NOW FOR THE GOLDEN SLIPPER FOR GO WEST U TERROR

All-conquering two-year-old Go West U Terror gave Oakford trainer Bryan Cousins his sixth success in a rich group 1 event when he outclassed his rivals in the $100,000 Veolia Environmental Services Pearl Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Go West U Terror won with such ease and authority that he appears to have a stranglehold on the $125,000 Golden Slipper to be run on July 23.

Driven with supreme confidence by Gary Hall jun., Go West U Terror, favourite at 10/1 on, gave the 56-year-old Cousins his second success as a trainer in a group 1 event. He trained Global Force when he won the 2004 WA Derby by a nose from Ulrich.

Cousins, who owns Go West U Terror in partnership with Sam, Pizzino, Paul Day and Chris McDonald, bred and owned Global Force, who retired with a fine record of 103 starts for 18 wins, 31 placings and stakes of $302,685.

Cousins also bred and owned Innocent Eyes, who won four group 1 events when prepared by Victorian horseman Gavin Lang. Innocent Eyes earned $421,875 from her 18 wins and 17 placings from 62 starts. Her group 1 successes were in the 2005 Victorian Oaks and Australian Oaks at Moonee Valley and the Chariots of Fire at Harold Park and the Vicbred Super Series for four-year-old mares at Moonee Valley in 2006.

GO West U Terror is proving a wonderful bargain for his connections, having won at five of his seven starts for prizemoney of $85,515.

“I’ve had a couple of very nice horses and was very lucky to find this horse in New Zealand,” Cousins said. Cousins and his partners paid $20,000 for the son of American stallion Western Terror as a yearling.

“He was in the non select yearling sales. So, if you ever go to the yearling sales don’t think that you’ve got to be up in the high price bracket to get good ones. I feel very blessed that we found him. He’s done such a good job.”

Go West U Terror jumped straight to the front from barrier two on Friday night and had to withstand a determined early challenge from Soho Dionysus, who got half a length in front 100m after the start.

Shannon Suvaljko then eased Soho Dionysus and the gelding raced in the breeze until the 1250m mark when Trunkey Galileo moved from the one-out, one-back position to the outside of the pacemaker.

Hall was able to give Go West U Terror a breather after the early battle with Soho Dionysus and the New Zealand-bred gelding strolled through the first 400m section of the final mile in a leisurely 32.7sec. and the next 400m in 30.6sec. before sprinting the final two sections in 29.5sec. and 28.8sec. He rated 2.0.1 over the 2130m and won by a massive 29m from Soho Dionysus, who finished gamely along the pegs to snatch second place by a head from Batavia Jack, who had finished solidly from eighth at the bell.

 AUSTRALIAN WIN No. 22 FOR TOTAL DEFIANCE

Five-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding Total Defiance won for the 22nd time from 40 starts in WA when he sustained a powerful three-wide burst from the rear in the middle stages to storm to an easy victory over Ruby Dazzler and Undertheinfluence in the Maker Designer Kitchens Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

All honours were with Total Defiance, who was driven with great confidence by his part-owner and trainer Aldo Cortopassi.

But the highlight of the race, and of the night, was the remarkable performance of champion seven-year-old Has The Answers, who began tardily started from the back mark of 60m, veered to the outside of the track and lost about 80m.

Has The Answers, a firm favourite at 7/4, was still tailed off, about 100m from the leader Undertheinfluence after a lap had been covered. He was 12th (and last) at the bell and raced wide down the back straight to be eighth on the home turn.

He then finished with great spirit to be fifth, rating 1.59.2, which was outside Mysta Magical Mach’s track record of 1.58.6 for the 2503m journey.

Total Defiance, who started from 40m and third tote favourite at 19/4, rated 1.59.3 after dashing over the final 800m in 57.6sec.

The win was Total Defiance’s second from ten starts this season, after he had won 13 times from 18 starts last season. “It’s a lot harder for him this campaign, racing against better-class horses,” said Cortopassi.

Total Defiance, who has made a full recovery from a hairline fracture of a pastern late last year, won once and was placed twice from nine New Zealand starts before coming to WA. He now has amassed $231,265 in stakes.

