RICH CHARIOTS OF FIRE BECKONS IMA ROCKET STAR

Brilliant New Zealand-bred pacer Ima Rocket Star made a dazzling return to racing at Gloucester Park on Friday night and is on target for a tilt at the $200,000 Chariots of Fire in New South Wales in July.

“I think he will go through to the top,” declared an excited Colin Brown after he had driven the Greg Bond-trained horse to a thrilling victory over Luminous Lombo and Spunky Monkey in the Vision Produce Pace over 2130m.

Ima Rocket Star looks an ideal candidate for the Chariots of Fire, a prestigious group one feature event for four-year-olds.

The first five runners to finish in the $20,000 Hondo Grattan Stakes at TABCorp Park in Menangle on July 16 and in the $20,000 Paleface Adios Stakes a week later will qualify for the Chariots of Fire on July 30.

The qualifying races and the final of the big race will be decided over 1609m.

Ima Rocket Star, by Badlands Hanover, won at six of his 12 starts in New Zealand and now has had 13 starts in WA for seven wins. He has already earned $196,364 in prizemoney.

Making his return to racing after an absence of four months, Ima Rocket Star was a firm favourtite at 10/9 and Brown restrained him from barrier nine to the rear.

He began a three-wide move 1300m from home and then was able to follow the three-wide runs of Bronzwhaler Whitby and Tuapeka Tiz, with Spunky Monkey setting the pace.

Ima Rocket Star was tenth at the bell and Brown took him four wide with 450m to travel. He then produced a powerful finishing burst to get to the front in the final couple of strides. He finished a head in front of Luminious Lombo who finished powerfully after trailing the pacemaker throughout. Spunky Monkey was a nose away in third place.

Ima Rocket Star covered the final 800m in 58.5sec. and rated 1.57.3 over the 2130m journey.

“He’s still got a bit of that habit of knocking off in the run,” Brown said. “He’s a good race horse in that he always throws himself at the line. But he’s still got different points of the race where he wants to switch off and loaf.

“So, hopefully, once he learns to switch on all the time and stay switched on, we’ll have a complete horse. He wanted to hammer the gate, but Greg wanted me to go back at the start. I don’t think we’ll see him going back too many times.”

 LITTLE BIG SISTER CHARGES HOME FROM LAST

Colin Brown landed his third winner of the WASBA Breeders Stakes when he drove Little Big Sister to a superb victory in the $30,000 feature event for mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Brown had previously been successful with Sand Pebbles in 2004 and Montel in 2008.

He and trainer Greg Bond had difficulty in deciding tactics before they agreed that Brown should ease Little Big Sister at the start and not get involved in the early speed battles.

Little Big Sister, favourite at 10/9 on, started from barrier five after the scratchings of Fidelius Charm (barrier three) and Country Change (barrier six).

She dropped back to the rear while Eliza Grace led for the first 250m before Nathan Turvey sent Copper Beach Girl into the lead in the 1730m sprint.

Little Big Sister was last in the field of ten with a lap to travel before she unwound a magnificent finishing burst. She went five wide with 350m to travel before bursting to the front in the final 50m and charging away to win by a length from 7/1 chance Nowuseeme, who came from eighth at the bell.

Amongst Royalty (10/1) raced without cover for much of the journey before taking the lead 250m from home. She finished a close fourth.

Little Big Sister, a Christian Cullen five-year-old who is owned by Gladwyn and Sharon Rack, of Papakura in New Zealand, boosted her earnings to $153,343 from 11 wins and 17 placings from only 42 starts. She won four races in New Zealand and now has had 17 starts in WA for seven wins and seven placings.

“If you surround yourself with good people and good horses, it makes me look good,” Brown said after the race. “Greg and I were umming and aahring just before we put Little Big Sister in the cart.

“We saw the second scratching (that of Country Change) and that nearly threw a spanner in the works. But to Greg’s credit, he decided to back himself and stick with the original tactics. He said that if they run home in 28.5sec. we’ll get them. And that’s exactly what happened.”

Little Big Sister ran the final 800m in 58.2sec. and the last 400m in 28.5sec. She rated a slick 1.56.7.

 HAS THE ANSWERS SETS 2130m RECORD

The mighty Has The Answers produced another commanding performance to crush his rivals in the Graham Compson Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and smash the WA record for 2130m.

The all-conquering seven-year-old son of Legacy of Power gave a devastating frontrunning exhibition to win by three lengths from Total Defiance, covering the 2130m in 2min. 33.2sec.

He rated a sizzling 1.55.8 after dashing over the final three 400m sections in 28.5sec., 28.3sec. and 28.5sec.

The previous WA record for 2130m was established by Im Themightyquinn, who sped over the journey in 2min. 33.4sec. when he settled in last position and ran on from ninth at the bell to get up and beat Has The Answers by 1m at Gloucester Park on January 1 this year.

Im Themightyquinn was originally credited with a rate of 1.55.9. This was later changed to 1.55.8.

