Sangue Reale’s great comeback
Three years ago, Sangue Reale suffered a serious fetlock injury and was retired. But his career was revived --- and then eleven months ago he was again in the wars, with a damaged foreleg.
Now an eight-year-old, Sangue Reale has made a wonderful and heartwarming comeback, and at Gloucester Park on Friday night he recorded his first victory for 20 months when he crushed his rivals with a superb victory in the $35,000 Howard Porter Memorial.
Making his third appearance after a ten-month absence, Sangue Reale was the $2.25 equal favourite with dashing last-start winner Talks Up A Storm when he gave a powerful frontrunning performance and was not extended in beating that pacer.
Ace trainer-reinsman Chris Voak did not lose faith in the New South Wales-bred gelding’s recuperative powers, and he is being rewarded for his patient care, with the veteran pacer emerging as a strong candidate for upcoming rich feature events, including the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on November 8.
Voak has fond memories of the first time he drove Sangue Reale as a $71 outsider who won the group 1 $125,000 Golden Nugget in November 2019 after finishing a nose second to Shockwave and then being awarded the race on protest.
Since then, injuries have kept Sangue Reale out of action for ten months in 2021, seven months in 2022 and for another ten months between October 2023 and August this year.
He had surgery to remove bone chips from his nearside hind fetlock more than three years ago and was retired in a paddock. It was then that trainer Giles Inwood offered a lifeline to the broken-down gelding and leased him when beach work and daily wading in the ocean at Naval Beach enabled him to resume racing, and he had ten starts for Inwood for two wins and three placings.
After that, Voak took over as Sangue Reale’s trainer, and Sangue Reale finished fifth behind Diego, Jumpingjackmac, Mighty Ronaldo and Magnificent Storm in the WA Pacing Cup in January 2023.
Then, later last year when Voak was preparing Sangue Reale for the WA Pacing Cup in November misfortune struck again when in a Free-For-All on October 6 a rival horse moved out beneath him and struck him on his near front leg.
“He was hit that hard that he pulled his shoe off and galloped,” said Voak. “This damaged his tendon; it was a trauma injury, and he missed the Pacing Cup, and we had to give him six months off to rehabilitate him before bringing him back into work.”
Voak said that some therapeutic shoeing when he first got the pacer had helped his suspect fetlock joint. “I used eclipse pads and built the foot up and got it square, and the hoof is perfect now,” he said.
Voak now has trained Sangue Reale for his past 21 starts for four wins and five placings, and the gelding now boats a record of 80 starts for 14 wins, 27 placings and $332,450.
Sangue Reale began from the No. 1 barrier in Friday night’s event and he was the smartest to begin, leaving little option for rival reinsman Kyle Harper to take the sit behind him when the lead time was a slow 38sec. and the opening quarters were covered comfortably in 30.3sec. and 30sec.
Sangue Reale then dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.4sec. and 27.1sec. and won at a 1.56.2 rate by 4m from Talks Up A Storm, with Arma Einstein finishing a sound third after racing without cover in the middle stages and final circuit.
“Sangue Reale has come back in great order, and he wants to be out there, too,” said Voak. “Regarding the slow early pace to be brutally honest I think I gave the rest of the field too much respect.
“Sangue Reale is a lot stronger than he was during his previous preparation, so I’m now excited about him taking on some of the better horses when he can be driven with a sit.”
Voak said that Sangue Reale would now be set for the $100,000 James Brennan Memorial on October 11 and the $100,000 Stratton Cup a fortnight later, leading into the WA Pacing Cup.
“With a soft run, he’s capable of running in the top five in the big races,” said Voak.
Sangue Reale is by Art Major and is the third foal out of the Christian Cullen mare Christisimo, who raced 35 times for ten wins, six placings and $48,618. Christisimo won six times on Victorian country tracks before having seven starts in WA for four wins and a third placing early in 2011, when Kyle Harper drove her to victory at her final appearance, at Gloucester Park in April that year.
A notable first for Carana
Smart, lightly-raced New Zealand-bred pacer Carana is renowned as a standing-start specialist who notched a notable milestone at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he recorded his first victory in a mobile event.
A hectic early speed battle with a fast lead time of 36.4sec. and a sizzling 27.7sec. second 400m section of 27.7sec. played into the hands of Carana, a $6.90 chance.
Deni Roberts was content to let Carana relax in last position in the field of seven while Hampton Banner began with his usual alacrity but was unable to cross the polemarker and $1.90 favourite Otis, and then again after a lap when Gary Hall jnr sent the $3.20 second fancy Miki Jet forward to apply plenty of pressure on Otis.
