BROWN PRAISES SKYE BOND’S ABILITY AS A TRAINER

Reinsman Colin Brown heaped praise on trainer Skye Bond after he had driven outstanding four-year-old Money Twitch to a decisive victory in the $17,500 RSM Bird Cameron Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Brown said that Bond, wife of top-flight trainer Greg Bond, lost nothing in comparison with her husband.

“Money Twitch is Skye’s horse,” Brown said. “She does all the work on the horse and she’s an exceptionally good trainer. She doesn’t live in Greg’s shadow. As a matter of fact I think she has overtaken him.

“When some of Greg’s horses start to go a bit ordinarily, he’s the first one to flick pass them over to her side of the stable. So this speaks wonders for her ability.”

Neither Skye nor Greg Bond was at Gloucester Park to watch Money Twitch, the 5/2 favourite, work hard in the breeze before powering away from his rivals to win by 2m from 12/1 chance Pablito, who is trained by Greg Bond.

The Bonds are enjoying a well-deserved holiday in the sun in Broome in the north of WA.

Money Twitch was bred and is owned by the Bonds in partnership with Ian Davie. The Life Sign gelding is the first foal out of Adayspay, a smart mare who had 83 starts in WA for 19 wins and 18 placings for earnings of $134,594.

Money Twitch now has had 54 starts for 18 wins and 12 placings for stakes of $149,357.

Dilinger Whitby was smartest into stride and set the early pace from Pablito. Money Twitch started from the outside barrier and settled at the rear before Brown dashed him forward with a fast three-wide burst after 450m.

Money Twitch sustained the effort and moved to the outside of the pacemaking Dilinger Whitby after about 700m. Money Twitch forged to the front on the home turn and won by 2m from the fast-finishing Pablito, with outsider Astrolabe Storm running on solidly to be third.

Argent Treasure, second favourite at 11/4, disappointed in finishing last in the field of ten after racing at the rear throughout.

Money Twitch sped over the final 800m in 56.6sec. and rated 2min. over the 2536m journey. This was his ninth win from 25 starts this season.

After the race the stewards spoke to Michael George, driver of Pablito, and asked him why he had relinquished the breeze to Money Twitch in the first lap, considering that he generally retained this position in his races.

George explained that he had been somewhat disappointed in Pablito’s effort when fifth behind Ima Rocket Star after racing without cover in a 2536m event a week earlier. The stewards said that they would speak to Bond regarding this matter when he returned to Perth from Broome.

 SKILFUL HALL BRINGS UP HIS CITY CENTURY

Star reinsman Gary Hall jun. notched his 100th city winner of the season when he drove with consummate skill and with great confidence to land 9/2 chance Coalmine Creek an easy winner in the Blind Spot For Blinds Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The New South Wales-bred Coalmine Creek ended a losing sequence of 17 when he started from the back line and raced in ninth position in the one-wide line before Hall sent him forward, three wide, approaching the bell.

The five-year-old Safely Kept gelding was always travelling like a winner. He burst to the front on the home turn and won by just over two lengths from Aussie Reactor, who followed Coalmine Creek throughout the 2536m event.

This gave Hall the second leg of a driving double. He was successful earlier in the night with Garvie Bay.

The 27-year-old Hall now has chalked up 100 winners and 97 placegetters from 387 city drives this season and he leads the premiership from 54-year-old Chris Lewis, who has driven 96 city winners and 120 placegetters.

Lewis leads the State-wide premiership with 157 winners from 769 drives. Hall is second with 128 winners from 514 drives and Colin Brown is in third place with 109 winners from 715 drives.

Coalmine Creek is trained by Gary Hall sen., who leads the city trainers’ premiership with 78 winners, 16 ahead of Ross Olivieri. With 87 winners, Hall leads the State premiership from Olivieri (81) and Andrew de Campo (58).

Coalmine Creek, a winner of two races in Victoria and two in Tasmania, has had 23 starts in WA for five wins and six placings.

 MILLWOOD MEG ON TARGET FOR TILT AT OAKS CLASSICS

It’s all systems go for star filly Millwood Meg after she had crushed her rivals in the Phoenix Beer Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The New Zealand-bred three-year-old was not extended in winning by almost two lengths from Pole Dancer and Ella Sue, rating 1.58 over 2130m after sprinting the final 800m in 57.2sec.

Her easy victory revealed that she is spot on for an ambitious Eastern States campaign which will start with the Gold Coast Oaks in Queensland later this month and include the Queensland Oaks and the Australian Oaks in Melbourne.

Millwood Meg, by Mach Three, gave reinsman Colin Brown the first leg of a treble. He also was successful with Motu Treasure and Money Twitch.

The WA Oaks winner started from the outside barrier (No. 9) and was favourite at 5/1 on. Brown sent the filly forward at the start and she ran past Pole Dancer and into the lead after 650m.

Millwood Meg then bowled along and went to the line well clear of Pole Dancer, with Ella Sue, who came from the rear with a three-wide run at the 1200m mark to race without cover, a battling third, ahead of stablemate Kamwood Girl, who had raced three back on the pegs.

