HAS THE ANSWERS BEATS IM THEMIGHTYQUINN

Iron horse Has The Answers relished the rain-sodden track and gave another superb frontrunning display to win the $35,000 Bundaberg Red Winter Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He took full advantage of a dramatic start to the 2536m event when his poorly-performed stablemate The Final Word galloped as the mobile barrier sent the field on its way.

The Final Word, a 111/1 tote outsider, started from barrier two and the 10/9 on favourite Im Themightyquinn, from the No. 2 barrier on the back line, met with severe interference when the eight-year-old galloped immediately in front of him.

Im Themightyquinn lost about seven lengths and settled down well back in ninth position. He was tenth at the bell before Gary Hall jun. urged him forward with a powerful three-wide burst on the heavy track 650m from home.

Im Themightyquinn responded magnificently to the challenge and surged home to finish an extremely unlucky second, just 2m behind the winner. The final two 400m sections whizzed by in 28.5sec. and 28.1sec., with Im Themightyquinn sprinting the final 800m in under 56sec.

Has The Answers, trained at Byford by veteran Tony Svilicich, was a worthy winner and the WA-bred son of Legacy of Power now boasts a marvellous record of 131 starts for 42 wins and 40 placings for stakes of $649,309.

Svilicich, who races the gelding on lease from breeder Les Coulson in partnership with Sonya Murrell, deserves the highest praise for keeping the pacer in top form week after week. Has The Answers has thrived on a heavy racing program which has seen him contest 41 races this season for 20 wins, seven seconds and five thirds.

Ima Rocket Star warmed up for his trip to Sydney to contest the lead-up events for the rich Chariots of Fire in fine style. He started from the inside of the back line and Colin Brown quickly had him off the pegs and into the breeze before a lap had been completed.

Chris Lewis stole a march on his rivals when he was able to ease Has The Answers in the lead and stroll through the first 400m of the final mile in a leisurely 32.3sec.

Ima Rocket Star fought on doggedly to be third, only a head behind Im Themightyquinn, whose stablemate Alzona was an unlucky fourth.

Alzona (Kim Prentice) trailed Has The Answers throughout and was unable to gain a clear passage in the run down the home straight. Rocket Reign (Shannon Suvaljko), the third of leading trainer Hall Hall senior’s three runners, was also hampered for room in the final stages and finished fifth.

Has The Answers gave Lewis his third success in the Winter Cup after the 54-year-old reinsman had won the event with Village Kid in 1991 and Pocket Power in 2001.

 McGINTYSGOAT GIVES OLIVIERI HIS CENTURY

Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri brought up his one hundredth winner of the season when Chris Lewis drove the consistent McGintysgoat to an all-the-way victory in the Bundaberg Bare Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

McGintysgoat was Olivieri’s only winner from four starters at the meeting and he ended the night a close second behind Gary Hall sen. in the race to win the award as the State’s leading trainer. Olivieri’s tally was 100 winners and 104 placegetters from 410 starters. Hall’s record for the season stood at 491 starters for 102 winners and 185 placegetters.

McGintysgoat, bred in South Australia by Greg and Carol Lutze and raced by them in partnership with Douglas Webster, was favourite at 5/2 on and he gave his supporters few worries.

A stylish high-stepper, he led from the No. 1 barrier and crossed the finish line with a half-length to spare over Reddas Last, who fought on solidly after trailing the pacemaker throughout.

This was McGintysgoat’s third win from five WA starts after winning three races in Victoria and 13 times in South Australia. He has also been placed 26 times and his earnings now stand at $80,604.

McGintysgoat is by American stallion Fully Loaded out of the New Zealand-bred mare Leica Franco, who won two races, at Gawler and Mildura in August 1996.

Leica Franco is the dam of Urjokin (78 starts for 25 wins, 24 placings and $119,264) and Angel In Flight (124 starts for 11 wins, 27 placings and $60,778). Urjokin was driven by Lewis when he won at his WA debut, beating Jaydee Barton by a nose at Harvey on Australia Day in 2008.

 HUMPHRIES LANDS LONG-PRICED DOUBLE

Forrestdale trainer Jarrad Humphries landed a long-priced double at Gloucester Park on Friday night when New Zealand-bred geldings Glacier Star and Im Light Hearted scored narrow victories.

Glacier Star was a 52/1 tote outsider when Callan Suvaljko led from the No. 1 barrier in the Bundaberg Fine Form Pace, a 2503m stand, before handing up to Our Gent after 620m and then trailing that pacer.