Arma Xfactor, who had raced in fifth place, surged forward in the final lap and took a narrow lead about 120m from the post.
The Greg and Skye Bond-trained seven-year-old Carana was still last at the 400m before Roberts switched him out four wide and the gelding finished with a powerful burst to take the lead with 100m to travel before winning by 2m from Arma Xfactor, with Otis and Miki Jet close up behind the first two placegetters.
Carana, who rated a smart 1.55.3, went into the race with a record of 33 starts for 14 wins all in stands --- two in New Zealand and 12 in WA. This was only his fifth appearance in a mobile event.
“The quicker they go, the better it is for him,” said Roberts. “He’s got a really good turn of foot, and he can produce it off a hot speed.”
Carana has now earned $173,469 from 15 wins and ten placings from 34 starts, and he is poised to make his presence felt in open-class mobile events.
Dark Eyes is a Derby hope
Victorian-bred pacer Dark Eyes continues to improve, and he strengthened his claims for a start in the $200,000 WA Derby on November 1 when he was untroubled to lead all the way and beat nine-year-old Rock Me Over in the 2536m Retravision Click ‘N’ Collect Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is a relaxed type who does just what he has to do,” said leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko after Dark Eyes, the $1.30 favourite, showed good staying potential to record a mile rate of 1.58.4 after dashing over the final quarters in 28.8sec. and 28.4sec.
Dark Eyes, who was competing against older and more experienced rivals, is prepared by Mike Reed, who has given the three-year-old a lengthy preparation in a bid to have him fit and ready to perform strongly in the 2536m Derby.
Dark Eyes is by Bettors Delight and is the second foal out of the Art Major mare Our Golden Goddess, who was retired to the breeding barn after a brilliant career of 29 starts for 17 wins, eight placings and $442,210 in prizemoney.
Dark Eyes, purchased for $60,000 as a yearling in Melbourne, has earned $45,607 from six wins and five placings from 26 starts.
Goodfellaz is more relaxed
WA-bred five-year-old Goodfellaz has resumed racing after a spell in splendid form, with three wins and a third placing from his four starts after a seven-month absence.
Champion reinsman Chris Lewis was quick to admit that the gelding was racing in the best form of his career because of a change in attitude.
“Earlier in his career he was inclined to overrace, but now he is more relaxed, and tonight he got away well and travelled well,” he said.
Goodfellaz, trained by Debra Lewis, was the $3 favourite from the outside barrier (No. 8) on the front line in the $19,000 Sell Your Car At Westside Auto Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and after settling down in sixth position Chris Lewis dashed him forward in the first lap to race on the outside of the pacemaker Ideal Tomado ($13).
Ideal Tomado, driven by Stuart McDonald, sprinted over the third quarter of the final mile in 27.8sec. in an attempt to make life tough for Goodfellaz.
But Goodfellaz produced an example of his ability by wresting the lead from Ideal Tomado with 250m to travel and racing away to win by a length from $7 chance Franco Mecca, who trailed the leader all the way and did not get clear until the final stages when he ran home strongly.
Goodfellaz is by American Ideal and is the seventh foal out of Shes Innocent, who won once from 14 starts before making her mark as a brood mare, with her first foal Restrepo enjoying an outstanding career of 49 starts for 19 wins, ten placings and $527,118. Goodfellaz has raced 31 times for 12 wins, 11 placings and $140,701.
Me Flash loves to lead
Five-year-old Me Flash excels as a frontrunner, and he has an excellent record from the No. 1 barrier, with six of his ten wins coming from that favourable position.
Trainer-reinsman Shane Steele produced Me Flash in fine fettle for his first-up assignment -—after a two-month absence --- when he was a $7.70 chance in the 1730m The West Australian Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I didn’t think he was a hundred per cent, but I was confident he could lead and win,” said Steele. “He is a different horse when he leads; he grows another leg.”
Me Flash was beaten out at the start by the $2.90 second favourite Soho Firestone but was able to kick through on the inside to deny that pacer, who then was forced to work in the breeze for the rest of the race.
Soho Firestone fought on tigerishly and failed by a head to get up and beat Me Flash, who rated 1.55 after final quarters of 28sec. and 28.2sec.
“He is not a very strong horse, and he hasn’t done particularly well when I have used him up from a wide barrier and tried to take him around,” said Steele. “He is much better in front and doesn’t like a horse to run past him.”
Me Flash has led from barrier one and won three times at Pinjarra and three times at Gloucester Park. He has earned $92,407 from ten wins and 13 placings from 66 starts.
