AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR PARTYWITHTHEDEVIL

Five-year-old Partywiththedevil, a handy performer in moderate country fields in Victoria for the past three years, has hit the high spots in Western Australia in the past month.

He capped a remarkable rise to prominence when he gave a powerful frontunning performance to win the $35,000 John Higgins Memorial over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

And his stylish victory at his first appearance in a metropolitan maiden race so impressed WA’s leading trainer Gary Hall sen. that he declared the gelding was a “class pacer” who would be set for the $250,000 Fremantle Cup and $400,000 WA Pacing Cup at the next summer carnival.

These certainly are ambitious plans for a pacer who did not contest a single city-class event or ever appear in a race at Moonee Valley or Melton. He contested 73 events on Victorian country tracks, with total stakes in most of those country-class races ranging between $2000 and $5000.

Partywithedevil earned $47,638 from his 11 wins and 16 placings in his 73 Victorian starts and now has been in WA for just over five weeks and has had five starts in the month of July for three wins, two placings and $34,116.

Hall praised his son Gary for an excellent drive behind Partywiththedevil and thanked Victorian trainer Geoff Webster for sending the gelding to him to train.

Hall said that when Webster found that certain horses were finding it difficult to win in Victoria he would recommend to the owners to send the horse to be trained by Hall at his Hazelmere stables.

Webster had previously sent Urjokin, Only The One and Spirit of Shard across the Nullarbor to be prepared by Hall and all three relished racing in WA. Urjokin had 11 starts for Hall for four wins and $47,845, Only The One had eight starts for three wins and $32,465 and Spirit of Shard is still racing for Hall and has had 47 starts for him for 11 wins, 14 placings and earnings of $187,633.

Partywithethedevil began smartly from barrier two on Friday night and Hall jun. sent him past polemarker Supreme Courage and into the lead 250m after the start. Bombora Lombo raced in the breeze until Matt White dashed Lombo Navigator forward to race without cover after a lap had been completed.  

Partywiththedevil, the 3/1 third favourite behind Motu Treasure ($3.40 on the tote) and Lombo Navigator ($3.50), was never seriously threatened and he reeled off final 400m sections on a rain-soaked track in 29sec. and 29.2sec. to win by 2m from the fast-finishing Son of Fergie, with a further 2m to Lombo Navigator. Motu Treasure, unbeaten at his first four Australian starts, was a wilting 12th and last.

Motu Treasure started from the inside of the back line and Michael George restrained him and quickly moved into the one-wide line. Motu Treasure moved to seventh, three wide, at the bell and was sixth with 300m to travel before fading to the rear.

Partywiththedevil, by Partywiththebigdog, is the first foal out of unraced Queensland mare Goldwood Rebel.

 SMILE WITH ME REMAINS UNBEATEN IN AUSTRALIA

McArdle three-year-old filly Smile With Me, placed at 12 of her 19 New Zealand starts, remained unbeaten in Australia when she revealed sparkling speed to lead all the way in the Bazzo Real Estate Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

A heavily-supported 7/4 on favourite, Smile With Me started from the No. 4 barrier and her Waroona trainer Bob Mellsop sent her straight to the lead.

She relished her pacemaking role and won by 4m from Kamwood Girl, who settled at the rear before rushing forward, three wide after 550m to assume the position outside the lead with 1100m to travel.

Kamwood Girl (11/2) got on terms with the leader 450m from home, but the leader was simply carrying too many guns and raced away from her rivals in the home straight. She rated 1.58.

The closest Smile With Me came to winning in New Zealand was at Winton in April of this year when she finished a head second to Aziza over 1609m in 1.58.5.

Rich Life, who enjoyed the run of the race behind the leader, fought on well to be third, with the well-performed Pole Dancer running home gamely from seventh at the bell to be fourth.

Lincoln Beach Girl, who finished powerfully to win from So Not Blonde and Arctic Fiore at Pinjarra the previous Monday, found starting from the outside barrier far too great an obstacle. She was always well back and finished tenth.

 NEW ZEALAND PACERS GIVE WILLIAMS A DOUBLE

Consistent New Zealand-bred six-year-olds Smart Cullen and All Courage maintained their excellent form when they finished strongly to win successive events at Gloucester Park on Friday night to give Karnup trainer-reinsman Grant Williams a double.

Smart Cullen, a son of Christian Cullen and a winner of five races in New Zealand, was well supported and started at 7/2 in the Find Thirty Everyday Pathway Pace, an $8000 event which does not carry a metropolitan penalty.

So he is still a well-credentialled metropolitan maiden performer with a record of nine wins and 20 placings for earnings of $74,020. 

