Bell and Elliott Overcome Setbacks
Emotions overflowed and some tears flowed at Gloucester Park on Friday night when 20-year-old Liam Elliott celebrated his first two group feature victories.
Elliott spent three months on the sidelines earlier in the year while he recovered from a fractured left wrist, suffered in a race accident on Friday March 13 when his horse Trittrittbangbang, a $126 outsider, met with severe interference, and he crashed on to the track.
“I spent 12 weeks out of action and when I got back to driving nothing was going right all the time, and it was getting to the stage when I thought about quitting the sport,” said Elliott after driving the $2 favourite Seaside Serenade to an all-the-way victory in the $215,000 Allwood Stud Farm Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies.
This gave Elliott his first success in a Group1 feature event just under two hours after his first win in a Group 2 event, scored with $5.60 chance Lazi Days in the $100,000 Fly Like An Eagle Westbred Classic for four-year-old male pacers.
Both Elliott’s winners are prepared by 40-year-old Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell, who admitted that he has been the young driver’s harshest critic, but said he was delighted that Elliott had not made the decision to quit harness racing.
“This year has been really challenging for me, and it was getting to the stage that I considered getting out of the sport and thought I should get back to my apprenticeship as a chippy,” said Elliott.
Bell revealed that health issues had seriously affected horses in his stable, and he said: “Everything has been a bit of a struggle lately, and I have had the worst four months of my career. Things have been out of control, and we still have horses who are very sick.
“This viral problem starts with horses tieing up and then they don’t want to eat or drink. We have still got horses who have no life about them. They have been knocked for six.
“The health problem hasn’t helped Liam. It hasn’t helped him to have confidence in the stable horses he has been driving, and it has been hard for him to make the right decisions out on the track.
“I have been there as a driver, as well. I have been hard on Liam, but he has turned things around in the past couple of weeks. He puts in as much effort into the stable as I do, and as a driver he has very good hands.”
Bell revealed that Seaside Serenade was fortunate to be able to contest Friday night’s classic, saying: “She is a tired filly. She was here tonight on borrowed legs. I have been trying to keep her mentally bright after she copped a bit of the viral.
Having a good draw (barrier two) helped her, and I couldn’t be more proud of her and Liam. It was such a gruelling effort to get her here, and now I think the best thing will be to put her away and bring her back next year.”
Seaside Serenade failed to reach her reserve price of $30,000 at the 2025 Perth APG yearling sale before being sold for $35,000, with owners Albert and Julie Walmsley more than happy with the filly’s earnings of $212,409 from six wins and one third placing from eight starts, as well as many more thousands in bonus payments.
Seaside Serenade is by American sire Downbytheseaside and is the second foal out of Sportswriter mare Tenniele Erin, who raced 14 times for five wins, seven placings and $88,180.
Tenniele Erin’s wins included the Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies in April 2017. Her first foal Lion Queen has earned $147,884 from nine wins and seven placings from 28 starts. Tenniele Erin’s American dam Lilianna Beauty had 134 starts for ten wins, 41 placings and $135,274.
On Friday night Seaside Serenade withstood an early challenge for the lead from the $3.50 second favourite Nevele Arma, who was forced to race without cover before fighting on gamely to finish a 2m second.
Seaside Serenade was able to coast through the lead time in a slow 38sec. before modest opening quarters of 31.2sec. and 29.5sec. A fast third quarter of 27.7sec. had life tough for her rivals and then she covered the final 400m in 29.1sec.
Earlier in the night Lazi Days set the pace before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 27.8sec. and 27.3sec. to win the Group 2 event by a half-neck from $7 chance Major Disco, who trailed the frontrunner and was held in a pocket until the late stages, and then finished strongly.
Captain Stirling, the $3 favourite from the back line, raced in the breeze for much of the 2536m journey before wilting to finish seventh.
