COOL ADDA GIVES CAPARARO ANOTHER GROUP 1 WINNER

Albany businessman Harry Capararo landed his sixth group 1 winner when 14/1 chance Cool Adda gave a splendid frontrunning performance to triumph in the $100,000 D’Orsogna Diamond Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Capararo, who bred and owns the Chill factor filly, started his run of big-race successes when Rich And Spoilt won the 1999 Pearl Classic.

And in recent years he has won group 1 events with Adda Cool Mil and Silver Tail Adda.

Adda Cool Mil won the $100,000 State Sires Series for two-year-old fillies in June 2006 after finishing third to Sheza Clout and Amongst Royalty in the Diamond Classic.

Then Silver Tail Adda won three group 1 events, the State Sires Series for two-year-old colts and geldings and the Golden Slipper in July 2007 before winning the State Sires Series for three-year-olds the following year.

Capararo, who was at home on Friday night when Morgan Woodley guided Cool Adda to an easy victory over Miss Baypoint and Prix de Whitby, is proud of his Italian heritage and includes the word Adda in the name of most of his pacers. Adda is the name of the river which flows through the northern Italian city of Sondrio.

Cool Adda is trained by Shannon Suvaljko, who offered the drive to Woodley after deciding to handle stablemate Brush With Courage in the classic event for two-year-old fillies. Brush With Courage sustained a strong three-wide burst from sixth at the bell to finish a close fourth.

Suvaljko had driven Cool Adda in all her previous eight starts, with her only win being at Kellerberrin late last month.

“I told Harry that Cool Adda could win the race,” Suvaljko said. “Obviously he didn’t take my advice and didn’t make the long trip from Albany.”

Capararo bred Cool Adda out of Coco Chanel, a mare who managed only three placings from 18 starts. Coco Chanel’s dam Orthez (by Racy Prince) managed only one win from 53 starts. However, Orthez produced nine winners, including Whitby Tolez (37 starts for 15 wins, ten placings and $200,196), Red Ochre (98 starts for 17 wins, 38 placings and $85,497) and Travelling Whitby (207 starts for 39 wins, 52 placings and $148,404).

Orthez was a half-sister to former top-flight WA pacer Palimar, who earned $306,125 from his 24 wins and 29 placings from 96 starts.

Miss Worthy Whitby, the heavily-supported 10/9 on favourite, ruined her chances when she paced roughly at the start and lost a couple of lengths. Polemarker Lucky Adda (bred and owned by Capararo) led for the first 290m before Woodley dashed Cool Adda to the front.

Rebecca Amy (bred by Capararo) raced three wide for the first 650m before moving outside the pacemaker. After Cool Adda covered the first 400m of the final mile in 29.5sec. Woodley was able to give the filly a length breather and she strolled over the next two 400m sections in 31.1sec. and 32.3sec.

Cool Adda sprinted the final 400m in 29.4sec. and won by one and a half lengths at a 2.1.2 rate to boost her earnings to $66,516. Cool Adda is a half-sister French Fashion and Mystic Arc, each of whom has won five races.

 MIGHTY HAS THE ANSWERS NOTCHES HIS 41st VICTORY

Wonder pacer Has The Answers won for the 19th time from his past 32 starts and boosted his earnings to $620,354 when he gave another powerful frontunning display to romp to a three-length victory in the $17,500 D’Orsogna Gourmet Salami Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

His emphatic victory, his 41st from 127 starts, over outsider Another One For Me and second favourite Money Twitch answered the critics who said he was incapable of winning over 2536m after he had been beaten at each of his ten previous starts over distances ranging from 2503 to 2902m.

Has The Answers, trained at Byford by Tony Svilicich and raced on lease by Svilicich and Sonya Murell, was heavily supported and started favourite at 5/4 on. He began with his usual brilliance from out wide at barrier eight and burst straight to the front.

Chris Lewis rated the seven-year-old Legacy of Power gelding perfectly, who had plenty in reserve despite some fierce mid-race pressure.

