JUMBO OPERATOR SET FOR RICH CUP EVENTS

Jumbo Operator, the youngest, least experienced and lowest-assessed pacer in the Gannons Navy Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night, further enhanced his reputation as WA’s latest rising superstar with a superb victory in the $50,000 group 2 event.

Byford trainer Ron Huston will now set the WA-bred five-year-old for the rich feature events at the coming summer carnival, including the $250,000 Fremantle Cup and the $400,000 WA Pacing Cup.

Even though he was rising steeply in class and facing the most serious challenge in his brief, but spectacular career, Jumbo Operator was heavily supported from 6/4 to 10/9 on before starting favourite at 10/9.

Bred and owned by Lynda Huston, Jumbo Operator was produced in peak condition by her son Ron and was driven with great confidence by Shannon Suvaljko.

Jumbo Operator now boasts a remarkable record of 19 wins and three placings from only 23 starts for earnings of $225,290. He is by American stallion Armbro Operative from WA-bred mare Queen Delilah, who earned $66,421 from her ten wins and 25 placings from 67 starts.

Jumbo Operator, four days younger than his stablemate Jay Cee Ess and 41 days younger than Our Mercurio, the other five-year-olds in the Cup, started from the 10m mark. But this was, in fact, the front line because there were no runners on the front mark in the 2503m event.

Jay Cee Ess (8/1) was smartest to begin from No. 5 on the 10m line and led for the first 550m before Jumbo Operator forged to the front and set the pace from Talk To Me Courage (4/1) in the breeze, with My Sound of Thunder enjoying a perfect trail, one-out and one-back.

Has The Answers, backmarker off 50m, came from last with two laps to travel to be seventh, three wide, at the bell and was third 250m from home before wilting to finish a gallant sixth.

Jumbo Operator sprinted the final 800m in 56.6sec. and fought on grandly, under hard driving from Suvaljko to win by a neck from My Sound of Thunder, who charged home late. Talk To Me Courage was an excellent third, with Christopher Three running on to be fourth and Jay Cee Ess finishing fifth.

Jay Cee Ess was unlucky. He was blocked for a clear passage in the home straight and went to the line full of running. Jay Cee Ess was the first emergency and gained a run when Greg Bond had to scratch Ima Rocket Star, who was suffering an attack of colic.

There was an unusual sequel to the race, with Jeremy Skelton, a part-owner of Jay Cee Ess, being fined by the stewards for having made critical comments about RWWA handicapper Nathan Scott on Face Book. Skelton was fined $800, with $400 being suspended for 12 months.

 DASHER VC RUNS GRAND TRIAL FOR GOLDEN NUGGET

New Zealand-bred gelding Dasher VC emerged as a leading contender for the $175,000 Golden Nugget Championship and other feature events for four-year-olds when he gave a bold frontrunning display to win the XXXX Gold Golden Nugget Prelude at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

And Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri will also have another leading candidate for these rich events in Crombie, who finished determinedly to be third.

Dasher VC, favourite at 7/4, was smartest into stride from the No. 2 barrier and he survived some mid-race pressure from Indomitable Saab before surging away from his rivals to score comfortably by 5m from Why Live Dangerously (12/1), who trailed the pacemaker before finishing with a solid burst.

Dasher VC, owned by Paul and Tony Poli, is still relatively inexperienced, with his 13 starts producing eight wins and two placings for earnings of $50,652. After winning once from two New Zealand starts Dasher VC has performed superbly in WA and he appears certain to improve steadily with racing.

The $175,000 XXXX Gold Golden Nugget will be run on November 26. The $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship will be run the previous Friday and the $125,000 McInerney Ford Classic will be decided a week after the Nugget final.

The major news to come out of Friday night’s prelude was that outstanding young reinsman Morgan Woodley was suspended for 13 days. He was found guilty of having obliged Crown Bromac (Grant Williams) to cover extra ground soon after the start of the 2130m event.

Crombie (9/2) started from the inside of the back line, with Indomitable Saab and Cromac Johnny on his outside. Wayne Reid dashed Indomitable Saab forward at the start to follow Dasher VC and Williams quickly angled Cromac Johnny inwards to follow Indomitable Saab.