“The plan was to go into this race, first-up,” said Bell. “We are fortunate that he was one of the first ones to be affected by the viral problem, and the plan was to get him right going into this race, first-up, after I had given him a hard trial to get him top-notch for tonight’s event over the long trip.
“I wanted to sack him as a two-year-old because we couldn’t get him to stay in his gear and pace. Thankfully, Tiffany said there’s no chance of that because we bred him.
“Lazi Dais used to jump out of his gear for no reason, and we couldn’t stop him. Even when I brought him back as a three-year-old he was doing the same thing. So, I pulled up his hopples and tightened his head check, and away he went.
“The Golden Nugget (a $200,000 event over 2536m on November 6) is the plan, and we will be concentrating on getting him ready for that big race. There are some impressive four-year-olds around at the moment, but I don’t think that he will be out of play.”
Elliott’s only previous drive behind Lazy Dais was at Pinjarra on March 2 this year when the Rock N Roll Heaven gelding rated 1.56.4 over 2185m and won by a half-neck from The Bettor Side.
Lazi Dais, who has earned $179,401 from eleven wins and five placings from 24 starts is the only foal out of Victorian-bred mare Moon Goddess, who raced 13 times in WA in 2019 and 2020 as a two and three-year-old for two wins, three placings and $36,025 in stakes.
Bell and Elliott did not rest on their laurels, and they went to Bunbury on Saturday night when Elliott landed a double, winning with the Bell-trained eight-year-old Hillview Bondi ($6.60) and the eight-year-old Michael Blakemore-trained gelding Local Resident ($2.80).
Hez The Boss Is In Charge
Champion youngster Hez The Boss extended his winning sequence to eight when he proved the master of his rivals in the $215,000 Allwood Stud Farm Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“The Golden Slipper (a $150,000 feature on September 25) is his next target,” said reinsman Gary Hall Jnr after driving the Poster Boy gelding for a comfortable win in the 2130m Group 1 classic.
Hez The Boss, the $1.60 favourite from the No. 4 barrier, began brilliantly and burst straight to the front and then relaxed and coasted through the lead time in 38.4sec. and the opening 400m sections in 31.6sec. and 30.2sec. before dashing over the final quarters in 28sec. and 28.4sec. to win by just over a length from the $2.20 second fancy Ignite The Furnace, who began from the prized No. 1 barrier and raced behind the pacemaker all the way.
“I knew Hez The Boss could begin that fast,” said Hall. “I wanted to make sure we crossed Ignite The Furnace, and this was the only time we really had to do it. Then it was the strongest he has ever travelled and it was one of his easiest wins.”
Ideal Whisper, a $6.50 chance, raced in the breeze and kept Ignite The Furnace in a water-tight pocket throughout before that gelding gained an inside passage in the final stages to finish second, a head in front of Ideal Whisper.
Hez The Boss, a $100,000 yearling and raced by Liam O’Connor and Trevor Lindsay, has shone under the care of veteran Banjup trainer Colin Brown, and has already amassed $356,978 in prizemoney from eight wins, with his only defeat was on debut when he was a $7 chance from the outside barrier in a six-horse field and raced in last position before surging home to finish second, a short half-head from the winner and $1.70 favourite Seaside Serenade.
It was a profitable evening for Lindsay, who bred and owns promising filly A Precious Gem, who caused a surprise when Maddison Brown drove the $20.40 chance to a narrow victory in the Group 2 $100,000 Allwood Stud Farm For Your Breeding Requirements Westbred Classic for three-year-old fillies.
Serpentine trainer Dylan Egerton-Green had two runners in the race, and he chose to handle the polemarker Sovereign Jewel, the $3.70 second fancy from the coveted No. 1 barrier, and he engaged his sister-in-law Brown to drive A Precious Gem.
Brown got A Precious Gem away smartly and the filly raced in the breeze for the first 200m before gaining a perfect trail in the one-out and one-back position after Chris Voak sent the $3.60 favourite Justasmooth Miki forward to race outside the pacemaker Sovereign Jewel.
