WHITE MAKES A GOOD CHOICE IN BLISSFULL BOY

Pleasant memories of training speedy pacer Lord Marques in the 1990s influenced veteran Wanneroo horseman Ken White to buy Blissfull Boy at the 2009 Gloucester Standardbreds Perth yearling sale.

And the 80-year-old White has no regrets that he outlaid $22,500 to purchase the son of American stallion Blissfull Hall.

Blissfull Boy is closely related to Lord Marques, whose 12 WA victories included the 1996 group 2 Western Gateway Pace before he went to America where he won another 12 times.

Blissfull Boy chalked up his fifth successive victory when Gary Hall jun. drove him to an all-the-way win over Touch of Tango and Bettors Ace in the $115,000 Clipsal WA Sales Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Blissfull Boy, whose first eight starts produced two seconds, two thirds and four fourths, now has earned $98,316 and has bright prospects of adding considerably to his prizemoney when he contests other feature events this season, including the $50,000 Champagne Classic, the $20,000 Western Crown Classic, the $100,000 Pearl Classic and the $125,000 Golden Slipper Stakes.

Blissfull Boy is the second foal out of Botswana, who is out of Lourenco Marques, the dam of seven winners, the best being Lord Marques. Botswana’s first foal is Led Suitcase, who has had 18 starts for six wins, four placings and $230,765.

“When I noticed that Blissfull Boy was related to Lord Marques I was pretty happy to buy him, even though he was a little bit big for me and not really the type of horse that I buy,” White said. “I decided to buy him because of his family history.”

Blissfull Boy, who drew the prized No. 1 barrier in the 1730m event, dominated betting and was sent out favourite at 3/1 on.

“When the fields came out, my gut feeling said he just wins,” Hall said. “But it’s a long time between Tuesday and Friday. Obviously it was my main aim to hold up early, and once he did that comfortably he looked to be the winner.

“He’s proved this time in amongst this lot that he’s the superior horse and he’s run the times to prove it. His gate speed has been exceptional and the barrier draw worked out perfectly. The only two who looked to be dangers were the ones who won the other heats (Touch of Tango and Bettors Ace) and they drew nine and the inside of the back line.”

Blissfull Boy easily withstood an early challenge from Miami Playboy and paced smoothly in front, with Touch of Tango dashing forward, three wide, to assume the position outside the leader 1200m from home. Bettors Ace was tucked away on the pegs behind Blissfull Boy.
 
Touch of Tango (Bob Mellsop) fought on grimly to go down by a half-length, with Bettors Ace an unlucky third, going to the line full of running but hopelessly blocked for a clear run. Blissful Boy sprinted the final 400m in 28.9sec. and rated 2.0.6 over the 1730m.

 ARTEMIS BELLE, AN $8000 BARGAIN, STROLLS TO VICTORY

Artemis Belle made a one-act affair of the $115,000 Clipsal WA Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night when she was able to hold up from the inside barrier and then set the pace on the way to winning by two lengths from Mazeltov.

Brush With Courage, favourite at 5/4, was smartest into stride from the No. 2 barrier and led by more than a half-length soon after the start. But she was unable to cross Artemis Belle, second favourite at 6/4, and then had to work hard in the breeze.

Artemis Belle was rated perfectly by her trainer Aldo Cortopassi and the filly dashed over the final 800m in 59.2sec. to coast to victory over 7/1 chance Mazeltov, who sat behind the pacemaker early and then moved into the one-wide line with a perfect sit.

Soho Nike battled on gamely to be third, with Brush With Courage wilting over the concluding stages to finish sixth.

Artemis Belle, bred by Neven Botica, has proved a bargain for Collie owner John Bell, who paid $8000 for her at the 2009 Gloucester Standardbreds Perth yearling sale. The filly now has had three starts for two wins and a second for earnings of $77,789.

“We just had to hold the top, and after that we were going to be very hard to beat,” said the 33-year-old Cortopassi. “She’s a wonderful little horse, a great little lady who does everything so well.

“David Hunter broke her in and he did a great job. He’s done all the ground work, all the hard work, and at the end of the day I just got the easy job. I’m more of an old horse trainer and I don’t train many two-year-olds.”

Bell explained that he was fortunate to have bought Artemis Belle. “I had no intention of buying this filly,” he said. “I had my eldest son with me and for whatever reason he took a liking to her. I had bid on a few and hadn’t got the ones I wanted, and this one came in and I was virtually told in no uncertain terms that this was the one we were going to buy.”

Artemis Belle is by American stallion Artiscape and is the first foal out of the unraced New Zealand-bred Badlands Hanover mare Lovera.