Woodley manoeuvred Crombie off the pegs, a move which forced Cromac Johnny to cover extra ground. Woodley will start his suspension immediately and will be able to drive Crombie in the all the rich four-year-old classics.

Dasher VC, a son of Washington VC, sprinted the final 800m in 56.7sec. and rated 1.56.7 over the 2130m journey.

Crombie put up a meritorious effort in finishing third. He was eighth at the bell and lost momentum when he locked wheels with David Hercules on the home turn. David Hercules also gave an encouraging display in finishing fourth at his first appearance after a spell.

He began speedily from barrier four, but was unable to wrest the early lead from Dasher VC. With Indomitable Saab working in the breeze, David Hercules raced one-out and one-back before starting a three-wide run 320m from home.

Grinjaro (5/1) raced in sixth placing in the moving line for most of the way before running home gamely, out wide, to be fifth. Cromac Johnny, a stylish winner at his four previous starts, settled in ninth position, moved to sixth (three wide) at the bell and wilted to finish tenth.

The WA four-year-olds will need to be at their top over the next month to withstand an expected powerful challenge from the New Zealand-bred Motu Crusader, a Courage Under Fire gelding who was untroubled to set the pace and sprint the final 800m in 55.1sec. and the last 400m in 27.3sec. in winning a 2100m mobile event at a 1.58 rate at the Gold Coast on Friday night.

Motu Crusader, a half-brother to star WA performer Motu Treasure, was a 3/1 on favourite and he beat Mega Alexander by just under five lengths.

Motu Treasure has had 18 starts for eight wins and six placings. He finished second to For A Reason in both the Gold Coast and Queensland Derbies last July.

 WILLIAMS TREBLE COMPLETES A WONDERFUL WEEK

Karnup horseman Grant Williams completed an outstanding week by driving three winners at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He brought up the treble when Smart Cullen, a 13/2 chance and sole backmarker off 20m, flew home from tenth at the bell to score easily from Grit and Fast Turnover in the 2503m Gannons Supporting Pacing Pace.

The 38-year-old Williams had been successful at each of his two previous drives --- with Operative Star and Elena S.

Earlier in the week he had trained four thoroughbred winners --- Ranger and Dreamaway at Pinjarra on the Sunday and Truly Special and Highest Honour at Ascot on Tuesday.

In an action-packed race on Friday night, Williams was content to keep Smart Cullen at the rear before sending him forward, five wide, with just over 250m to travel. The Christian Cullen seven-year-old sprouted wings to score in impressive fashion.

This was Smart Cullen’s seventh win from 29 starts in WA and it took his career record to 89 starts for 12 wins, 21 placings and stakes of $111,640.

Fast Turnover, favourite at 7/4, set the pace and was kept under pressure by Knot Justafireball (10/1), who zoomed forward and into the breeze 450m after the start. Change of Tact (5/1) trailed the pacemaker, Galveron (11/4) enjoyed the one-out, one-back trail and Grit (9/1) raced three back on the pegs.

Knot Justafireball led by a neck 550m from home, but Fast Turnover fought back to regain the lead to hold a one-length advantage 250m from the post. But he began to feel the pinch in the home straight when Smart Cullen charged home out wide and Grit finished strongly on the inside.

Change of Tact had no luck. After getting off the pegs 300m from home, he ran into dead-ends. Tex Bromac loomed as a danger, four wide, approaching the turn and then battled on into fourth position. Knot Justafireball faded to eighth and Galveron wilted to tenth.

Elena S, favourite at 2/1 on, gave her supporters no cause for concern as she cruised along in front to win the Royal Doulton Signature Pace from Magiclittlepartner (10/1) and 50/1 outsider Janice Franco.

Elena S, who covered the final 800m in 57.1sec. and rated 1.58.1 over the 1730m, has won at six of her first eight starts in WA and now the five-year-old mare by In The Pocket has a record of 35 starts for eight wins, 12 placings and $63,959 in stakes. 