Has The Answers now boasts a magnificent record of 124 starts for 39 wins and 37 placings for earnings of $601,874. Remarkably, he has won at each of his past 11 starts over 2130m.

His record in races over 2130m is quite outstanding --- 39 starts for 22 wins, six seconds, three thirds, two fourths and six other unplaced efforts.

Has The Answers, favourite at 5/1 on, began with his usual brilliance from barrier seven and he surged to the front after only 80m.

Aliveandwell, resuming after a spell, quickly moved into the breeze after starting from the outside barrier, but he wilted over the concluding stages to finish fifth.

“He’s well suited over this distance and over a mile,” reinsman Chris Lewis said after he had scored his 13th win behind Has The Answers, a pacer with a constitution of iron. Trainer Tony Svilicich deserves great approbation for producing the gelding in such great condition week after week.

Has The Answers now has had 34 starts this season for 17 wins, six seconds and three thirds.

Lewis said that Has The Answers had responded superbly after being placed under quite a deal of pressure from Aliveandwell.

“A little bit of a gear problem on the other horse (Aliveandwell) was firing him up, and that put a lot of pressure on Has The Answers,” Lewis explained. “There are very few horses who are capable of running the second quarter of the last mile in 28.5sec. and then be able to finish off the race like he did.
 
“He’s run a sensational final three sections. You can’t say much more; he’s just going super and he just keeps buttering up.”

 WOODLEY SUSPENDED AFTER LANDING LONG-PRICED WINNER

Morgan Woodley saved every inch of ground before bringing rank outsider Lorian Silver home with a strong burst to win the Ross North Homes Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

However, the win which gave veteran Forrestdale trainer Alby Smith his first city-class winner for more than five years, was soured when Woodley was suspended for 13 days for causing interference just after the field had rounded the home bend.

 The stewards found that Woodley had caused interference to Kinney Cool Cat (Shannon Suvaljko). This caused severe interference to Yellowbrickroad (Chis Voak) and Im Light Hearted (Chris Playle) and Back Alley Boy (Shane Butterworth) to dislodge their drivers.

Lorian Silver, a New South Wales-bred seven-year-old by American stallion Stature, went into the race with a losing sequence of 22 and was an outsider who returned a straight-out dividend of $69.60.

Lorian Silver started from the outside barrier (No. 9) and Woodley restrained the gelding, who is owned by Juanita Smith, back to last. Woodley then dashed Lorian Silver through on the inside to settle down in seventh position.

The speedy Scruncher set a fast pace, with 5/4 on favourite Awesome Achiever working hard without cover. Half-way down the back straight in the final circuit Lorian Silver was in a hopeless position, four back on the pegs.

But then Yellowbrickroad was eased off the pegs in making a forward move. At the 450m mark, Suvaljko moved Kinney Cool Cat from the position behind the leader Scruncher and forced Yellowbrickroad three wide.

These moves enabled Woodley to dash Lorian Silver forward and on to the back of the pacemaker. With about 250m to travel, Lorian Silver got off the inside and went three wide on the home bend before bursting to the front 70m from the post.

Lorian Silver held on to win from the fast-finishing Coalmine Creek by 1m, with Bubbles And Bling, hampered for room, an unlucky third, and Awesome Achiever a fading fourth.

Lorian Silver won three races in New South Wales, one in Canberra and three in Queensland before arriving in WA last year. He was successful at his WA debut, winning from Zoomin Holme and Serial Pest at Northam last September. He now has had 134 starts for 12 wins, 30 placings and stakes of $60,010.

Smith’s previous Gloucester Park winner was Final Quest, who was driven by Woodley when he ran on to beat hot favourite Maheer Lord and Ohoka Atom in a country-front event on February 12, 2007. His previous metropolitan-class winner was Final Quest, who beat Vintage Trapper at Gloucester Park on February 25, 2005.

 WHY LIVE DANGEROUSLY TURNS THE TABLES

Smart New Zealand-bred three-year-old Why Live Dangerously, surprisingly beaten by Chillin Dylan two weeks earlier, turned the tables when he scored a decisive victory over Chillin Dylan in the Global Insurance Broking Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The result came after an enthralling battle of tactics between ace reinsmen Gary Hall jun. (Why Live Dangerously) and Chris Lewis (Chillin Dylan).

Chillin Dylan went forward from barrier eight, while Hall restrained Why Live Dangerously from barrier nine. However, Chillin Dylan was posted five wide in the early stages when Mach Destroyer led from Aces Running.

After half a lap, Why Live Dangerously was following the three-wide move of Mystic Arc, with Chillin Dylan following Why Live Dangerously, the 10/9 on favourite.

Why Live Dangerously surged past Aces Running and into the lead with 900m to travel, leaving Chillin Dylan in the breeze. Chillin Dylan (7/4) got to within a neck of the favourite 400m from home. He fought on doggedly to finish one-and-a-half lengths from the winner, who rated 1.58 over the 2130m.

