AMAZING, SAYS LEWIS AS DASHER VC SMASHES RECORD

Emerging star Dasher VC shot to favouritism for the XXXX Gold Golden Nugget Championship next Friday night when he gave a powerhouse performance to crush his rivals in the $50,000 Ross North Homes Four-Year-Old Championship at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The comparatively inexperienced New Zealand-bred gelding gave a sample of his class when he smashed the State record for 2100m in rating a sensational 1.55.3 in beating the pacemaker David Hercules by one and a half lengths.

“To rate 1.55.3 is an amazing effort,” declared a beaming Chris Lewis after he had driven a positive, aggressive race behind the Ross Olivieri-trained pacer who was making only his 14th appearance in a race.

The previous WA record for a mobile 2100m was 1.56.8, shared by Lombo Adreamin (when she won a Free-For-All in February 2001) and Im Themightyquinn, who equalled that rate in winning the Jupiter Pace on Friday night.

Dasher VC’s rate also was well under the WA record for 2130m, set by Has The Answers when he rated 1.55.7 in winning at Gloucester Park last May.

“He was low flying and proved the quality of horse that he is,” said Lewis. “He’s done everything right this time in and tonight he proved that he’s a force to contend with. He’s got a big future, there’s no two ways about it.”

Dasher VC was purchased at a high price by Paul and Tony Poli after he had won once from two New Zealand starts, and now the Washington VC gelding has had 12 starts in WA for eight wins.

“We had high hopes of winning the WA Derby earlier this year, but had a bit of bad luck,” Paul Poli said. Dasher VC was hampered by a bruised heel at Derby time last April and in the classic, in which he started second favourite at 9/2, he broke soon after the start, lost a shoe in running and dead-heated for ninth behind stablemate Crombie.

The big news to come out of Friday night’s event was the failure of star pacer Motu Crusader, who was solidly supported from 10/9 on to start at 2/1 on.

Motu Crusader started from barrier seven and Andy McCarthy did not bustle him early, with the gelding settling down in seventh position as David Hercules set a brisk pace, with Lewis sending Dasher VC forward three wide early before racing without cover.

After a lap, McCarthy sent Motu Crusader forward, three wide in a lightning move, but he was unable to get to the breeze and was out on a limb, three wide and in third place with a lap to travel with the second 400m section of the final mile just having been covered in 27.9sec.

Dasher VC got his head in front at the 250m while Motu Crusader was feeling the pinch and was drifting back. Dasher VC forged away in the straight to win from a gallant David Hercules, with Why Live Dangerously fighting on from seventh on the pegs at the bell to be third.

Cromac Johnny, beaten out from the No. 1 barrier, raced behind the pacemaker and finished fourth, with Grinjaro running on from sixth at the bell into fifth place. Motu Crusader wilted to finish a conspicuous last, 26 metres from the winner.

Motu Crusader was not suited by the circumstances of the race and he didn’t handle the track very well. He appeared uncomfortable on the bends on the 805m circuit. However, it certainly would be most unwise to underestimate his ability to bounce back in the Golden Nugget, particularly if he draws an inside barrier and is able to get to an early lead.

 IM THEMIGHTYQUINN CHERRY RIPE FOR RICH SUMMER PLUMS

“It’s onwards and upwards, and now for the summer carnival,” said Gary Hall jun. after driving star pacer Im Themightyquinn to a magnificent victory in the 2100m Jupiter Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The New Zealand-bred six-year-old, favourite at 5/4 on, overcame severe interference soon after the start when his stablemate Rocket Reign broke into a bad gallop before scoring in effortless fashion by 5m from the pacemaker Mister Odds On, a 62/1 tote outsider.

Plans for Im Themightyquinn include the WA Pacing Cup, Fremantle Cup and A. G. Hunter Cup in Victoria. Trainer Gary Hall sen. is also considering making a hit-run trip to Melbourne next month to contest the Victoria Cup and, maybe, the Cranbourne Cup.

“He’s had his knockers over the past couple of weeks,” said Hall jun. “But that hasn’t been his fault, really. It has been well documented that Dad said he had probably made a blue in giving him a spell. I think the horse is back, right up there now, and he’ll probably improve a little bit.”

Im Themightyquinn started from the No. 8 barrier and lost several lengths when checked by the galloping Rocket Reign. He was a long way from the leader Mister Odds On after 500m and Hall started a three-wide burst approaching the bell. Im Themightyquinn sustained that strong three-wide effort from seventh at the bell to move into the breeze at the 500m mark and the burst to the front on the home turn.