 DREAMS DAUGHTER IS A FAMILY TREASURE

Forty-one-year-old Tony Treasure landed his first metropolitan-class winner when he drove a perfectly-judged race to score with promising mare Dreams Daughter in the Bazzo Real Estate Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Dreams Daughter, favourite at 2/1, was not bustled by Treasure after starting from the outside of the front line in the 1730m sprint.

Treasure was content to have Dreams Daughter bowling along in last place in the field of 11. The four-year-old started a three-wide move in the back straight in the final circuit and was still last with 500m to travel. She went five wide at the 400m mark and revealed a sparkling burst of speed to charge to the front 280m from home before careering away to beat Its Karma by four lengths, rating 1.59.

Babes A Flyin, who had trailed the pacemaker Kathleen Ellen, battled on gamely to finish third.

Dreams Daughter gave Treasure’s father Alex his first city winner as a trainer since Prince Lee Way was successful at Richmond Raceway in the mid-1980s.

Treasure bred Dreams Daughter, who is by American stallion Crouch from Perene Dream, a mare who won at Bunbury, Pinjarra, Cunderdin and Collie in the mid-1990s. Dreams Daughter is a winner of $79,318 from six wins and nine placings from only 21 starts.

 A DOUBLE AND A SUSPENSION FOR WILLIAMS

Karnup horseman Grant Williams had a sweet and sour night at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he landed a double as a trainer before being suspended late in the ten-event program.

He prepared All Courage and Tuapeka Tiz for impressive victories and was suspended for 16 days for causing interference in the Veolia Waste Collection Pace in which he drove 11/2 chance Christopher Three.

Polemarker Garvie Bay was smartest into stride before being checked when Williams urged Christopher Three to the front just under 200m after the start.

Earlier, Williams had driven 9/2 chance All Courage to a stylish victory over Billystime in the Veolia Waste Management Pace. All Courage sustained a spirited three-wide burst from third approaching the bell to hit the front 220m from home.

A six-year-old by Courage Under Fire, All Courage was having only his second start since entering Williams’ training establishment. Previously he was trained by his part-owner Mark Tomlinson.

All Courage, who was been placed at three of his seven New Zealand starts, then had 18 starts in Victoria for two wins and six placings before arriving in WA where he now has had 33 starts for five wins and five placings.

The six-year-old is a half-brother to highly promising three-year-old filly Ella Sue, who has earned $60,477 from her eight wins and three placings from 16 starts.

Tuapeka Tiz is proving a wonderful moneyspinner for his connections and the New Zealand-bred six-year-old’s strong victory over Smooth Shift and Mister Radar in the Veolia, A Sustainable Future Pace improved his WA record to 40 starts for seven wins, ten seconds and five thirds.

The Artiscape gelding was driven for Williams by 21-year-old Michael George, who rated the gelding (a 17/4 chance) perfectly in the breeze while the even-money favourite Denzel Washington set a fast pace.

Tuapeka Tiz revealed excellent staying powers by forging to the front in the final 90m and winning by 2m from Smooth Shift, who fought on grandly after racing three wide for more than a lap.

 OUR MERCURIO RESUMES WITH A RECORD-BREAKING WIN

New Zealand-bred four-year-old Our Mercurio looks set to be one of the stars of the summer carnival after resuming from a spell with a superb victory in the Veolia Liquid Waste Collection Pace over 2096m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The Greg Bond-trained Christian Cullen gelding started from 10m and settled down well back in tenth position before Colin Brown brought him home with a powerful three-wide burst from tenth at the bell to charge to the front 25m from the finish.

Our Mercurio, favourite at 2/1, was making his first appearance for nine weeks and he was most impressive in winning easily in record time. His rate of 1.59.6 smashed the track record over 2096m from a stand.

The previous record rate was 2.0.3 was set when Blissful Snag stormed home from ninth at the bell to score narrowly last July.

Tsunami Lombo made his record for Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri two starts for two wins since arriving in WA from Melbourne less than a month ago when he gave a bold frontrunning display to beat Alzona by almost two lengths in the 2503m Veolia Industrial Cleaning Services Pace.