Smart Cullen had been placed at five of his eight starts since winning at Northam early in January and his win was overdue.

Williams had him perfectly placed, one-out and one-back, while Chris Brew set a brisk pace with As Wicked As, who started equal favourite at 3/1 with V O Two.

V O Two had a tough run in the breeze all the way before fading to seventh. Nat Serling, who trailed Smart Cullen in the one-wide line, was taken three wide by Kim Prentice with 650m to travel and he worked his way to the front at the 220m and was still in front until the final stride.

Smart Cullen finished strongly to gain a last-stride verdict in a thrilling three-way photo finish. He beat Pacific Idol (who finished strongly down the outside) by a nose. Nat Serling was a head away, in third place.

All Courage, by Courage Under Fire, did not win in New Zealand and was successful twice before arriving in WA in the spring of 2008. He now has had 38 starts in WA for six wins and six placings.

He caused an upset in The West Australian Pace on Friday night when he beat the 2/1 on favourite Truckers Ruffnut, who is being set for the rich Breeders Crown for four-year-old horses and geldings in Melbourne.

Truckers Ruffnut started out wide at No. 8 and was forced four wide early before getting to the breeze outside the pacemaker Denzel Washington 700m after the start of the 2130m event. Truckers Ruffnut got to the front 450m from home, but was unable to withstand the strong finish of All Courage, who burst to the front 150m from the post.

 EMBARRASSING MIX-UP DISCOVERED IN THE NICK OF TIME

A highly embarrassing incident was narrowly avoided at Gloucester Park on Friday night when stablemates from the Frank Bratovich stable were mixed up and one of them, Supreme Courage, was all set to contest The West Australian Pace.

Bratovich, who prepares a small team at his Middle Swan stables, brought Mister Veejays Fella and Supreme Courage to run in the third and eighth races, respectively.

Bratovich was unwell and a stable helper became confused and Supreme Courage geared up and carrying the No. 12 for the third event, in which Mister Veejays Fella was to compete in from the No. 12 barrier. The sulky was attached and Supreme Courage was all ready to go out into the parade ring in the birdcage before warming up for the race.

It was then that RWWA official and starter Kevin Bailey checked the brand on the Bratovich runner’s neck. He discovered that the pacer was Supreme Courage and not Mister Veejays Fella.

Then Mister Veejays Fella was hurriedly geared up and was able to take his place in the field, with Chris Voak in the sulky. Mister Veejays Fella, a 35/1 chance, ran on from seventh at the bell to finish fourth behind All Courage.

Two and a half hours later Voak drove Supreme Courage into fourth place behind Partywiththedevil in the John Higgins Memorial.

The stewards fined Bratovich $500 for presenting an incorrect horse to race. But they were confident that the mix-up was an honest mistake. The two New Zealand-bred bay five-year-old geldings have very similar brands. The first six of the seven digits on their brands are identical.

 A BIRTHDAY DOUBLE FOR CHRIS LEWIS

Two days before celebrating his 55th birthday, premier reinsman Chris Lewis landed a winning double in the final two events at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

After driving champion Has The Answers to an effortless victory in the Colin Hamersley Memorial Pace, Lewis drove Cracklin Rose to a half-length win over 2/1 favourite Go Some More in the George Maloney Memorial Pace for mares.

Cracklin Rose, an inexperienced four-year-old having her third start after a spell, led for the first 100m and then trailed the pacemaker Go Some More before Lewis got her clear in the home straight to burst to the front with 25m to travel.

Cracklin Rose (3/1) is owned and trained by Patrick Miller,  whose mother Teresa bred the mare who is by former top-class pacer The Accelerator out of Sursum Corda, who had 24 starts for one win (as a three-year-old at Harvey in April 2000).

Cracklin Rose is showing good promise and she now has won three times from ten starts.

Dilinger Dawn, seventh on the pegs at the bell, ran home gamely to be third, but her driver Geoff Marriott was suspended for 16 days for having caused interference to Babes A Flyin (Ryan Bell) on the home turn.
 
Has The Answers, favourite at 5/1 on, notched his 23rd victory for the season and his 45th in a 134-start career when he gave Lewis an armchair drive. The seven-year-old burst straight to the front from the No. 6 barrier and was held under restraint before sprinting the final 800m in 57.1sec. to win by almost two lengths from Nowuseeme, who trailed the leader all the way.

Has The Answers rated a moderate 2.2 over the 2536m journey.

 SHEER DREAMS IS A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY

Sheer Dreams enhanced her reputation as one of the State’s most consistent mares when she finished solidly to win the Tom Thompson Memorial Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This was her 17th win from 125 starts, which include 36 minor placings, and it boosted her earnings to $117,736.