Millwood Meg, raced by Greg Bond, Brad Collett, Kevin, Rob and John Gartrell, Andrew Foster, Craig Hampson and R. J. Manley, boosted her record to ten wins and six placings from 22 starts for earnings of $173,454.

 NEW ZEALAND MARES GIVE PRENTICE A DOUBLE

Boyanup trainer-reinsman Justin Prentice completed a double at Gloucester Park on Friday night when tough new Zealand-bred mare Carim Courage scored a fighting victory over Marilyn Armbro and Dreams Daughter in the 2130m Cash Converters Pace.

The 21-year-old Prentice had been successful earlier in the night with another New Zealand-bred mare, Nullabor Song, in the R. H. Trotter Fruit and Vegetables Pace.

Carim Courage, a four-year-old by Courage Under Fire, had won once from six New Zealand starts before coming to WA earlier this year.

Raced by Geoff Whistler, Robert and Gavin Thorn, Rowen and Racquel Langridge, John Wulff and Benjamin Frawley, Carim Courage has shown encouraging form in WA, with her first seven starts in Australia producing three wins and two seconds.

Carim Courage, second favourite at 4/1, started from the outside barrier and Prentice restrained her to last before he sent her forward, three wide, at the 1200m mark.

Sickle Mond led from Marilyn Armbro in the breeze, with the 5/4 on favourite Dreams Daughter racing in last position in the field of ten.

Marilyn Armbro got to the front 270m from home before Prentice sent Carim Courage past her 100m from the post. Carim Courage won by 1m from Marilyn Armbro, with Dreams Daughter a neck away in third place.

Dreams Daughter was still last with 250m to travel and was unlucky to be beaten. Tony Treasure took her five wide for her finishing effort at the 250m mark and the four-year-old unleashed a sparkling sprint.

However, Dreams Daughter lost her momentum on the point of the home turn when she was out wide and hung in, locking wheels with Machine Gun Bonnie. Without denigrating in any way the wonderful effort of Carim Courage, this mishap almost certainly cost Dreams Daughter victory.

The stewards have opened an inquiry into Treasure’s driving tactics.

Justin Prentice trains Carim Courage, while his father Kim is the trainer of Nullabor Song, a seven-year-old by Sands A Flyin.

Nullabor Song, a winner of six races from 40 starts in New Zealand, enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before she dashed to the front on the home turn and went on to win by a length from Solitary Man, who sustained a strong finish, out wide. Our Cloudy Dawn rattled home from 11th at the bell to be third.

Nullabor Song, a 7/1 chance, rated 1.58.8 over the 2130m in recording her second win from five WA starts.

 ELIZA GRACE TRACES BACK TO 1961 WA DERBY WINNER

Eliza Grace, whose heritage traces back to Bin Oro, a star pacer in WA in the 1960s, gave further proof of her ability when she gave a tough staying performance to win the Phoenix Beer Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Trained at Busselton by breeder and part-owner Barry Howlett, Eliza Grace (7/2) was driven aggressively by 19-year-old Kyle Harper and the Armbro Operative mare relished working hard outside the pacemaker Styx By Mee before forging to the front 600m from home and winning by a length from Sea Gale.

This took five-year-old Eliza Grace’s record to 28 starts for six wins and ten placings for stakes of $54,124. She is the first foal out of Eliza, who earned $14,686 from her four wins (two at Pinjarra and one at Harvey and Bunbury) from 43 starts.

Eliza is out of the Captain Hook mare Alfa Freeway, who had 82 starts for 23 wins, 20 placings and $102,636. Alfa Freeway was out of Dynamic Hope, whose dam Oro Travis produced ten winners, including Travis Frosty, Black Axworthy, Bay Axworthy, Vermilion and Travis Arania.

Oro Travis was out of Wild Oro, the dam of Bin Oro, who was trained and driven during his wonderful career by the late Alan Woodworth.

Bin Oro won the 1961 WA Derby, the 1965 State Sprint Championship (beating Mercedes and Lord Mina) and the 1967 August Cup. He also finished third behind Lord Mina and Satanas in the 1966 WA Pacing Cup and was second to Nuffield in the 1964 Winter Cup and third behind Festive Spring in the 1965 Winter Cup.

Harper is proving to be a wonderful partner for Eliza Grace. He has driven the mare six times for three wins, a second, a third and a tenth placing.

 WILLIS BREAKS THROUGH WITH GARVIE BAY

Garvie Bay, a high-priced import from New Zealand, broke through for his first Australian success when, at his fourth start in this country, he finished powerfully to beat 7/4 favourite Christopher There in the Australian Marine Complex WA Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The win gave 21-year-old Port Kennedy trainer Prue Willis her 15th success, after wins with Mister Gandolfini (seven), Tealsby Karita (three), Astra Rock (two) and Awesome Achiever and Falcons Dragon.

Noted frontrunner Our Langee gained a flying start from the stand and Gary Hall jun. was content to take the trail with Garvie Bay, second favourite at 7/2.

Christopher Three was taken forward, three wide, by Grant Williams after 450m had been covered and the favourite then raced outside the pacemaker before getting to the front 600m from home.