Pablito was in the breeze early before Matt White sent Nowuseeme forward and into the breeze 600m after the start. Almost immediately Money Twitch surged forward to race outside Has The Answers.

Morgan Woodley sent Luminous Lombo forward with a fast move 1500m from home and at the 1300m mark there was a line of three out in front, with Has The Answers holding sway on the inside and leading narrowly from Money Twitch and Luminous Lombo.

Has The Answers showed no signs of wilting and he charged away from his rivals as he sprinted the final 400m in 28.1sec. and rated a smart 1.57.6 over the 1536m.

 THOMAS WITH STEAM BOOSTS PROSPECTS FOR SIRES

Smart colt Thomas With Steam boosted his prospects in the $100,000 State Sires Series for three-year-old colts and geldings when he set a brisk pace and sprinted home powerfully to win the D’Orsogna Continental Meats Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driven for the first time by Colin Brown for Balingup owner-trainer Terry Purnell, the Lifes Not Fair colt carried far too many guns for his rivals in beating Hooza Clever Dan by 4m and rating 1.57.7 over the 2130m journey.

Thomas With Steam, having his second start after a spell, was a 12/1 chance and his easy win upset the fancied pair of Why Live Dangerously (evens) and Chillin Dylan (7/4), each of whom faded to finish fifth and seventh, respectively, after tough runs.

Hooza Clever Dan led for the first 200m before Brown sent Thomas With Steam to the front. Chillin Dylan (Chris Lewis) dashed forward into the breeze after 700m and Why Life Dangerously (Gary Hall jun.) was restrained to the rear from the outside barrier.

Why Live Dangerously began a three-wide move at the 1200m mark and Thomas With Steam, Chillin Dylan and Why Live Dangerously were racing three abreast, almost on terms, 500m from home.

The two fancied runners began to wilt and Thomas With Steam simply surged away from the opposition to stroll to a 4m victory. Mystic Arc, who raced three wide early and then one-out and one-back, went four wide on the home turn and finished solidly into third place.

Thomas With Steam is out of the New Zealand-bred mare Savette, who had 55 starts for 13 wins, 14 placings and stakes of $70,687. Brown drove Savette three times for a win and two seconds in November 1992. Those seconds were behind Porsche Gold in the McInerney Ford Classic and behind Hilarion Star in the Howard Porter Memorial.

On Friday night, Brown replaced Purnell, who was in the sulky when Thomas With Steam raced without cover and finished a good third behind Robbery in a heat of the Sires at Pinjarra the previous Monday. The Sires final will be run at Gloucester Park on Tuesday July 9.

 LOMBOS SPARKLE FOR OLIVIERI

Beautifully-bred pacers Tsunami Lombo and Ima Spicey Lombo overcome difficulties to score decisive victories and give Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri a double at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

After successful careers in Victoria, both pacers, owned by Mick Lombardo, arrived in WA late last month and were produced in tip-top shape by the astute Olivieri.

They were driven with the utmost confidence by Chris Lewis, who sandwiched a win by Has The Answers in between their successes.

Tsunami Lombo had a tough run outside the speedy pacemaker Omegarama before he forged to the front 300m from home and beat the gallant Omegarama by two lengths in the D’Orsogna Delicious Antipasto Pace, rating 1.57.9 over 2130m, with the final 800m being covered in 57.6sec.

Tsunami Lombo, a big five-year-old gelding by Jennas Beach Boy, was heavily backed and started at 10/9 on. The win, his tenth from only 36 starts, took him to an M2 mark and he looks set for a bright career in the west.

He is out of former star mare Tailamade Lombo, who had 110 starts for 49 wins, 25 placings and stakes of $1,354,978. He was unplaced at his first three starts in WA in November 2006 before being sent to Victoria.

Ima Spicey Lombo, a four-year-old mare by Pacific Fella out of Sexy Lexy Whitby (a daughter of former champion Whitbys Miss Penny), gave a tremendous performance to win the D’Orsogna Premium Bacon Pace over 2130m.