A 13/1 chance on the tote, the six-year-old daughter of Rich And Spoilt, enjoyed a perfect trip behind the pacemaker Nullabor Song (4/1) before Stephen Reed got into the clear approaching the home turn and dashed her to the front 100m from the post.

She won comfortably by 5m from Nomore Forusir, driven by Reed’s elder brother Mark, with Nullabor Song holding on to be third.

Sheer Dreams was bred by Sue Reed, mother of Mark and Stephen, and is raced on lease by Tom and Marie Groves. The mare is trained by Groves at Kellerberrin.

Sheer Dreams is the first foal out of Shoneer Lobell, who won five times from ten starts on New South Wales country tracks before coming to WA early in 2000 where she won another five races.

 SPUNKY MONKEY RELISHES PACEMAKING ROLE

Talented frontrunner Spunky Monkey relished an ideal barrier when he started from No.3 and took the front 550m after the start before going on to win the 2130m Ron Gallop Memorial Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The seven-year-old Vanston Hanover gelding trained at Baldivis by Kate Hawkins, was excellent value at 15/2 once Ryan Bell wrested the lead from Sunsets West.

Spunky Monkey, with Tuapeka Tiz in the breeze, took the edge of the opposition when he sprinted the third 400m section of the final mile in 28.7sec.

He then was able to cover the final 400m in 29.6sec. and scored by 2m from dead-heaters Sunsets West and Astrolabe Storm, who raced in sixth position before coming home with a spirited burst.

Brilliant last-start all-the-way winner Pablito found life far more difficult after starting from barrier eight. Michael George restrained him to the rear at the start before he started a three-wide run with more than a lap to travel. But he made little impression and finished 11th.

Davy Maguire, resuming after a spell (after successive Gloucester Park wins last summer) was a well-supported 3/1 favourite. But he was trapped wide in the early stages and Gary Hall jun. had to restrain him back to last. He did not show up and finished ninth.

 REAL LIFE SHOWS HIS VERSATILITY

Revitalised Life Sign six-year-old Real Life made it two wins in claiming company in the space of eight days when Matt White drove him to a smart all-the-way victory in the Bill Steer Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This proved his versatility. A week earlier he was last in the middle stages and then thundered home from ninth at then bell to win a claimer from Snowballs A Flyin.

Real Life, trained at Capel by Andrew de Campo and a 13/2 chance, sped over the final 800m in 57.4sec. and held on to win by a head from Touch Me Toes (14/1) who finished boldly after trailing the pacemaker all the way.

Veteran Spirit of Shard finished strongly from eighth at the bell to be third. Heavily-backed 2/1 favourite Scram Jet was last at the bell and followed the three-wide run of Spirit of Shard to finish fifth.

Real Life is the first foal out of Victorian mare Fashion With Flair. He is the elder full brother of Mister Anthony, who won at six of his first seven starts (as a three-year-old) and was successful in the Wangarrata Cup last February. He now has had 31 starts for 13 wins, five placings and $98,476.

Real Life now has earned $130,836 from 14 wins and 16 placings from 46 starts.

 LASER EDGE OVERCOMES EARLY TROUBLE

Victorian-bred five-year-old Laser Edge, having his first start in a stand, overcame early interference before getting to the front, setting the pace and winning the Cyril Lilleyman Memorial Pace over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Favourite at 5/2, Laser Edge began well from the No. 2 barrier on the front line, but was checked by Hes A Falcon, who started swiftly from No. 5 and veered inwards, causing interference to Laser Edge and polemarker Jazz Musician.

However, Gary Hall jun. was able to steady Laser Edge and send him to the front in the early stages. Jazz Musician settled down trailing the leader.

Laser Edge dashed over the final 400m in 28.7sec. and won by 4m from Jazz Musician, who did not get clear until the final stages.

The stewards suspended Reg Musgrave for 20 days for having caused the early interference. Hes A Falcon, who was in the breeze early before being shuffled back to tenth at the bell, finished last in the field of 12.

Laser Edge, whose first 65 starts were all in mobiles, rated 2.4.7 at his first appearance in a stand. He now has earned $87,373 from his 13 wins and 17 placings.

By Pacific Fella, Laser Edge is the 11th foal out of New Arrival, a Queensland-bred mare who had 52 starts for 22 wins and 19 placings for stakes of $72,272.                                        
        
Nine of the progeny of New Arrival have raced and all have been winners. They include It Is I (19 wins and $208,575 from 24 starts), La Speranza (18 wins and $155,828 from 53 starts) and Nudge (19 wins and $103,105 from 85 starts).