Suvaljko was able to ease Glacier Star off the pegs approaching the home turn when the 10/9 on favourite Our Mercurio began to drop back in the breeze. Glacier Star shot to the front 80m from the post and scored by 1m from the fast-finishing Undertheinfluence, with Smooth Shift an unlucky third.

Our Mercurio, who started from 20m, last in last place after a lap before Colin Brown sent him forward with 1450m to travel. The four-year-old moved to third, three wide at the bell, before challenging Out Gent in the back straight. But he died on his run.

Smooth Shift settled down in the one-out, one-back position, but was quickly shuffled back to the rear. He was tenth at the bell and then sustained a powerful burst, out wide, to finish third.

Glacier Star, by Christian Cullen, won three times from 33 starts in New Zealand and now has had 25 starts in WA for Busselton owner Craig Lynn for five wins and six placings. Humphries is confident the six-year-old will continue to improve and win more races.

Im Light Hearted, a five-year-old by Courage Under Fire, started at just better than 10/1 on the tote in the Bundaberg Red, a Red Gum Filtered Pace, and he ended a losing sequence of ten when he charged home to beat Dellas Jack by 1m, with Nesian Mystic running on into third place.

Im Light Hearted enjoyed an ideal passage in sixth place in the one-wide line before Colin Brown started a three-wide move 850m from home. Im Light Hearted sustained his solid burst and went five wide on the home bend before hitting the front in the final 80m.

Polemarker Mighty Shard, the heavily-supported favourite at 10/9 on, lacked early sparkle from behind the mobile and was hopelessly blocked for a clear passage in the final stages after trailing the pacemaker My Pocket Rocket.

 LOMBO NAVIGATOR LOOKS A GOLDEN NUGGET HOPE

Million To One colt Lombo Navigator is developing into a leading candidate for the rich Golden Nugget Classic next season.

He maintained his splendid form with a commanding victory in the Bundaberg Real Smooth Rum Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Trained at Capel by Andrew de Campo for owners Alec, Glen, Matthew and Jason Chapman, Lombo Navigator has been most impressive in winning at 11 of his 21 starts for earnings of just over $90,000.

Lombo Navigator, favourite at 5/2 on, started from the outside barrier (No. 9) and was restrained to last position before Matt White urged him forward, three wide, after 650m. Lombo Navigator moved outside the pacemaker Barn Burster with 1500m to travel and remained in the breeze before he forged to the front on the home turn and dashed away to score by 7m from Barn Burster.

Donovan Bromac, having his second start after a spell for trainer Gary Hall sen., enjoyed a good trip, one-out and one-back, before battling on into third place. Waiwera South caught the eye, running home solidly from last at the bell to finish sixth.

 SCOTT HAS A GOOD EARNER IN SUINSETS WEST

Five-year-old mare Sunsets West is proving a wonderful moneyspinner for 51-year-old Bunbury breeder-owner Geoffrey Scott.

She boosted her earnings to $80,961 when Morgan Woodley drove her to victory in the Bundaberg Dry and Lime Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Her narrow victory at 4/1 over 3/1 favourite Me Ole Mate Lombo improved her record to 58 starts for seven wins and 18 placings.

Sunsets West, produced in fine fettle by Wanneroo trainer Colin Cummins, began speedily from the No. 1 barrier and led for the first 600m before Me Ole Mate Lombo surged to the front after racing three wide for the first 400m.

Me Ole Mate Lombo shifted out under pressure in the home straight and Woodley seized the opportunity to send Sunsets West through on the inside to hit the front with about 15m to travel. She dashed over the final 800m in 59.2sec. and rated 1.58.7 over the 1730m sprint.

Mister Odds On ended a sequence of 11 unplaced efforts by running home gamely from seventh at the bell to be a head behind Me Ole Mate Lombo in third place. Spunky Monkey finished solidly to be a close fourth.   

Sunsets West, by Pacific Fella, is out of Victorian-bred mare Midnight Moves, a winner of two minor races in South Australia from nine starts.

Sunsets West’s half-sister Go Figure has had 79 starts for seven wins, 16 placings and stakes of $36,067 and her nine-year-old half-brother Oscar Dela Fighter is still racing in Queensland where he has had 119 starts for 11 wins, 29 placings and $53,473.

 MAGICLITTLEPARTNER TOO SMART FOR THE FAVOURITE

Victorian-bred mare Magiclittlepartner, a classic winner as a two-year-old, continues to impress for Hazelmere trainer Sarah Dacey and she notched her ninth win from only 33 starts when she sustained a powerful finishing burst to score an easy victory in the Bundaberg Rum and Cola Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

A 10/1 chance and driven with great confidence by 19-year-old  Kyle Harper, the four-year-old Village Jasper mare charged home from ninth at the bell to hit the front with 250m to travel. She went on to win by two and a half lengths from 3/1 favourite Gross Misconduct.