Tsunami Lombo, favourite at 3/1 on, started from 10m and Chris Lewis dashed him past Courageous Ned and into the lead 750m after the start.
     
Alzona, the backmarker off 30m, impressed at his first appearance after a five-month absence. He was 11th in the middle stages before Gary Hall jun. sent him forward with a fast burst at the 1350m mark. Alzona moved to the breeze 1100m from home and fought on grandly.

 ROSTRIEVER ORUM PROVES A WONDERFUL INVESTMENT

Iron horse Rostriever Ornum is proving a wonderful investment for Sonya Murrell, who claimed him for a mere $10,000 last October.

The evergreen Dream Away eight-year-old relished his role of pacemaker when teenager Kyle Harper drove him to a narrow victory over 6/4 on favourite Ima Spicey Lombo in the Veolia Resource Recovery Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Rostriever Ornum, trained at Byford by Tony Svilicich, celebrated his 50th start for the season with his tenacious win after setting the pace over the 2536m journey.

Ima Spicey Lombo raced in seventh position in the one-wide line before Chris Lewis sent her forward, three wide, with 1350m to travel. She fought on determinedly, but failed by a head.

Rostriever Ornum, who started at 11/1, now has had 42 starts for Murrell for five wins, 12 placings and earnings of $64,364. Murrell also is a part-owner of superstars Mysta Magical Mach and Has The Answers.

Murrell claimed Rostriever Ornum from Victorian owner Andrew Curran, a part-owner of Mysta Magical Mach. Curran had claimed Rostriever Ornum for $10,000 in May of Last year and the gelding had 24 starts for him for two wins and seven placings for stakes of $42,925.

The New Zealand-bred Rostriever Ornum thrives on a heavy racing program. He had 46 starts for six wins and 11 placings last season and his 50 starts this season have produced five wins and 17 placings to take his overall record to 129 starts for 16 wins, 36 placings and $172,299 in stakes.

 FAST-FINISHING ALDEBARAN SWANNEE CAUSES AN UPSET

Queensland-bred five-year-old Aldebaran Swannee caused an upset when he flew home with a six-wide burst to snatch victory from 2/1 on favourite Bombora Lombo in the Veolia Recycling Solutions Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Trained at Hazelmere by Mike Reed and driven by his son Mark, Aldebaran Swannee was a 17/1 chance on the tote even though he had impressed with fast-finishing seconds at two of his first three starts in WA after arriving from Victoria where he had won eight races.

Open Class, an outsider at 150/1, led in the early stages, with Bombora Lombo trapped out three wide in the first circuit. Smart Cullen took up the role of pacemaker after a lap had been covered and Chris Lewis was forced to work hard in the breeze with Bombora Lombo.

The favourite eventually clawed his way to a narrow lead in the closing stages, but was swamped by Aldebaran Swannee, charged home from seventh at the bell. Aldebaran Swannee rated 1.57.7 over 2130m.

Smart Cullen held on to finish a close third, but Victorian newcomer Coromandel Prince disappointed in fading to tenth after having moved into fifth place, three wide, at the bell.

Leading reinsman Gary Hall jun. landed the first leg of a double when he scored a decisive victory with New Zealand-bred eight-year-old Spirit of Shard in the Veolia Industrial Waste Solutions Claiming Pace. Hall completed his double when Go West U Terror scored a runaway victory in the Pearl Classic for two-year-olds.

Spirit of Shard, a gelding by Spirit of Zeus and owned by Victorian Fred Crews and trained by Gary Hall sen., rated 1.56.8 over 2130m in beating Aussie Attack by three lengths.

Spirit of Shard, favourite at 7/4, started from the outside barrier and was restrained to the rear before Hall jun. dashed him forward in the middle stages to move to third, three wide, at the bell.

Spirit of Shard and Snowballs A Flyin (who had raced without cover) surged past the pacemaker Bakerandthefatman at the 600m mark before Spirit of Shard asserted his authority and forged to a clear lead with 400m to travel.

Aussie Attack ran on from fifth at the bell to just deprive the gallant Snowballs A Flyin of second place.