 $8000 BARGAIN GOES BEGGING

A bargain went begging when Operative Star, advertised for sale for $8000 last Wednesday, set the pace and won the Gannons Pacing Colours Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

There were no takers and the five-year-old Armbro Operative mare earned $11,055 to boost her prizemoney to $29,710 from five wins and one second from only 15 starts.

Trained at Mt Helena by Ray Williams and driven by his son Grant, Operative Star was supported from 7/2 to 5/2 before starting second favourite at 3/1. She withstood an early challenge for the lead from Marilyn Armbro before relaxing in front and coasting to victory by one and a half lengths over Disco Sulinka, who trailed her throughout.

Machine Gun Bonnie, favourite at 6/4 after stylish victories at her three previous starts, settled at the rear from her wide draw (No. 8) and she did well to fight on with a three-wide run from ninth at the bell to finish fourth.

Operative Star had been unplaced at her three previous starts and Grant Williams said that he and his father had been concerned by her lack of consistency. “She promised a fair bit, but we just couldn’t put our finger on why she hadn’t been more consistent,” he explained.  
 
Operative Star is a half-sister to Star of Dalvey, an honest performer who has earned
$78,878 from his ten wins and 24 placings from 82 starts. Operative Star’s granddam Summer Honey produced eight winners, including star performers Sassie Brassie (17 wins, 23 placings and $88,985), Hilarion Star (26 wins, 17 placings and $398,394) and Flashing Star (23 wins, 32 placings and $352,888).

Summer Honey was a half-sister to chestnut Shelly Lee, a brilliant performer as a young pacer in the mid-1980s who went on to produce ten winners of 125 races.

 EASTWOOD FIRE RETURNS TO HIS BEST FORM

Patience shown by Forrestdale trainer Greg Bond was rewarded when chunky gelding Eastwood Fire bounced back to top form to score an impressive victory in the 2130m HMAS Stirling Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The New Zealand-bred seven-year-old has been troubled by a fore hoof problem and he was making only his 13th appearance in a race in the 16 months since he made his Australian debut.

Eastwood Fire has always shown wonderful potential and Bond has had a frustrating time in curing his badly damaged hoof.

Eastwood Fire is a noted frontrunner, but Colin Brown decided to restrain the gelding from barrier eight on Friday night and conserve his energy for a last-lap sprint.

Approaching the bell, Brown urged Eastwood Fire forward to follow a three-wide move made by Bubbles And Bling, and Eastwood Fire thundered home from ninth with a lap to travel to score by almost a length from Bubbles And Bling, with 7/4 favourite Emjayem Grand finishing a game third after working hard in the breeze.

Eastwood Fire was second favourite at 3/1, with Tuapeka Tiz at 7/2. Tuapeka Tiz was restrained from barrier nine and then had no luck. He was following the three-wide run of Eastwood Fire in the final circuit before meeting with interference and then was hampered for room over the concluding stages.

Eastwood Fire, who moves to an M4 mark, has had 62 starts for 14 wins and 12 placings for stakes of $120,803.

 AUSSIE TERROR GIVES CORTOPASSI A BIRTHDAY GIFT

Darling Downs trainer Also Cortopassi received an early birthday present when he drove Aussie Terror to a smart victory in the 6PR 882 News Talk Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Cortopassi, who will celebrate his 34th birthday on Wednesday, drove confidently to land Aussie Terror, a 4/1 chance who returned tote odds of 11/2, to victory over Alby Albert and Perfect Fantasy.

Aussie Terror raced three wide early before Cortopassi angled him inwards to gain the perfect one-out, one-back position while 20/1 chance Perfect Fantasy set the pace with 5/2 equal favourite Lombo Lumber Jack on his outside.

Cortopassi switched Aussie Terror three wide at the 600m mark and the four-year-old gelding, the youngest runner in the race, burst to the front with 520m to travel.

Aussie Terror then easily withstood a late charge from Alby Albert, who finished boldly from ninth at the bell. Perfect Fantasy fought on well to be third, ahead of 5/2 equal favourite Lord Artois, who ran on from seventh at the bell and was disadvantaged when he locked wheels with Dee Gee Norm in the final stages.