Me Flash’s elder half-sister Stormyskyes caught the eye later in Friday night’s program when she was a $91 chance from out wide at barrier nine in the seventh event and was a clear last in the field of twelve on the home turn before surging home, out four wide, to finish an eye-catching fifth behind Castella Dellacqua.
Beyond Bling relishes a heavy program
Since Northam trainer Lang Inwood bought Beyond Bling for $14,000 late last December the five-year-old pacer has enjoyed a diet of constant racing.
In 38 weeks for his new owner-trainer Beyond Bling has raced 38 times --- and his easy victory in the 7News Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night took his record for Inwood to four wins, nine placings and stakes of $36,675.
Beyond Bling was the $2.70 favourite from barrier two, with Shannon Suvaljko allowing him to bowl along in front with four sub-30sec. quarters on his way to beating $8.50 chance Hengheng by 4m, rating 1.57.6 over 2130m.
Major Freeway, the $3.20 second favourite from the outside of the front line, dashed forward in the first lap to race in the breeze and he battled on gamely to finish third.
“We just had to keep Major Freeway back of our wheel,” said Suvaljko. “We got an easy lead time, so once Major Freeway was at our wheel we just kept rolling and kept him out there.”
Inwood said that he had always liked Beyond Bling, and he leapt at the opportunity to purchase him last December.
Beyond Bling is by former star pacer Bling It On, who earned $1,882,957 from 49 wins and 24 placings from 100 starts. Beyond Bling is the second foal out of Abovenbeyond, who raced 70 times for 16 wins, 20 placings and $55,840.
Alta Tribute remains unbeaten
Three-year-old Alta Tribute is a late developer who has surprised his driver Gary Hall jnr with his ability to win convincingly at his first three starts.
The son of former star pacer Alta Christiano, the $4 third favourite revealed admirable strength when he raced without cover before going on to win by a length from Blaze Away ($3.50), with the $2.30 favourite Mikis Pride a half-head away in third place after setting the pace.
“Early on I never thought he would be a metro horse,” said Hall. “He was hard to get going and to be motivated to run even a 32sec. quarter.
“But in the past month he has come a long way, really quickly. Tonight, he got a bit keen at various stages. He has a fair bit of bottom to him, and he also has a good turn of foot off a sit. As such a big horse he is suited in the breeze, rolling along.”
After middle quarters of 28.7sec. and 28.5sec. Alta Tribute dashed to the front 450m from home and he rated 1.59.5 over 2536m, with a final 400m in 29.1sec.
The WA-bred Alta Tribute, trained by Gary Hall snr, has earned $22,367 from his three wins from three starts. He is out of the Grinfromeartoear mare Harriet Price, who won at two of her nine starts in New Zealand before racing eight times in WA for one placing, a nose second to Fay Darling at Bunbury in December 2016.
Alta Tribute’s elder full-brother High Price has had 50 starts for right wins, 17 placings and $96,255.
Eldaytona defies muscle problems
Part-owner and trainer Lindsay Harper describes six-year-old Eldaytona as a nice horse with issues who has earned $226,872 despite never regaining his brilliant form as a two-year-old.
Eldaytona caused a surprise at Gloucester Park on Friday night when, as a $24 outsider in the $21,000 TABtouch Pace, he gave a spirited frontrunning performance before holding on to win by a head from $7.50 chance Rockmyster.
Eldaytona was driven for the first time by Harper’s daughter-in-law Lauren Harper, who took full advantage of the coveted No. 1 barrier by setting a brisk pace and rating a slick 1.55.5 over 2130m, with a final 800m of 56.6sec.
Brilliant mare Wonderful To Fly was the $2.40 favourite who was driven out from barrier three in a bid for the early lead, but lost momentum when she paced roughly.
“When I saw Wonderful To Fly put in a roughie, I kept hunting through to see if I could lead,” said Lauren Harper.
Wonderful To Fly settled down in fifth position and was sixth at the bell before finishing a well-beaten sixth. Rockmyster, who trailed Eldaytona all the way, got into the clear on the home turn and finished strongly to just fail to overhaul Eldaytona.
“Eldaytona has had severe muscle problems for a couple of years,” said Lindsay Harper. “And this has made his heart, and everything work hard. We can’t get on top of the problem. We’ve taken bloods and had vets treating him, but it’s still a puzzle.
“Eldaytona went 1.54 as a two-year-old when he clashed with Lavra Joe a lot, and there wasn’t a lot between them. The night he went 1.54 Lavra Joe beat him by a nose, and a week later he beat Lavra Joe, running the final mile in 1.53.5.
