ARTEMIS BELLE, AN $8000 YEARLING, IS A WONDERFUL BARGAIN

Artemis Belle stamped herself as the State’s best two-year-old filly when she set the pace and crushed her rivals in the $35,000 Alabar Gold Bracelet at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

And she is also proving to be a tremendous bargain for 68-year-old Collie breeder John Bell, who purchased the filly for $8000 at the 2009 Gloucester Standardbred yearling sale. Her five-length victory over As Happy As boosted her earnings to $111,199 from her four wins and two placings from only six starts.

Bell’s son Adrian recalled how he and his father travelled to the 2009 sale on the lookout for a filly who could develop into a good broodmare.

“We went to the sale to buy a filly to breed from,” he said. “We wanted to buy a filly within our budget who would improve our current bloodlines, and we thought that if she could run it would be a bonus.

“And she’s shown that she can run a bit and this has given us great optimism and excitement about what she may be able to produce when she finally goes to stud.”

Bell praised Darling Downs trainer-reinsman Aldo Cortopassi for the professional manner in which he has prepared and managed the filly. He also paid a glowing tribute to Dave Hunter, who broke in and educated Artemis Belle.

Artemis Belle, bred by Neven Botica, is by American stallion Artiscape and is the first foal out of the unraced Badlands Hanover mare Lovera.

The group three Gold Bracelet is the second classic won by Artemis Belle, who also drew barrier one when she set the pace and won the WA Sales Classic by two lengths from Mazeltov in late April.

Artemis Belle, the 6/4 on favourite, was never in danger of defeat after winning the start and dictating terms. Second favourite Arma Xceptional settled in sixth position before Shannon Suvaljko dashed her forward, three wide, after 550m to race without cover over the final 1400m.

Ama Xceptional battled on gamely and was deprived of second place by As Happy As, who started from the inside of the second line and trailed the pacemaker throughout.

Artemis Belle, who sprinted the final 800m in 58.5sec., rated 2/1 over the 2130m journey.

 ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING RUN BY HAS THE ANSWERS

A rain-soaked track at Gloucester Park on Friday night failed to dull the brilliance of Has The Answers, who gave yet another dazzling performance to score a runaway victory in the $20,500 Sutter Hanover Stakes in track record time.

Prepared at Byford by Tony Svilicich and driven with the utmost confidence by Chris Lewis, the indefatigable seven-year-old burst straight to the front from barrier seven and coasted through the first two 400m sections of the final mile in 29.5sec. and 29.3sec. before scorching over the final 800m in 56sec., with the final 400m taking 27.3sec.

His mile rate of 1.54 smashed the 1730m track record of 1.54.2 set by Our Malabar when he finished powerfully to win the Celebrity Sprint from Talk To Me Courage and Has The Answers last December.

Has The Answers also set the track record for 2130m when he set the pace and won by three lengths from Total Defiance eight starts earlier, on May 28.

The pacing marvel now has had 132 starts for 43 wins, 40 placings and stakes of $663,044 and he is showing no signs of needing a spell, even though he has raced 42 times this season for 21 victories.

Favourite at 5/1 on, Has The Answers began with usual brilliance from barrier seven and was untroubled to charge past the six runners on his inside. Grant Williams cleverly manoeuvred Tuapeka Tiz to the pegs behind Has The Answers and the six-year-old fought on gamely to be second, 13m behind Has The Answers.

Nowuseeme, three wide early and then enjoying the one-out, one-back position, was 18m behind Tuapeka Tiz in third place.

Advance Attack, former champion Courage Under Fire’s full-brother, was second favourite at 8/1 at his West Australian debut for leading trainer Gary Hall sen.

Gary Hall jun. sent Advance Attack forward in the early stages and the eight-year-old worked hard outside the pacemaker before wilting to finish ninth.

Star five-year-old Mysta Magical Mach, resuming after an injury-enforced nine-month absence, started from the back line and raced at the rear before finishing last.

