encore last Friday week.
Sweet Pins, a stablemate of A Little Silence, will be driven by Gary Hall Jnr from barrier six. He impressed last Friday night when he ran home determinedly from ninth at the bell to finish second to Heres Herbie, a quality performer who sprinted over the final 800m in 56.8sec.
Raklou, a five-year-old mare from the Hall camp, faces a stern test from barrier five in the $25,000 Retravision, Why Shop Anywhere Else Pace over 2130m. She will be at handsome odds in a field consisting of several top-flight mares.
Voak Fancies Hi Suga Rush
New Zealand-bred Hi Suga Rush has managed just one win from his past 17 starts, but ace trainer-reinsman Chris Voak is bubbling with confidence that the gelding is on the doorstep of a profitable career.
“He has gone to a whole new level and is airborne at the moment,” said Voak, who is planning to go forward from the No.7 barrier in the opening event, the 2130m Retravision.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I think he will get to the front and prove too fast for the opposition. I reckon he would have won the Nullarbor Consolation (Parliamentarians Cup) last Friday night, but he hit a wheel, broke and finished a distant last, 219m behind the winner Alta Tribute.”
Hi Suga Rush was in third last place in the back straight in the final circuit but was travelling powerfully when he wrecked his chances by hitting a sulky wheel of Eldaytona and breaking into a gallop with about 470m to travel.
“His previous run was very good when he finished fourth behind Soho Shakedown over 2185m at Pinjarra,” said Voak. “He raced one-out and two-back and went three deep with 800m to go. Soho Shakedown rated 1.55.1.”
Looming as a major threat to Hi Suga Rush is the Aiden De Campo-trained and driven four-year-old Last Hard Copy, who will begin from the outside of the back line.
Last Hard Copy, a winner at nine of his 20 starts, was most impressive last Friday night when he led for the first 220m and then trailed the pacemaker Mad Monday before finishing strongly to be a one metre second to that smart pacer in the Group 2 Preux Chevalier Classic for four-year-olds.
“Last Hard Copy is racing very well and if he gets a bit of luck, he will be right in it at the finish,” said De Campo. “This is a big class dropper, and his three runs this time in have been good.”
Voak is also bullish about the chances of My Silver Spoon, who will begin from the 10m mark in the 2503m Retravision Click’N’ Collect Handicap.
“With a safe beginning he should be able to work to the lead and prove hard to catch,” said Voak. Luvbite and Chase Me, who share the 20m mark with last-start winner Getn Wiggy Withit, appear to be My Silver Spoon’s toughest rivals.
Roberts Opts for In Rare Air
Champion co-trainers Greg and Skye Bond hold a strong hand in the $50,000 Group 3 Caduceus Club Classic over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with four runners, In Rare Air, Chugach, American Falcon and The Final Offer.
The stable’s No. 1 driver Deni Roberts have given punters a valuable lead by choosing to handle In Rare Air, who will begin from the No. 1 barrier.
“From the draw, it looks a winnable race for him,” said Roberts. “He had a tough run last start (when a fading eighth behind Wishing Belle last Friday week), and I’m sure he will go a lot better this week. He likes to lead, and that will be the plan.”
Chugach will be driven by Kyle Symington from the No. 2 barrier; Stuart McDonald will handle American Falcon from the No. 3 barrier; and Tom Nally has been engaged to drive The Final Offer, who will begin from the back line.
Chugach has resumed after a spell in sound form, with placings at his first three appearances as a three-year-old; American Falcon also has been placed at his three starts this season after having had seven starts in New Zealand last year for a win at Cambridge and six placings.
The Final Offer has managed one win and four placings from 12 starts and faces a hard task from the back line.
Miss Leopatra, trained by Cameron Ross and to be driven by Jocelyn Young from barrier five, has won in good style at her past three starts and is sure to be prominent, as will Wake Up Geoff (barrier seven) and Amalfi Knight (inside of the back line).
Wake Up Geoff, to be driven by Mitch Miller for trainer Kim Prentice, set the pace and won the $100,000 Sales Classic for three-year-old colts and gelding last Friday night. The Aiden De Campo-trained and driven Amalfi Knight trailed Wake Up Geoff and fought of doggedly when third behind him and Ideal Beach.
Other good drives for De Campo, apart from Magnificent Storm in the Fremantle Cup, include Last Hard Copy, Bettor Arcade, Menemsha and Copy Cat Queen.
“Copy Cat Queen went super last week (when charging home from tenth at the bell to finish a close second to Little Darling in the 2536m Empress Stakes) and I will try to lead with her from barrier two,” said De Campo.
“She pulled up a little bit big but seems to have come on well. She is a great sit-sprinter, but when you get the chance to lead you might as well take it. She will be hard to beat if she leads and is able to relax.”
Aardiebytheseaside, who came from second last at the bell to hit the front leaving the back straight and fought on gamely to finish third behind Little Darling and Copy Cat Queen, is sure to prove very hard to beat on Friday night.
“It was a good strong run, considering where she came from,” said a confident Roberts.
Gary Hall Jnr gave punters a good lead when he chose to drive Franco Motu ahead of stablemate Alta Tribute in the Retravision For All The Electrical Stuff You Love Fremantle Cup Consolation over 2936m.
The two Gary Hall Senior-trained five-year-olds will start out wide, with Alta Tribute at barrier eight and Franco Motu at No. 9.
“Franco Motu was travelling turning for home in the Nullarbor last Friday night before getting tired late and finishing eighth,” said Hall Jnr. “He didn’t disgrace himself and this looks a winnable race on Friday night.”
Hall drove Alta Tribute to a thrilling last-stride victory over 2536m last Friday night, and the gelding should again be prominent. He will be handled by Stuart McDonald.