Justasmooth Miki took a narrow lead about 15 metres from the post, and A Precious Gem, who went three wide on the home bend and was fourth with 100m to travel, got up to snatch victory by a head, with Sovereign Jewel a neck farther back in third place.
“This was a nice pick-up drive,” said a thankful Brown. “I didn’t attempt to get to an early lead and wasn’t keen on staying in the breeze. I was happy to get a sit only because A Precious Gem led and weakened to finish fourth in a qualifying heat.”
A Precious Gem is by American sire Captain Crunch and is the fourth foal out of Bettors Gem, who had 40 starts for 11 wins, 13 placings and $103,276.
A Precious Gem, who has earned $79,964 from three wins and two seconds from seven starts, with Bettors Gem’s first two foals Swingband and Atlantic Gem shining on the track.
Swingband amassed $434,194 from 14 wins and 14 placings from 48 starts. A highlight of his career was his third placing behind Catch A wave and Minstrel in the $1.25 Nullarbor slot race in April 2024.
Atlantic Gem has earned $113,761 from six wins and seven placings from 29 starts. She won the Group 2 Daintys Daughter Classic in September 2024 before finishing second to Madam Publisher in the WA Oaks at her next appearance.
Dylan Voak Talks Up A Storm
Dylan Voak earns a living driving a tow truck, but has always been a horse lover, whose father Danny was a successful trainer-reinsman, and his elder brother Chris a star reinsman, and in recent times a top-class trainer.
And he enjoyed a special occasion at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he notched his first city-class win as a trainer when Chris drove $2 favourite Texas Storm to a smart victory in the $21,000 Allwood Stud Breeding Tomorrow’s Champions Pace for Westbred three-year-olds.
Texas Storm was smartest into stride from the No. 5 barrier, and he gave a strong frontrunning performance to win by a half-length from $8 chance Livy Ann, rating 1.57.3.
Things haven’t been all plain sailing for Dylan Voak, who purchased Texas Storm for $14,000 at the 2024 Perth APG yearling sale and races the gelding with a syndicate of family and friends.
“I bought him because he was short and compact,” he said. “His brothers (Syncopation and Scuttlebutt) were big and lanky, and now he has developed into a quite a big and strongly-built horse.
“One reason why I bought him was because he was by American sire Stay Hungry, and Robbie Williams had a Stay Hungry pacer Louie Vee, who had won at his first two starts as a two-year-old at Gloucester Park and then finished second to The Bettor Side in a Sales Classic final.”
Texas Storm made his debut when he finished sixth in a race at Gloucester Park on February 18, 2025. “He had a cyst the size of a golf ball in a stifle, and vets couldn’t believe he could walk let alone pace,” said Voak.
An operation cured that problem, and Texas Storm was off the scene for seven months. “Everything has gone against him,” explained Voak. “He got an infection when he was gelded and after that when he was ready to race, he suffered from an attack of colic. But he is a lovely horse to deal with and I’m looking forward for more wins when he matures.”
Texas Storm has raced 17 times for two wins, four placings and $27,434 in stakes. The 34-year-old Voak now has had 113 starters for six wins and 20 placings.
Texas Storm is the fifth foal out of Victorian-bred mare Storm Cat, who raced 18 times in WA in 2014 and 2015 for five placings and stakes of $7209.
Storm Cat, a pacer, produced a trotter as her first foal, who was by champion pacing stallion Bettors Delight. This square gaiter is Chumani, who has earned $190,554 from 16 wins and 42 placings from 113 starts.
Texas Storm gave 40-year-old Chris Voak his second winner on Friday night. He prepared Maximum Rock for the five-year-old’s surprise victory in the $31,000 Allwood Stud Devoted To Breeding Excellence Westbred Pace.
Voak opted to handle $8 chance Brought To Light for Busselton trainer Katie Howlett, and Chris Lewis was engaged to drive Maximum Rock, a $31.40 outsider from the No. 4 barrier.