 OHOKAS BONDY LOOMS AS MAJOR GOLDEN SLIPPER HOPE

New Zealand-bred two-year-old Ohokas Bondy staked his claims for the $125,000 Golden Slipper Stakes next Friday night when he gave a dashing display at his Gloucester Park debut on Friday night to score an easy victory in the Art Major Stakes.

The stylish victory gave 21-year-old Michael George the first leg of a driving double. His only other drive at the meeting was behind Mister Odds On, who bounced back to top form with an easy win in the Santanna Blue Chip Pace.
Ohokas Bondy, owned by New Zealanders Katie and Dave Carville and Fran and Glen Stapley in partnership with Forrestdale trainers Skye and Greg Bond, has had two starts in WA for Greg Bond for runaway victories.

Ohokas Bondy won by 22m at Narrogin at his Australian debut earlier this month and his winning margin over Who Thru Teddy on Friday night was 14.5m when he began with great dash from the No. 5 barrier to charge to the front 250m after the start.

He left his rivals in his wake as he exploded over the final 400m in 27.9sec. and he rated 1.59.5 over the 2130m journey. Who Thru Teddy came from fifth place on the pegs to take second place ahead of outsider Scallys Gold, who trailed the leader throughout.

Ohokas Bondy, by Bettors Delight and placed four times from ten New Zealand starts, has been most impressive at his first two WA starts and certainly looms as a major rival to Go West U Terror in the Golden Slipper.

Mister Odds On, who is also by Bettors Delight and is prepared by Skye Bond, went into the Santanna Blue Chip Pace with a losing sequence of 17. An M4-class pacer after notching his 14th win last winter, he came into Friday night’s M1 and better stand event on good terms against his rivals.

His classification had been downgraded to M3 after a losing run of ten (under new national rules) and George, as a junior reinsman, was able to claim a further 10m which enabled the five-year-old, who went into the race with handsome earnings of $196,521, to race as an M2-class pacer, off the 10m mark.

Yet despite his close third to Sunsets West and Me Ole Mate Lombo the previous week and his advantageous handicap, many punters disregarded him and he went out a comparative outsider at 21/1.

George got Mister Odds On away smartly and sent the gelding forward, three wide, to quickly move outside the pacemaker Smooth Shift (3/1). Mister Odds On worked hard in the breeze until he forged to the front 400m from home and raced away to win easily from Cone Centovalli, who finished powerfully from last at the bell.

Pandemic, who started a three-wide move 1200m from home, battled on grandly into third place, with Smooth Shift a wilting fourth. The heavily-supported 6/4 favourite Pancho Maguire fought on, out wide, to finish sixth.

 LASER EDGE GIVES HALL ANOTHER FIRST-UP SUCCESS

Leading trainer Gary Hall sen. maintained his remarkable first-up success rate with eastern states pacers when five-year-old Laser Edge, with a Victorian losing sequence of ten, scored an impressive victory in the Jeremes Jet Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

But the gelding’s three-and-a-half-length win over Supreme Courage surprised many of Hall’s ardent followers. Hall had two runners in the event, and the other, V O Two, also was making his WA debut, after being unplaced at his five previous starts in Victoria.

Gary Hall jun. elected to drive V O Two, with the drive behind Laser Edge going to Grant Williams. Punters rallied to support V O Two and he started a hot favourite at 10/9, with Laser Edge at 13/2.

Polemarker Falcons Medley (8/1) set the pace and Laser Edge raced without cover until 470m from home when he dashed clear of his rivals and went on to score in impressive fashion, rating 1.58.3 over the 2130m. Supreme Courage ran home strongly from last at the bell.

V O Two raced in sixth place with a trail before starting a three-wide move 900m from home. He battled on doggedly into third place, three lengths from the winner.  
  
Laser Edge has earned $75,179 from his 12 wins and 16 placings from 64 starts.