Hall jun. was thrilled with the run, saying: “One of the reasons he has to be driven sit-kick is because when you pull him out he just wants to go a million miles an hour. So to see him travel up three wide off the bit is a really good sign.”
     
Im Themightyquinn now has the imposing record of 59 starts for 21 wins and 21 placings for stakes of $768,919. He sped over the final 800m in just over 55sec. and sprinted the final 400m in 27.3sec. He rated 1.56.8 over the 2100m.

Winter Retreat (12/1) made an excellent return to racing after a spell for trainer-driver Grant Williams, racing three back on the pegs before finishing strongly to be third.

Has The Answers, backed from 3/1 to second favouritism at 11/4, extended his losing sequence to seven when he galloped badly at the start and settled almost 150m behind the early leader. He caught his rivals and battled on to finish tenth. We wanted to bore out in the mobile score-up and appears to be jaded and in need of a spell.

 MIGHTY McDANA FLIES HOME FROM THE CLOUDS

Colin Brown predicted a bright future for inexperienced New Zealand-bred five-year-old Mighty McDana after driving him to a spectacular victory in the Zen Pace over 2100m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Mighty McDana (7/2) appeared to be in a hopeless position when 11th at the bell and when eighth with just 100m to travel. But he sprouted wings and charged home, six wide, to get up in the final stride to score by a head in a blanket finish with only two lengths separating the first eight placegetters.

This was Mighty McDana’s fourth win in succession, but Brown said that the McArdle gelding still had a lot to learn.

“He’s done a super job,” Brown said. “Fortunately, he’s one of those horses who has got a lot of fast twitch and every time you rein him he jumps a length. Turning for home, when we still had the ear plugs in, I didn’t expect him to win. But when the ear plugs came out, he just swooped.

“About the 1200m to 1300m when I went to go wide and two horses (Emjayem Grand and Xupan Three) came out in front of me I thought we’d be struggling from there.”

Brown said that Mighty McDana had been a sensational trackworker for trainer Greg Bond. He said that Bond had purchased him cheaply from New Zealand and that the gelding is still far from a complete racehorse.

“Greg and I agree that we’ve both got to look after him and turn him into a racehorse and keep him in his comfort zone,” Brown said. “Greg tells me that he’s unbeatable in front, and, who knows, we’re hoping for the best.”

Mighty McDana, who won once from 13 New Zealand starts, has raced eight times in WA for Bond for five wins and two placings. On Friday night, he dashed over the final 800m in 57.8sec. and rated 1.58.8.

Knot Justafireball (5/2) set the pace with Hirli Birli Lombo (9/4 favourite) in the breeze. Chris Lewis sent Hirli Birli Lombo to the front 110m from the finish and the gelding went down by a head to Mighty McDana. Xupan Three (16/1) sustained a strong three-wide run from eighth at the bell to be third, just a head behind Hirli Birli Lombo. 

 JACKMANDOO PREVAILS IN SIX-WAY PHOTO FINISH

Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Jackmandoo celebrated his third appearance at Gloucester Park by setting the pace and holding on grimly to win the Minara Pathway Pace by a nose in a six-way photo finish on Friday night.

Jackmandoo was having his fifth start after an injury-enforced absence of 23 months and the Ryan Bell-trained Washington VC gelding was a firm 2/1 favourite.

Matt White got Jackmandoo straight to the front from barrier two, but White had to work overtime to win the race. Island Storm (6s to 4s) began speedily from barrier eight and he quickly moved outside the pacemaker.

Most punters were resigned that Jackmandoo would be beaten when Ryan Warwick sent Island Storm to the front with 360m to travel. But Jackmandoo, under hard driving from White, fought back grimly to regain the lead and win by a nose from 7/2 chance Torbrae, who finished strongly. Dee Gee Norm (4/1) ran on strongly along the pegs to be a neck away in third place. A head farther back was Christian Vance, with a head to Island Storm.

Jackmandoo, a winner of one race from 11 New Zealand starts, now has won four times from 14 WA starts. This was his first success since he won at Bunbury in November 2008.

Some of the gloss of Friday night’s victory was taken away when the stewards fined White $300. White was fined $200 for an incorrect whip action, using more than a wrist and elbow action in the final couple of strides. He incurred a further fine of $100 for allowing Jackmandoo to drift up the track, allowing an inside run for Dee Gee Norm.