Copper Beach Girl began with her usual alacrity from barrier five and took up the running from Sickle Mond after 150m had been covered. Gross Misconduct settled in ninth position before Gary Hall jun sent her forward after 500m.

Gross Misconduct worked hard before getting to the front with a lap to travel, but she was no match for Magiclittlepartner over the final stages. Tuahiwi Wild Girl and Nullabor Song ran home gamely to finish third and fourth, respectively.

Last-start all-the-way winner Parsonemby began fast from the back line and challenged unsuccessfully for the lead after a lap had been covered. She battled on into fifth place.

Magiclittlepartner had four starts in Victoria as a two-year-old for three wins, including a $25,000 classic event at Shepparton. She is out of Gaviston, a mare who produced six winners, including tough performer No Damage, who had 294 starts for 46 wins, 94 placings and stakes of $240,428.

 HALF-BROTHERS GIVE FYFE A QUINELLA RESULT

Sixty-seven-year-old Wanneroo trainer Bob Fyfe had the distinction of landing the quinella with trotters Keepyaguardup and Jack The Capricorn in the Gannons Pacing Colous Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

And in another unusual occurrence, the stablemates are half-brothers. They are out of New Zealand-bred mare Jo Franco.

Keepyaguardup, bred in New Zealand by Jan Calvert, won four times from 52 starts in New Zealand before being sent to continue his career in Victoria where he had six starts this year for one win (at Cobram in May) and four placings.

Calvert then sent Keepyaguardup to Fyfe’s training establishment and he was a solidly-supported 5/4 favourite at his WA debut on Friday night.

Keepyaguardup galloped from the No. 1 barrier in the 2902m stand, but Colin Brown quickly had him in a trot and he lost only two lengths.

Humphreys Mate set the pace, with smart mare My Missindependent in the breeze and Keepyaguardup in seventh position in the one-wide line.

Brown sent Keepyaguardup forward, three wide, 1100m from home and the six-year-old sustained a long, strong burst to hit the front on the home turn and won by 5m from Humphreys Mate. But Humphreys Mate galloped down the home straight and was disqualified by the stewards. Jack The Capricorn, the backmarker off 30m, had finished strongly from tenth at the bell to be third and he was elevated to second place after the disqualification of Humphreys Mate.

 MATTNAMARAS BAND APPRECIATES A LET-UP

Five-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding Mattnamaras Band has become the latest in a growing list of pacers to benefit from the new regulation which decrees that horses on a M2 or better mark drop down a grade after a losing run of ten.

Mattnamaras Band, with a losing sequence of 11, appreciated a drop from M2-class company to an M1-only class event, the Bundaberg Rum and Cola Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The Prue Willis-trained gelding was ideally drawn at barrier one and he started a firm favourite at even money.

Gary Hall jun. got him away well and Mattnamaras Band revelled in his pacemaking role to win by 2m from Haagen Das, who sat behind the leader before getting out late and finishing fast.   

Blissful Snag, who raced three back on the pegs, ran home solidly on the inside to snatch third place from the consistent Omegarama.

Mattnamaras Band, a winner at six of his 35 starts in New Zealand, now has had 14 starts in WA for three wins and three placings.

Pancho Maguire, a stylish winner at his three previous outings, started from the outside barrier and after settling in last position did not get into the race and finished in 11th place.

 HUSTON AND SUVALJKO STRIKE AGAIN

The successful combination of Byford trainer Ron Huston and reinsman Shannon Suvaljko continued on their winning way when Snowballs A Flyin proved too strong for his rivals in the Bundaberg Bear Claiming Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The six-year-old Sands A Flyin gelding started favourite at 5/4 and Suvaljko sent him past All In Teck and to the lead 300m after the start.

Snowballs A Flyin sped over the third 400m section of the final mile in 28.7sec. and he covered the final section in 29.7sec. to hold off Tai Tara, who finished determinedly from fourth at the bell.

Snowballs A Flyin, a winner of seven races from his first 61 starts, has now won at three of his past six starts and should continue to be prominent in claiming events.
All In Teck, a ten-year-old, enjoyed the trail behind Snowballs A Flyin and fought on to finish third to take his record to 21 wins and 49 placings from 249 starts.

Tai Tara, trained by Gary Hall sen., was claimed for $10,000 from Greg Dick, a member of the syndicate which claimed the promising Inthe Barrack a couple of months ago. Tai Tara will now be prepared by Matt Scott.