He is out of New Arrival, who had 52 starts in Queensland for 22 wins and 19 placings for stakes of $72,272. New Arrival produced nine winners, including La Speranza (53 starts for 18 wins, 16 placings and $155,828) and the brilliant It Is I, who earned $208,575 from his 24 starts which produced 19 wins and four placings.

It Is I won at each of his first nine starts in Victoria before finishing third behind The Sentry in the 2004 Victoria Derby at Moonee Valley. In November the following year he won the Legends Mile at Moonee Valley, beating Sokyola, before finishing fourth behind Be Good Johnny in the Miracle Mile at Harold Park.

 COLLIE-TRAINED DELLAS JACK LEADS ALL THE WAY

Collie-trained pacer Dellas Jack has improved every time he has been brought to Perth to race at Gloucester Park.

His first city appearance was on July 15, 2008, when he finished third, a length behind Smooth Shift, and at his second Gloucester Park start, last Friday week, he rattled home from tenth at the bell to finish a close second to Im Light Hearted.

And then at his third appearance at Gloucester Park, he gave a bold frontrunning display to win by a head from Nesian Mystic on Friday night, rating a slick 1.57.2 over 1730m. He was capably handled by Shane Butterworth, who had driven the Crouch five-year-old at each of his previous Gloucester Park starts, also over 1730m.

Butterworth had driven Dellas Jack to all his previous six wins --- four at Narrogin and one each at Pinjarra and Bunbury. The gelding is trained by Dennis Morton for owners Peter Lindley, of Spearwood, and Chris Ransome, of Collie.

Dellas Jack was favourite at 2/1 and he just held off the fast-finishing 3/1 second favourite Nesian Mystic, who finished determinedly after trailing the pacemaker throughout. Nat Serling was trapped wide for much of the way and faded from fourth at the bell to sixth.

Reddas Last sustained a three-wide run from seventh at the bell to loom as a serious threat 400m from home, but he wilted in the final stages to finish fourth.

 COURAGEOUS NED SEALS VICTORY AT THE START

Five-year-old Courageous Ned, who is related to Bin Oro, an Alan Woodworth-trained star of the 1960s and an interdominion performer, maintained his consistent form when he set the pace and held on to win the Gotta Go Cullect Pace in a three-way photo finish at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Courageous Ned (4/1) took full advantage of his No. 1 barrier on the front line in the 2096m stand when the only other frontmarkers, Whitbys Beach and Pacific Idol lost ground at the start.

Whitbys Beach galloped badly and Pacific Idol slewed sideways at the start. Kim Young, driving Courageous Ned for his twin Shane, seized the opportunity to gain an advantage over his rivals by dashing Courageous Ned away to a lead of five lengths in the early stages.

After Young was able to coast through the first two sections of the final mile with Courageous Ned in 32.2sec. and 32.6sec., the gelding increased the tempo and covered the final two 400m sections in 28.8sec. and 29.3sec.

Pacific Black, off 10m, was the first to give chase and he worked hard in the breeze before finishing determinedly to dead-heat for second with Secret Interlude, who ran on from seventh at the bell. The winning margin was a head.

Courageous Ned is trained at Pinjarra by Shane Young, who drove without success at Bunbury on Friday night. The Life Sign gelding has been a splendid moneyspinner and he now has earned $132,838 from his 14 wins and 27 placings from 72 starts.

Shane Young has driven Courageous Ned 68 times, while Kim Young has driven the gelding only four times for two wins, a third and a sixth placing. 

Out of Alfa Courageous, Courageous Ned is a half-brother to Roadless Travelled, who had 94 starts for 22 wins, 26 placings and $183,666. Alfa Courageous, a winner of four races, is out of Travis Arania, who produced six winners, including Scanio (114 starts for 22 wins, 29 placings and $208,495).

Travis Arania’s dam Oro Travis produced ten winners and her dam Wild Oro was the mother of Bin Oro.