“It was hard work getting him up,” White said. “I was a bit worried when island Storm got a half-length in front of us. But when I went for him, he responded well.”

 OUTSIDER TOO BAD IS TOO GOOD FOR HIS RIVALS

Outsider Too Bad set the pattern for a night of New Zealand dominance when he finished strongly to score an easy victory over Smooth Jasper in the Berkeley Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night. He was the first of nine New Zealand-bred winners on the ten-event program.

Punters surprising disregarded two strong fast-finishing placings behind Mighty McDana and Ohoka Georgia at two of his past three runs and Too Bad, produced in fine fettle by Wanneroo trainer Debbie Padberg, was a 12/1 chance who returned tote odds of just over 24/1.

Polemarker Ultima Chance, backed from 6s to 4s, set the pace and was inclined to overrace, with Smooth Jasper (4/1) in the breeze and Gus Witherspoon trailing the pacemaker.

Grit (10/1) dashed forward, three wide, in the first lap, but was unable to get to the breeze before being eased back to the rear. The first three 400m sections of the final mile whizzed by in 29.3sec., 29.4sec. and 29.2sec., with Vance Stampalia biding his time with Too Bad at the tail of the field of seven.

Jett Dee, favourite at 2/1 on, settled in last place before starting a three-wide move 950m from home, leaving Too Bad in last place at the bell. Morgan Woodley sent Smooth Jasper to the front was after passing the 300m mark, but he was unable to withstand the powerful finish of Too Bad, who rated a slick 1.57.6sec. over the 2100m journey.
      
“I was lucky the pace was pretty hot,” Stampalia said. “I just cruised up in the end and won easily. Getting a three-wide cart up behind Junior (Gary Hall jun. on Jett Dee) from the 700m onwards made it a bit easier.”

Too Bad, owned by John Padberg and Sean O’Toole, completed an unusual double in 24 hours for the New Zealand-bred Preux Chevalier mare Second Glimpse, whose seventh and final foal, The Protégé, was successful at his second WA outing when trainer Jason Fry drove him to victory at Harvey on Thursday night.

Too Bad, the sixth foal out of Second Glimpse, has had all of his 54 starts in Australia. He showed great early promise, winning at his debut, as a two-year-old at Harold Park in August 2006 and then at his second start, as a three-year-old, at Bulli in May 2007. His first 23 starts produced 11 wins, ten placings, one fourth and one fifth and he arrived in WA a couple of months ago with a New South Wales record of 48 starts for 13 wins and 16 placings.

He has had six WA starts for one win and two placings and looks set for further successes, though it is most unlikely he will emulate the deeds of his half-brother Unsurpassed, the first foal out of Second Glimpse.

Unsurpassed won once from six starts in New Zealand as a two-year-old and then won 14 races in New South Wales before going to America where he finished a remarkable career with 280 starts for 47 wins, 71 placings and stakes of $421,390.

 WILLIAMS BRINGS PACIFIC FORTUNE HOME FROM LAST

Patience shown by Robbie Williams was richly rewarded when he brought 14/1 chance Pacific Fortune home with a perfectly-timed burst to win the Spectrum Young Drivers Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Pacific Fortune, a New Zealand-bred seven-year-old part-owned and trained by Peter Webster, ended a losing sequence of 21 when he surged home, three wide, from twelfth and last at the bell to hit the front in the final 20m and win by a half-length from the heavily-backed Takem Easy, with the pacemaker Lombo Socrates finishing a head away in third place.

Pacific Fortune, a 27/1 chance on the tote, started out wide at barrier eight and the 22-year-old Williams wisely restrained the gelding to the rear. Royal Opera led for the first 600m before Kade Howson sent Lombo Socrates into the lead.

Pacific Fortune was last at the bell when Williams took the gelding three wide to follow the run of the 10/9 on favourite Heeza Top Dog.

Heeza Top Dog moved four wide at the 450m and Takem Easy (Justin Prentice) and Pacific Fortune went even wider. Pacific Fortune, five wide on the home bend, was still sixth with 100m to travel before he exploded to the front in the final couple of bounds to win by a half-length from Takem Easy, who had been backed from 7/1 to 4/1. Heeza Top Dog fought on doggedly into fourth place.        

Pacific Fortune won four times in Queensland before arriving in WA early in 2008. He now has had 54 starts in this State for five wins and six placings.