“He fractured a knee at the end of his two-year-old campaign, and that combined with the muscle problems has prevented him from getting back to the level he was at.”
Eldaytona, who had been unplaced at his eight starts before Friday night’s race, has had 74 starts for 17 wins and 24 placings.
Roberts faces a tough choice
Star filly Captainshavtime coasted to victory in the $21,000 @gloucesterpark On Instagram Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night to remain unbeaten at her five starts in Western Australia, leaving outstanding driver Deni Roberts with quite a headache.
“It’s going to be a tough choice deciding between Captainshavtime and Belly Up as my drive in the Golden Slipper,” said Roberts after guiding the $1.10 favourite Captainshavtime to victory over the pacemaker Ruia ($14) and Ruby Lou ($9.50).
A week earlier Roberts drove the WA-bred gelding Belly Up to a dazzling last-to-first win in the group 1 Westbred Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings to emerge as a leading hope for the $150,000 Golden Slipper next Friday week.
Both youngsters are prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond. The New Zealand-bred Captainshavtime raced three times in New Zealand for a win and a third placing, while she has won in impressive style at her five appearances at Gloucester Park.
“Captainshavtime is a nice filly, and the slow early pace didn’t bother her tonight,” said Roberts. “She has a lot of bottom to her, and even if they go slow, she can rip a good half. If they go fast, she can run home strongly, too.
“She was just too classy for them tonight. I went to the breeze with about 1200m to go because I wanted to cover up Ruby Lou (who was following the leader Ruia). She is not afraid to do some work. The few times I have led with her, she has been lazy, but if a horse had come to her outside, she would have been fine.”
Captainshavtime is on the doorstep of a wonderful career. She has earned $54,580 from six wins and a third from eight starts. She is by American stallion Captain Crunch, and is out of Betterthanbrie, who raced 44 times in New Zealand for five wins, 12 placings and $50,897.
Young’s mares to the fore
Ravenswood trainer-driver Jocelyn Young is emerging as a key player in the upcoming feature events for mares, with four-year-old Castella Dellacqua on the path to joining brilliant stablemates Steno and Peaceful in the top dozen of mares in Western Australia.
Castella Dellacqua bounced back to her best form when she scored an impressive victory in the $23,000 Steelos Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Castella Dellacqua is not in Free-For-All grade yet but she’s heading that way,” said Young after driving the $4.60 chance to an easy win over Zephyra ($15) and Sister Cherie ($15), rating 1.56.4.
The Victorian-bred Castella Dellacqua began from the No. 1 barrier and Young planned to set the pace. However, she was beaten out by the $26 chance Soho Seraphine, who burst straight to the front from barrier five.
Castella Dellacqua enjoyed a perfect trip behind the pacemaker until Dylan Egerton-Green sent Zephyra with a sparkling burst of speed from the rear to take the lead with a lap to travel. Montana Glory, the $1.80 favourite from the No. 2 barrier, was still working hard in the breeze after she had failed in a determined challenge for the early lead.
Young got Castella Dellacqua into the clear approaching the home turn and the mare got to the front in the final 150m before winning by a length and a half.
“We had planned to lead even though I thought Castella Dellacqua might be better with a sit,” she said. “So, it all worked out very well.
“She and Peaceful are both very big mares. Peaceful is very gutsy, and out in front no one will catch her. She has a high cruising speed. Steno is just incredibly speedy, and I don’t think I have driven a horse who is as fast as her. She just blows my mind.
“Steno is tracking along very nicely, and I’m looking to resuming with her in a race for mares on October 4.”
Steno has raced 41 times for 19 wins, 11 placings and $378,068; Peaceful has earned $159,016 from eight wins and nine placings from 25 starts, while Castella Dellacqua has had 27 starts for six wins, nine placings and $86,446.
Castella Dellacqua raced ten times in New South Wales for one win and five placings, and her 17 WA starts have produced five wins and four placings.
She is by American sire Captaintreacherous and is the third foal out of the unraced American Ideal mare Mollys Ideal, whose first foal Act Now has amassed $890,785 from 21 wins and 12 placings from 45 starts.
Act Now won two group 2 events as a two-year-old in 2020 before winning the Victoria Derby in Bendigo in October 2021 and the group 1 Breeders Crown for colts and geldings at Melton the following month. In December 2022 Act Now finished third behind I Cast No Shadow in the Interdominion championship final at Melton, and last October he won the group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton, beating star pacer Catch A Wave.