 DIAL A TAXI CAUSES AN UPSET

Dial A Taxi, unplaced at her seven previous starts, caused an upset when she charged home from last at the bell to win the Tiz A Masterpiece Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driven by her trainer Shannon Suvaljko, Dial A Taxi was the rank outsider in the field of eight mares, paying $24.60 straight out on the tote.

Dial A Taxi lacked early speed from the No. 4 barrier and settled at the rear while newcomer The Rocket Band set the early pace before Jade Bromac, the 10/9 on favourite, dashed to the front after 350m.

Jade Bromac led from Delight In Decree in the breeze and looked a certain winner. However, she struck herself and began to hang out when in front half-way down the back straight in the final circuit.

Gary Hall jun. took advantage of this predicament and dashed Delight In Decree to the front 450m from home. But Delight In Decree began to wilt in the home straight and Dial A Taxi sprinted home in good style to burst to the front in the final 25m.

Jade Bromac went across the line full of running, but was unable to secure a clear passage. Sickle Mond fought on from the one-out, one-back position to finish second, with Delight In Decree fading to third.

Dial A Taxi, by Saab from Dial A Light, has a record of 51 starts for six wins, 14 placings and $118,318 in stakes. Dial A Light was also a good performer and retired after having had 153 starts for 11 wins, 20 placings and $67,743.

 COPPER BEACH GIRL WINS AT A LONG PRICE

Noted frontrunner Copper Beach Girl notched her tenth victory when she gave a wonderful frontrunning exhibition in the Ponder Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driven expertly by Matt White, Copper Beach Girl, a 32/1 outsider, fought on tenaciously to hold out the fast-finishing 7/4 favourite Truckers Ruffnut and win by a metre, with a nose to Franco Tinman in third place.

Copper Beach Girl, trained at Serpentine by Mike Howie, impressed in recording a rate of 1.56.8 over 1730m.

The early pace was hectic, with Copper Beach Girl holding up from the No. 1 barrier, with Omegarama and All Courage charging forward in the first lap.

But White would not relinquish the lead with Copper Beach Girl and Morgan Woodley made his intentions clear that he was keen to retain the position outside the leader with Omegarama. This left Grant Williams out on a limb, three wide, with 2/1 favourite All Courage.

Truckers Ruffnut, who started from the No. 9 barrier, settled at the rear and was still 11th at the bell before he sustained a powerful finishing burst to fail narrowly. Franco Tinman finished on to be a nose away in third place after enjoying the run of the race behind the leader.

All Courage, who was second with 200m to travel, faded to seventh after his very hard run and Omegarama wilted to finish 11th.

 SCRAM JET REVEALS HIS VERSATILITY

Veteran pacer Scram Jet gave further proof of his great versatility when he thundered home from ninth at the bell to snatch victory from Aussie Attack in the Shadow Play Claiming Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The previous Friday night Scram Jet had given a brilliant frontrunning display to win a 2130m claiming race at a 1.56.4 rate. Then he repeated the dose, recording an identical rate over the same journey.

Scram Jet was a 13/1 chance before Friday night’s win at 15/1. Trevor Warwick was the successful reinsman last Friday week, but a suspension meant that he was unable to take the drive again.

Mark Reed was engaged to replace Warwick and he gave a skilful exhibition, timing the eight-year-old’s finishing run to perfection.

Aussie Attack, a powerful winner at Pinjarra last Monday for trainer Tony Svilicich and driver Chris Lewis, was sent out an even-money favourite and he looked certain to win after taking the lead 450m after the start, setting a bold pace and holding a comfortable lead on the home turn.

However, the early fast pace began to take its toll and he wilted in the home straight to lose by a head.

Scram Jet, by Jet Laag, was claimed for $5100 by Banjup trainer Katja Schreyvogel in June of last year and he now has had 27 starts for her for seven wins, six placings and prizemoney of $68,024.