Why Live Dangerously, by Live Or Die, has won at seven of his 22 starts and should develop into a top contender for the rich Golden Nugget Classic next summer.

“I was going to be happy to race outside the leader,” Hall said. “But when I revved him up he got to the front and then we were able to back off and run what we liked. It was a good run by both horses.”

 CHRISTOPHER THREE BREAKS THROUGH FOR OVERDUE VICTORY

New Zealand-bred five-year-old Christopher Three, placed at six of his previous eight starts, broke through for an overdue victory when Grant Williams brought him home with a spirited burst to get up and win by a nose from Shoab in the D’Orsogna Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The win completed a double for Williams, who had scored earlier in the night with Touch Me Toes in the Retravision Claiming Pace.

Christopher Three, by Mach Three and trained at Mt Helena by Williams’ father Ray, was third favourite at 9/2. His victory was his ninth from 51 starts which have also produced 20 minor placings.

Betta Crusa, the 2/1 favourite, broke shortly after the standing start and he was in serious trouble when he settled down in tenth place, with Rinzetsu leading from Shoab (in the breeze) and Sunrose Mary (behind the pacemaker).

Christopher Three settled down in eighth place in the one-wide line before Williams sent him forward, three wide, with 1200m to travel. Christopher Three moved to fourth at the bell and he sustained his strong burst to get up in the last stride to beat Shoab (14/1), who had got to the front about 80m from the finish.

Our gent, the backmarker off 20m, maintained his excellent form when he came from last in the middle stages and ninth at the bell to be a solid fourth.

Touch Me Toes, claimed for $10,000 by Nathan Turvey on April 16, took his earnings for his new owner to $17,920 when he won the Retravision Claiming Stakes by just over a length from Fourmoore and Colonial Blaze.

Touch Me Toes, an eight-year-old by Our Sir Vancelot, has had six starts for Turvey and Baldivis trainer Natalie Hall since being claimed for two wins and three seconds.

He started from barrier eight and second favourite at 5/2 on Friday night and he came from the rear after a lap to eventually move into the breeze with 1350m to travel. He forged to the front 420m from home and won convincingly from Fourmoore, who had a good sit, one-out and one-back, for much of the way.

There were two claims at $10,000 for Fourmoore, with the successful claimant being South Australian Anthony Robinson.

 LEWIS STEALS A MARCH WITH ME OLE MATE LOMBO

Me Ole Mate Lombo maintained his wonderful form for Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri and notched his third win from five starts in WA when Chris Lewis drove him to victory over Money Twitch and Smooth Shift in the John Coffey Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The seven-year-old Million To One gelding, third favourite at 3/1, took advantage of his front-line draw by getting to the front after 500m, a move by Lewis which gave him a decisive edge over his chief rivals Money Twitch (5/2) and Winter Retreat (2/1).

Money Twitch started from 10m and Winter Retreat, a winner at his three previous starts, was the backmarker off 30m.

“He’s a pretty nice horse and once we were able to get forward of the other horses (Money Twitch and Winter Retreat) we were in a pretty good position,” Lewis said.

The victory boosted Me Ole Mate Lombo’s earnings past the $100,000 mark. The gelding now has had 110 starts for 14 wins, 39 placings and stakes of $101,791. 

Smooth Shift led early before Lewis dashed Me Ole Mate Lombo to the front 500m after the start of the 2503m event. Money Twitch then assumed the position outside the pacemaker, with Winter Retreat at the rear.

Winter Retreat started a three-wide move at the 1450m mark and he raced in fourth place for much of the final circuit before fading to finish seventh. Money Twitch ran home determinedly, but was unable to make any great impression on Me Ole Mate Lombo, who sprinted the final 800m in 57.9sec. and rated 2.0.6. 

 BELL AND BULLETS AND BLUFF A WINNING COMBINATION

Smart four-year-old Bullets And Bluff won for the ninth time from only 24 starts when Ryan Bell produced a perfect frontrunning drive to control the Robert Humphries Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Favourite at 3/1 on from the pole position, Bullets And Bluff, by D M Dilinger, gave his supporters no cause for concern as Bell rated him perfectly and the gelding strolled to an easy win over veteran Our Slick Whitby and Flying Nemo.

Bullets And Bluff, trained at Capel by Andrew de Campo, covered the final 800m in 58.2sec. and rated 1.57.7.

Nine-year-old trotter Jack the Capricorn is racing with youthful exuberance and he chalked up his 16th victory when Vance Stampalia drove him to an easy win over Compressor and My Missindependent in The West Australian Trot.

Jack The Capricorn (5/1) started from 20m and Stampalia quickly had him in the box seat, one-out and one-back, with Compressor (16/1) bowling along in front after starting from 20m and taking up the running after only 550m.

Jack The Capricorn finished powerfully to take the lead in the final 65m and he won by 5m at a 2.4.8 rate over the 2503m from Compressor, with My Missindependent, the 5/4 favourite, finishing on gamely into third place.