There was a sensation shortly before the race when the stewards ordered the withdrawal of speedy filly Forza di Volonta, who was to have been driven by Gary Hall jun. for 32-year-old Northam trainer Glenn Elliott.

Acting on the advice of the racecourse investigator, the stewards interviewed Elliott, who confirmed that he had drenched Forza di Volonta en route to the course. Elliott has been stood down from driving or racing any horses until the matter has been concluded. Several samples were taken from the filly and will be analysed.

 WOODLEY’S REMARKABLE RECORD FOR OLIVIERI

Ace 21-year-old reinsman Morgan Woodley and 56-year-old Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri have struck an amazing purple patch and the all-conquering combination landed a double at Gloucester Park on Friday night with Crombie and Luminous Lombo.

When Luminous Lombo gave a fighting performance to win The West Australian Young Drivers Pace by a head from Bubbles And Bling, Woodley had taken his record for Olivieri-trained pacers in the space of 15 days to eight wins from nine drives for total prizemoney of $214,075.

He has won twice with Crombie and Luminous Lombo and once each with Elysees Crest, Nickelmeldon, Jordangarry and Me Ole Mate Lombo.

The only unsuccessful runner for the Olivieri-Woodley combination in that period was 12/1 chance Cyclone Warrior, who finished seventh behind Fidelius Charm at Gloucester Park last Friday week.

This sequence of winners includes the WA Derby with Crombie and the Empress Stakes with Elysees Crest.

Woodley had his first drive for Olivieri at Gloucester Park on October13, 2006 when he finished third with OK Windermere. Then, at his third drive for Olivieri, Woodley finished second with Oxford Debate.

Woodley had only four drives for Olivieri in 2006 and 2007 and then he resumed with Olivieri when he handled Flaming Roadstar in the Summer Cup at Gloucester Park on January 29 this year. Flaming Roadstar finished second to Has The Answers.

A fortnight later Crusaders Crest contested a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park for Olivieri and the gelding was driven brilliantly by Woodley to score an upset win at tote odds of 31/1, beating Talk To Me Courage, Parasite and Has The Answers.

After Friday night’s double, Woodley has had 23 drives for Olivieri for nine wins and five placings.

Luminous Lombo, favourite at 3/1 on, began well from barrier three, but was unable to cross the polemarker Kinki Village (6/1). Kade Howson then set the Pace with Kinki Village, with Luminous Lombo inclined to pull in the breeze.

Luminous Lombo, a five-year-old by Northern Lights, got his nose in front 300m from home and Woodley had to drive vigorously to get the gelding home by a head from Bubbles And Bling, who finished strongly after enjoying a perfect trail, one-out and one-back.

The WA Derby winner Crombie, favourite at 7/4 on, impressed with his splendid victory over Why Live Dangerously (5/2) in the Retravision Pace for three-year-olds.

Woodley drove aggressively, sending Crombie forward, three wide, from barrier seven to take up the running 550m after the start. Gary Hall jun. made a fast move from the rear with Why Live Dangerously 1050m, from home and the gelding quickly move outside the pacemaker.

Why Live Dangerously appeared a big danger to Crombie approaching the home turn, but Woodley merely gave Crombie one tap with the whip 100m from the post and the Life Sign colt responded grandly and went on to score by 2m, rating 1.59.2 over the 2130m.

 HAS THE ANSWERS GIVES LEWIS A TREBLE

Remarkable WA-bred seven-year-old Has The Answers won for the 15th time from 30 starts this season and completed a hat-trick for reinsman Chris Lewis when he crushed his rivals in the Boskovski Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Has The Answers (3/1 on) began with a dazzling burst from barrier eight to burst straight to the front and then the race developed into a procession, with up-and-coming four-year-old Money Twitch working hard in the breeze before fighting on doggedly into second place, three and a half lengths behind the winner who rated 1.58.7.

Lewis gave Has The Answers an easy run in front and did not ask the gelding for an effort until the final 400m which he covered in a sparkling 27.8sec.

Has The Answers, by Legacy of Power and trained at Byford by Tony Svilicich, is seemingly unbeatable over 2130m. The freakish pacer has now amassed stakes of $575,519 from 37 wins and 35 placings from 120 starts.

Lewis was also successful with the Svilicich-trained Rostriever Ornum in the Ross North Homes Claiming Pace and the Ross Olivieri-trained Me Ole Mate Lombo in the Global Insurance Broking Pace.

Rostriever Ornum, an eight-year-old by Dream Away, was heavily supported from evens to 5/2 on and he gave his backers little cause for concern by bowling along in front and scoring by a length from Touch Me Toes (4/1), who fought on gamely after working hard in the breeze over the final 1100m.