Gary Hall jun. made a winning move when he eased Garvie Bay off the pegs with 700m to travel, forcing Born To Groove three wide. Garvie Bay got the better of Christopher Three 50m from the post and won by 1m after covering the final 800m of the 2096m event in 58.3sec.

Garvie Bay won five times from eight New Zealand starts, but experienced a few problems after arriving in WA last year. He now looks set for further successes.

The consistent Betta Crusa (9/2) ruined his chances when he galloped badly at the stand. He did well to fight on from last at the bell into sixth place.

 MOTU TREASURE SHINES IN AUSTRALIAN DEBUT

Four-year-old In The Pocket gelding Motu Treasure made a superb Australian debut when he annihilated the opposition and scored a runaway victory in the Nexus Freight Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

A winner of six races from 19 starts in New Zealand, Motu Treasure looks set to race through the classes in WA for Forrestdale trainer Greg Bond, who races the gelding in partnership with Kevin, Rob and John Gartrell, Craig Hampson and Andrew Foster.          
      
Bond and his wife Skye are holidaying in Broome in the north of WA and the Bond team has been under the care of 21-year-old Michael George in the past week.

The win gave Colin Brown the second leg of a driving treble. His other winners were Millwood Meg and Money Twitch.

Motu Treasure is blessed with tremendous gate speed, but the gelding was beaten out from barrier seven by newcomer Ip Game of Chance, who sped out from the No. 5 barrier.

However, Brown was quite content to allow Motu Treasure (favourite at 7/4 on) to race outside the pacemaking Ip Game of Chance before he applied the pressure and sent Motu Treasure to the front with 450m to travel.

Motu Treasure then careered away from his rivals, dashing over the final 800m in 58.3sec. and scoring by four and a half lengths from 10/1 chance Aldebaran Swannee, who finished strongly from sixth at the bell. 
 
Consistent mare Parsonemby maintained her excellent form when she ran home solidly from ninth at the bell to be third.

 WAIKAWA BAY MAKES THE MOST OF GENEROUS CONCESSION

New Zealand-bred five-year-old Waikawa Bay has become the latest beneficiary of new regulations which give pacers on a M2 or better mark a handsome reassessment.

The new rules allow horses assessed M2 or better a let-up after a losing run of ten, whether or not a horse has been placed in those ten starts.

Waikawa Bay took advantage of this generous concession (dropping back from M2 company to an M1 mark) by leading all the way for Mark Reed and holding on to win the 2503m Victor Paino Family Pace by a head from Its Thegiftoflife, with Knot Justafireball a neck away in third place.

Waikaway Bay, a five-year-old by Christian Cullen and owned by Victorians Tim Bunning, Alan Pitson, David Goldberg, Chris Mullins and Trevor Tennant, had a losing run of ten (after his four previous runs in February and March had produced two wins, two placings and $26,565).

Then in his next ten starts Waikawa Bay had two seconds, a third and a fourth for earnings of $8815. Some harness racing aficionados believe that for a horse who has earned $35,380 in the space of 14 weeks and then is favourably reassessed by being downgraded in class is not perfectly fair on M1-class pacers who are struggling to break through for further wins.

Nevertheless, trainer Mike Reed produced Waikawa Bay in fine fettle and keen judges reaped handsome rewards, with the gelding returning a straight-out dividend of $14.70.

Donald Harper, who drove 33/1 chance Its Thegiftoflife into second place, courtesy of an inside passage over the concluding stages, lodged a protest against the winner, alleging interference in the run to the post.

The stewards found that Its Thegiftoflife was tightened right on the line. They dismissed the objection and also fined Mark Reed $100 for having allowed Waikawa Bay to shift outwards in the run to the line, allowing Its Thegiftoflife an inside passage.

The victory boosted Waikawa Bay’s earnings to $102,275 from his solitary New Zealand victory and his eight wins in Victoria and three wins in WA.

 LUMINOUS LOMBO PASSES THE $100,000 MARK

Beautifully-bred five-year-old Luminous Lombo took his earnings past the $100,000 mark when he scored a fighting victory in the 2130m The Professionals Cockburn Real Estate Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

After winning 12 times in Victoria, Luminous Lombo was sent to WA to be trained by Ross Olivieri for owner Paul Poli.

The Northern Lights gelding has thrived under Olivieri’s care and has won four times from seven starts for him.

Favourite at 3/1 on, Luminous Lombo was restrained by Chris Lewis from barrier eight and settled down in last position before Lewis started a forward move with 1200m to travel.

Inthe Barrack was the pacemaker, with the dour Our Slick Whitby on his outside. Luminous Lombo moved to the breeze at the 650m and eventually got to the front 120m from the post. He then fought on gamely to win by a head from Smooth Shift, who had led for the first 400m and then had trailed the pacemaker.

A further head farther back was Inthe Barrack. The final 800m was covered in 57.5sec. and Luminous Lombo rated 1.58.

Luminous Lombo was bred in WA and is the first foal out of Lombo Serene, a mare who had 50 starts for eight wins, 16 placings and stakes of $50,819. Lombo Serene won as a two-year-old at Gloucester Park in November 2001 and then won seven times in Victoria.