Lewis got Maximum Rock away smartly and the gelding eventually got to the front after 650m before setting a solid pace and going on to win by two lengths from the $2.70 chance Alta Tribute, with the $2 favourite Hotly Pursued a neck away in third place.
“I didn’t expect Maximum Rock to win, and I was surprised he went so well,” said Voak.
This was Maximum Rock’s 66th start, and Lewis was driving the gelding for only the third time in a race, for a third placing at Pinjarra on debut on January 16, 2023, and for another third at Gloucester Park on July 52024. Maximum Rock has been an excellent money-spinner, having earned $189,676 from 13 wins and 19 placings.
Fakenit Shocks Hall
Brilliant pacer Fakenit was reappearing after an eleven-week absence when she was a hot $1.10 favourite for the $100,000 Celebrating Harness Owner Liam O’Connor Westbred Classic for four-year-old mares at Park on Friday night.
And she sent her supporters and star reinsman Gary Hall Jnr into shock when she broke moments before the mobile barrier sent the field of eleven on its way.
However, Fakenit, trained by Gary Hall Snr, quickly regained her pacing gait and dashed straight to the front before travelling smoothly in front and winning easily by almost two lengths from $31 chance Up And Alive, rating 1.59.8 over the 2536m journey.
“She went into a full-stretch gallop and I nearly lost her,” said Hall Jnr. “I was lucky it was 50 metres before the start. I panicked and it was more a case of good luck rather than good management. She has never been a great pacer, but I don’t know why she broke.
“After that early scare, she travelled really well and the only concern was that she was first-up. However, she was quite strong and had her own way which was a good thing.”
Fakenit has been most impressive in earning $304,449 from eight wins and eight placings from 19 starts and is poised to make her presence felt in the rich feature events for mares later in the year.
Fakenit was the first leg of a driving treble for Hall, who was successful later in the program with wins with Ideal Beach and Hez The Boss. He kept up the good work with a double at the Bunbury meeting on Saturday night when he scored with the Justin Prentice-trained three-year-old filly Perfect Miki, a $2.90 chance, and with Bob Mellsop’s pacer Turbo Jay, a $5.50 chance.
Prentice prepared Ideal Beach for his stylish victory in the Group 2 $100,000 Allwood Stud Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings over 2130m.
Ideal Beach, making his third appearance in his current campaign, was the third favourite at $3.70, with El Mystro the $2.80 favourite and Wheelsofortune the $3.40 second fancy.
American Machine, a $41 outsider from the No. 9 barrier, veered sideways in the mobile score-up, bumped into the outside fence and broke into a gallop, losing 60 metres. Chugach ($31) zoomed to the front from barrier five, with El Mystro settling down in fifth place, one-out and one-back.
About 550m after the start Mitch Miller dashed $31 chance Wake Up Geoff forward with a three-wide burst, and soon after that Robbie Williams eased El Mystro out three wide to surge forward and move to the breeze with 1200m to travel.
Ideal Beach began from the No. 6 barrier and settled down in ninth position before Hall made a pre-emptive strike by setting the colt alight with a sizzling burst 900m from home. Ideal Beach took the lead 570m from, home and went on to win by just under a length from El Mystro, with Wheelsofortune 10m farther back in third place after trailing the frontrunning Chugach.
“I wasn’t planning that move with Ideal Beach, but it worked out,” said Hall. “The WA Derby is on the cards.”
A delighted Prentice said that this was the race he had pencilled in for Ideal Beach. “He went super and has got a good motor, and he proved that tonight,” he said. “He is really fast and has a good turn of foot. He will be set for the Derby (a $200,000 classic over 2536m on October 30).”
Ideal Beach was purchased by Prentice for $130,000 at the 2024 APG Perth yearling sale and is raced by a big syndicate of owners. The American Ideal colt has earned $333,115 from seven wins and three placings from 13 starts.