Rostriever Ornum is proving to be an iron horse. He has already had 42 starts this season for four wins and 13 placings.

There were no claims at $10,000 for Rostriever Ornum, but there were nine claims at $10,000 for New Zealand-bred four-year-old In The Barrack. Successful in the ballot to claim the promising In The Barrack was WATA immediate past president Garry Scott.

Million To One seven-year-old Me Ole Mate Lombo was a firm favourite at even money and he proved too smart for his rivals, scoring by 2m from the fast-finishing Little Sonny Bill.

Me Ole Mate Lombo settled down in ninth position before Lewis sent him forward, three wide, after 650m. The gelding quickly moved into the breeze outside the pacemaker Little Big Sister.

Little Big Sister, second favourite at 9/4, disappointed in fading to finish eighth. Me Ole Mate Lombo sped to the front 420m from home and raced away from his rivals as he covered the final 800m of the 2536m event in 57sec. “He’s a fairly versatile horse and he did it pretty comfortably,” Lewis declared. “there’s a few more wins in him, for sure.”

Little Sonny Bill finished fast from seventh at the bell. His driver Chris Butt was suspended for 14 days for causing interference. 

 TUAPEKA TIZ MAKES THE MOST OF A LET-UP

Six-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding Tuapeka Tiz became the latest pacer to benefit from the generous new rule which gives a horse an easier assessment after a sequence of ten runs without a win.

Tuapeka Tiz became an M2-class pacer after his win over In The Force at Gloucester Park in January. But he was reclassified as an M1-class pacer when he was unsuccessful at his following ten starts. This made him eligible to contest the M1-class Ben Luca Legacy Pace on Friday night.

Punters were keen to support the Artiscape gelding, whose price tumbled from 2/1 to 6/4. Tuapeka Tiz was eighth after a lap, with 12/1 chance Debt Propelled bowling along in front. Trainer Grant Williams started a three-wide run approaching the bell and the gelding moved into second place 520m from home before taking a narrow lead at the 350m mark.

Tuapeka Tiz then dashed away from his rivals and won by four lengths from Gross Misconduct (9/2), who ran home solidly from seventh at the bell.

Former Victorian pacer Barachias, last with two laps to travel, caught the eye when he sustained a strong burst from tenth at the bell to finish third. He will pay to follow.

Williams praised Tuapeka Tiz, saying that this was one of his better runs in this preparation. “I thought I might get a cart up, but those horses didn’t come out, so I had to do it (lead up the three-wide line), and he did it well.”

   
Pinjarra trainer Brad Groves has five-year-old Just Ludachris in top form and the New Zealand-bred five-year-old gave a splendid frontrunning display to score an easy victory over Waikawa Bay and Pacific Black in the 2503m Clipsal Living Electrical Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Despite his recent excellent form, Just Ludachris was great value at 14/1. And he returned tote odds of better than 21/1.

Reinsman Brad Stampalia said that Just Ludachris was a “very nice horse” in front. “He runs nice sectionals and just keeps rolling,” he added.

“Really, he probably should have won a week earlier. But I didn’t get him away too good. Tonight we got away good and it was all over.”

Just Ludachris, a gelding by Washington VC, looked to be in grave danger when the 6/4 on favourite Total defiance loomed up to be second in the back straight in the final circuit. But Total Defiance was unable to make any impression on the pacemaker and faded to finish fourth at his second start after a spell.  

Just Ludachris, an all-the-way winner two starts earlier, then finished a good third behind Albert Jaccka after galloping at the start. He now has had 47 starts for ten wins and six placings for stakes of $72,310.

 UNDERTHEINFLUENCE COMES FROM LAST

Undertheinfluence, last in the middle stages, unwound a tremendous finishing burst to get up in the final stride and snatch victory by a head over Gransagenic in a four-way photo finish in the Impress Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The New South Wales-bred seven-year-old (by Panorama) was having his third outing after a spell and was backed from 14/1 to 12/1.

The gelding, trained by 27-year-old Clint Kimes, started from 20m and Mark Reed was content to let him settle at the rear while Our Langee was setting a solid pace.

Shoab started a three-wide run approaching the bell and Reed quickly moved Undertheinfluence forward to follow the chestnut. Mickie Dilinger, the 2/1 favourite, raced four wide for much of the final circuit before fading to finish last.

Gransagenic, who had raced without cover over the final two laps, got his nose in front in the final 15m, but was overhauled in the final stride to go down by a head. Our Langee was a nose away in third place, with Shoab only centimetres away in fourth place.

Undertheinfluence, owned by Diane Kimes, won once in Victoria and 13 times in New South Wales before arriving in WA where he now has won four times. His dam Steam won seven minor races in NSW from 25 starts and earned $22,880.