 IN THE FORCE REVEALS TREMENDOUS FIGHTING QUALITIES

Quality Christian Cullen five-year-old In The Force boosted his earnings to $301,435 when he revealed tremendous strength and stamina to win the Springvale Pace over 2506m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

In The Force, part-owned and trained by Greg Bond, won the WA Derby in April 2009 and he has proved a tremendous performer with 16 wins and 16 placings from 52 starts. He will be one of several smart New Zealand-bred pacers in the Bond stable who will contest feature events at the coming summer carnival.

In The Force, backed from 13/4 to favouritism at 6/4, started from barrier four and was beaten for early speed. But Michael George was determined to get to the front and he drove In The Force hard in the first circuit when Sunsets West led early before Parsonemby took over after 600m had been covered.

In The Force, four wide for the first 300m, then raced three wide before getting to the breeze after 650m had been covered. He then continued to work hard outside the leader Parsonemby before finally forging to the front with 1200m to travel. He then defied all challenges and went on to win by just over a length from outsider Badboy Nitro, with Parsonemby holding on to be third. In The Force rated 1.58.2.

In The Force’s stablemate Eastwood Fire, second favourite at 5/2, galloped soon after the start and was retired. He was found to be suffering from a foot abscess.

“I think I’m puffing more than he is at the moment,” said 22-year-old George after the race. “We know he can run and he loves to keep running and keep rolling … and that’s what he did tonight.

“After revving him up, he comes back to you; he’s an absolute treat to drive. About 500m from home I thought the horse out three wide (Tsunami Lombo) had a bit more than we had left. But once the plugs were pulled on that horse and he didn’t really go anywhere and was just bobbing up and down on the same spot, we were able to pinch a few lengths and they were unable to catch us.”

 SNOWBALLS A FLYIN RESUMES IN FINE STYLE

Jason Huston, who assists his brother Ron with the preparation of Snowballs A Flyin, instructed Shannon Suvaljko to set the pace and run the final 1200m of the 2096m Broadwater Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night in a time of 1min. 27sec.

Suvaljko followed the instructions and Snowballs A Flyin, resuming after an absence of three months, gave an impressive frontrunning display to score an easy win over Fast Play and Smart Cullen.

Snowballs A Flyin kept his rivals at bay by dashing over the final 1200m in 1min.27.8sec. with sections of 29.9sec., 29sec. and 28.9sec.

“If you run a solid pace over five quarters, not many horses are going to kick over you,” Suvaljko said. “Once he got to the front he was never going to be beaten, and he’s done a good job, coming home in 57.9sec.”

Snowballs A Flyin (5/1) gained a decisive early advantage from barrier two when the polemarker Ohoka Georgia (5/2) was slow into stride. And then Smooth Shift, the 2/1 favourite, began fast from the inside of the 10m line. But he was checked soon after the start when outsider Charcoal Jack shifted inwards. Later, Tilbrook was suspended for 17 days for causing this interference.

Suvaljko completed a double when he drove Styx By Mee (9/4) to an easy 7m victory over 2/1 on favourite Kamwood Holmes in the 2100m Stamford Pace for mares.

Styx By Mee, trained at Byford by Suvaljko, surged home from seventh at the bell to hit the front with 360m to travel to improve her record to 44 starts for 13 wins, 12 placings and earnings of $111,438. The Christian Cullen mare made a bright start to her Australian career late in 2008 when her first six WA starts produced five wins and a fifth placing.

Chris Lewis also landed a double when he brought Lombo Air Express home with a solid burst to get up and snatch victory from Artorius in the 2100m Esprit Pace.

Lombo Air Express, backed from 6/1 to 4/1, came from seventh in the middle stages to beat 3/1 chance Artorius who had worked hard outside the pacemaker Pacific Jaccka before getting to the front 60m from the post. Pacific Jaccka (3/1) held on to finish third.

 KYLE CONDIPODERO OUT FOR THREE MONTHS

Kyle Condipodero has been suspended for three months for driving in an improper manner.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of driving in an improper manner behind Perfect Fantasy in the 6PR News Talk Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on November 5 in that he extended his arm in a fending motion and struck the chest or legs of Dee Gee Norm (Colin Brown) in the home straight.

Condipodero also pleaded guilty to a charge of causing interference to Dee Gee Norm moments before the other incident. He was found to have allowed Perfect Fantasy to shift out, an action which resulted in Dee Gee Norm hitting the sulky wheel of Perfect Fantasy’s sulky and breaking into a gallop.

On this charge, Condipodero was suspended for 18 days. The stewards ruled that the penalties be served concurrently.