Lombo Lumber Jack met with severe interference and broke 120m from home before dropping back to tenth. Dee Gee Norm, who had trailed the pacemaker all the way, broke after receiving a bad check half-way down the home straight.

 INWOOD OVERCOMES A WORRYING TIME TO LAND A WINNER

Talented young reinsman Giles Inwood had some anxious moments before he gave a polished display to land stylish mare Parsonemby an easy winner of the www.Gannons.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Inwood was caught in a major traffic jam on the Kwinana Freeway and made several frantic telephone calls to inform the stewards of his slow progress.

The stewards gave him until 5.35pm to arrive at the course to drive outsider In the Magic Den in the opening event, due to start at 5.50. He failed to make the deadline and had to be replaced by Stephen Reed. In The Magic Den did not threaten danger and finished eighth behind Operative Star.

Inwood arrived at Gloucester Park a few minutes before the start of the first race and was able to get ready to take the drive behind Parsonemby in the second event.

The Amanda Suvaljko-trained Parsonemby started from barrier one and a raging hot favourite at 3/1 on. Inwood bounced Parsonemby straight to the lead and the seven-year-old mare had to accelerate to hold out a strong early challenge from the 4/1 second favourite Mr Clancy, who had begun fast from barrier eight.

The first quarter of the final mile was covered in a very fast 28.2sec. before Inwood was able to slacken the tempo and go through the next 400m in 31.3sec. before Parsonemby dashed over the final two sections in 29.2sec. and 28.7sec.

Parsonemby won convincingly from Mr Clancy and Full Package, who had enjoyed an ideal trail one-out and one-back. Inwood has a perfect record behind Parsonemby. His only previous drive behind the mare was at Northam in July 2009 when she was an easy winner.

Parsonemby has been a tremendous moneyspinner, earning $177,288 from her 24 wins and 24 placings from 73 starts.

 XUPAN THREE GIVES SUVALJKO A DRIVING DOUBLE

New Zealand-bred six-year-old Xupan Three, unplaced at his first three starts after resuming from a spell, returned to form when he charged home from last in the middle stages to win the McInerney Ford Fiesta Competition Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The win completed a driving double for in-form reinsman Shannon Suvaljko, who had been successful earlier in the night with Jumbo Operator in the Gannons Navy Cup.

Xupan Three, a 7/1 chance trained at Wanneroo by Debbie Padberg, started from the outside barrier (No. 8) and Suvaljko immediately restrained him back to last in the field of ten.

Bronze Icon led early before Global Glider, backed from 4/1 to 7/4, dashed to the front 550m after the start of the 2536m event. Xupan Three came from last in the middle stages to be fifth, three wide, at the bell before getting to the front 450m from home. He then had to fight on grimly to win by a nose from the fast-finishing Bronze Icon.

Xupan Three, by Mach Three, has flourished in WA under Padberg’s care and has now had 13 starts in this State for five wins and two placings. His career record stands at 50 starts for ten wins and 13 placings for prizemoney of $52,095.

 HALL JUNIOR MAKES A WINNING RETURN

Star reinsman Gary Hall jun. wasted no time in returning to the winning list when he resumed driving at Gloucester Park on Friday night after completing a six-week term of suspension.

He drove with all his normal confidence and skill to land newcomer Ohoka Georgia to an easy victory in the final event, the Gannons Trophies Pathway Pace to end a losing sequence of 16 stretching back to Mildura in September 2009.

The New Zealand-bred Ohoka Georgia, who arrived in WA last month after having 80 starts in Victoria for 15 wins and 32 placings, was produced in fine fettle by trainer Gary Hall sen.

The six-year-old Christian Cullen’s price eased from 2/1 on to evens and Hall jun. gave his backers little cause for concern, dashing Ohoka Georgia to the front 400m after the start and then rating the gelding perfectly before sprinting the final 400m in 28.5sec. to win by just over two lengths from Uncle Kracker, who fought on doggedly after racing without cover throughout.

Too Bad ran on gamely from sixth at the bell to be third.

Even though Ohoka Georgia has amassed $91,264 in prizemoney, he is still eligible to contest metropolitan maiden class events, and he should pay to follow.