Favourite at 7/4 on, Ima Spicey Lombo started from the No. 7 barrier and looked in serious trouble in the first lap when she raced three wide behind Marilyn Armbro while the 9/4 second favourite Parsonemby dashed to the front from Go Figure after 250m.

Marilyn Armbro was unable to make any impression on the leaders and after 700m Ashley Ainsworth began to ease the mare, carrying Ima Spicey Lombo back in the field. Lewis eventually was able to dash Ima Spicey Lombo forward, three wide, into the breeze with 900m to travel.

Ima Spicey Lombo showed no ill-effects of her tough passage and she forged to the front on the home turn and won by a length and a half from Nullabor Song and Chica Bonita, each of whom unwound powerful finishing bursts.

Ima Spicey Lombo, winner of the Queensland Oaks last year, now has earned $210,456 from her 17 wins and six placings from only 40 starts.

 HAPPY MEMORIES FOR BUTTERWORTH AND THORNTON

Happy memories were revived at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Shane Butterworth drove 7/1 chance Back Alley Boy to victory for Narrogin breeder-owner-trainer Neville Thornton in The West Australian Pace.

Thornton bred Back Alley Boy (by Magic Fella) out of his mare Eclipse Hanover, who was driven by Butterworth when she won the $75,000 State Sires Series final for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park in 1994.

Butterworth drove Eclipse Hanover to her first three wins. She also won at Bridgetown and Bunbury in 1997 before being retired to the breeding barn.

Back Alley Boy now has earned $70,691 from his 13 wins and 19 placings from 58 starts.

Back Alley Boy was smartest into stride from the No. 1 barrier and the 41-year-old Butterworth rated him perfectly before guiding him home with 2m to spare from 7/4 favourite Awesome Achiever, with Bubbles And Bling 1m away in third place.

Awesome Achiever, who started from the back line, dashed forward 400m after the start and was forced four wide for a short while when Justin Prentice pulled Bubbles And Bling out three wide to go forward.

Awesome Achiever then moved into the breeze 700m after the start, but he made no serious impression on Back Alley Boy in the final circuit.

Thornton’s previous city-class success as a breeder, owner and trainer was when Morgan Woodley drove Dollars Go to victory at Gloucester Park last January.

 UNDERTHEINFLUENCE GETS HOME IN A THRILLER

Less than two lengths separated all eight runners at the finish of the D’Orsogna Classic WA Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Mark Reed brought 16/1 chance Undertheinfluence home with a sparkling late burst.

Undertheinfluence, who started from 10m and was seventh at the bell, charged home, five wide, to win from Our Gent (10/1) and Conte Centovalli (2/1). The 6/4 favourite Me Ole Mate Lombo and Mach Ruler (6/1) dead-heated for fourth.

The winner, a seven-year-old gelding by American stallion Panorama, is owned by Diane Kimes and is trained by her 27-year-old son Clinton.

Kimes drove Undertheinfluence at his previous start when he began from 50m, worked his way to the front in the middle stages and won over 2500m at Kellerberrin 12 days earlier. But the gelding was generally unwanted by punters, his tote price easing from $12 to $17.40.

Smooth Shift charged to an early lead before Me Ole Mate Lombo assumed control after 420m had been covered. Conte Centovalli settled in seventh position before Adam Mellsop sent him forward into the breeze with 1580m to travel.

Conte Centovalli got his nose in front 600m from home before Our Gent took a narrow lead with 200m to travel. But he was unable to hold out the fast-finishing Undertheinfluence, who now has won six times for Kimes from his 41 WA starts. 

 MEVAGISSEY MAKES THE MOST OF LET-UPS

Veteran pacer Mevagissey is the latest beneficiary of the controversial new rules which give horses assessed M2 or better a let-up after each sequence of ten unplaced runs.

The nine-year-old Beach Towel gelding was an M3-class pacer at the start of the year before he received two let-ups to drop back to the much easier M1-class company.

He went into Friday night’s D’Orsogna Premium Hams Pace as an M1-assessed pacer and with a losing sequence of 21. He had kept the pot boiling in that losing run by earning $10,089 from three seconds and a couple of fourths.

Rank and file punters took little notice of the wonderful advantage given to Mevagissey and his tote price eased from 5/1 to 14/1.

Mevagissey, trained at Hazelmere by Mike Reed, was driven by Reed’s 26-year-old son Stephen and the gelding looked to be hopelessly hemmed in during the final circuit when he was three back on the pegs in seventh position with outsider Riffle Dragon setting the pace with 5/2 chance Solitary man in the breeze.

Via Trastevere was trailing Riffle Dragon and Mark Reed eased the gelding off the pegs just after the field had turned for home. Via Trastavere finished determinedly, out three wide, and Mevagissey, who had been able to get through on the pegs into the spot vacated by Via Trastevere, sprinted fast along the inside to get up and snatch victory from Solitary Man and Via Trastevere.

Mevagissey, who has had 130 starts for 16 wins, 25 placings and earnings of $163,581, is a half-brother to top-class pacer performer Dartmoor, who is now racing in Queensland. Dartmoor, a winner of $294,085 from his 18 wins and 20 placings from 83 starts, enjoyed his moment in the sun when he won the group 1 Australian Pacing Championship from No Blue Manna and Hayton Brain in March 2008.

 BROWN MAKES THE WRONG CHOICE AS ASSERT TRIUMPHS

Ace reinsman Colin Brown made the wrong decision when he chose to drive Gransagenic in preference to Assert in the Premier Motors Suzuki Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Brown was on good terms with himself when Gransagenic swept to the front with 80m to travel. But Assert, driven by Nathan Turvey, flashed home to get up and beat Gransagenic by 1m.

Assert, a Victorian-bred six-year-old by Artiscape, led for the first 200m and then trailed the pacemaker Rinzetsu. Assert, who had been driven by Brown into third place at his two previous starts, was a 13/1 chance on the tote, with Gransagenic favourite at 9/4.

Assert, who is trained at Forrestdale by Jarrad Humphries, now has won at four of his 48 WA starts after winning once in Victoria and eight times in South Australia. Assert, whose previous win was at Northam last October, covered the final 800m in 58sec. and rated 2.4 over the 2503m stand.

Backmarker off 20m Flying Nemo was sent forward early by Morgan Woodley and raced one-out and one-back for much of the way, fought on well into third place.

Blissful Snag put in an excellent performance to finish fifth after galloping badly at the start and settling down a distant last in the field of 12. Its Thegiftoflife was an unlucky seventh, being hopelessly blocked for a clear run in the home straight.

 TAI TARA GIVES THE HALLS A WELCOME BREAK

Lightly-raced five-year-old Tai Tara gave trainer Gary Hall sen. and reinsman Gary Hall jun. a welcome change of luck when he finished boldly to win the D’Orsogna Brothers Claiming Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Hall-trained and driven pacers had let their backers down in the opening two events before the breakthrough came with Tai Tara in the third event.

Awesome Achiever had had a tough run before finishing second to Back Alley Boy and Why Live Dangerously also worked hard before fading to fifth behind Thomas With Steam.

The New Zealand-bred Tai Tara, owned by Roy Tierney and David Muir, began speedily, but was unable to wrest the early lead from Jimmy Kelly. Hall jun. then was content to settle Tai Tara (11/4) in sixth place in the one-wide line.

Hall switched Tai Tara three wide with 250m to travel and the Mach Three gelding went four wide on the turn and sprinted home strongly to hit the front 75m from the post and win by just over a length from the 9/4 favourite Touch Me Toes, who had raced on the outside of the leader Jimmy Kelly for much of the journey before getting to the front in the home straight.

Tai Tara now has a splendid record of 32 starts for ten wins and nine placings for stakes of $69,019.