McDonald’s notable triumph
Madam Publisher, the only New Zealand-bred filly in the $150,000 TABtouch WA Oaks at Gloucester Park on Friday night, gave talented reinsman Stuart McDonald his greatest success as a trainer when she finished with a super-charged burst to crush her rivals.
She was McDonald’s first starter in a group 1 feature event, and her victory gave the 29-year-old New Zealand-born horseman his third group 1 triumph as a reinsman, following the wins of Caviar Star in the Fremantle Cup in January 2020 and Spellbound in the Ladyship Cup at Melton in February 2022.
Madam Publisher’s impressive victory completed a remarkable transformation from the filly, who as a two-year-old 13 months earlier was discarded because she showed little signs of developing into a successful pacer.
“She wasn’t going good as a two-year-old when she didn’t handle working on the sand,” said McDonald. “She broke under pressure (and finished a distant last in a field of four) in a Byford trial in September last year.
“I then asked her trainer Gary Hall snr if I could have a go with her. Her owner Les Whiteside agreed, and I took over and didn’t work her in the sand as a two-year-old. I’m now working her on the sand, but she doesn’t work as hard as the other horses at the Hall stable.
Madam Publisher was a $10.40 chance from the inside of the back line in the 2536m Oaks, with the brilliant Water Lou the dominant $1.40 favourite ahead of her stablemate Lion Queen ($6.50) and Xceptional Arma ($7).
Shannon Suvaljko drove Water Lou out hard from the No. 3 barrier, but she was held at bay by the polemarker Xceptional Arma before eventually getting the upper hand after 420m, with Madam Publisher enjoying an ideal passage, three back on the pegs.
Lion Queen moved to the breeze in the first lap, with Soho Honey Rider ($17) looking a strong player in the one-out, two-back position.
“I made my first move passing the 600m when I shifted Soho Honey Rider out, and then I managed to get on to that filly’s back,” said McDonald. “At the 400m I could see the ones ahead of Madam Publisher weren’t travelling as good as her, and she was bolting.”
Lion Queen took a narrow lead with about 380m to travel before Mitch Miller sent Soho Honey Rider to the front on the home turn. Madam Publisher was out four wide on the corner and she charged home to win by seven metres from $26 chance Atlantic Gem, who was ninth at the bell and finished fast to relegate Lion Queen to third and Soho Honey Rider to fourth. Water Lou wilted to finish eleventh.
Madam Publisher, who rated 1.58.2, has now earned $123,716 for her breeder-owner Les Whiteside from seven wins and three placings from eleven starts.
Madam Publisher is by American sire Rock n Roll Heaven and is the second foal out of Bettors Delight mare Hot Off The Press, who raced 23 times for three wins, six placings and $22,860. Madam Publisher certainly has inherited much of her ability from her maternal granddam Classical, who won a group 1 feature event as a two-year-old at Alexandra Park 2002 before finishing second to Pullover Brown in the group 1 New Zealand Oaks at Addington in May 2003.
McDonald is now contemplating setting Madam Publisher for the $200,000 WA Derby on November 1. “Initially, I was going to send Madam Publisher out for a spell after the Oaks, but if she pulls up good in the next couple of days and everything is well with her, maybe I’ll push on for a Derby start,” he said.
“She is now an automatic qualifier for the Derby. She can sit on speed and being a sniper is a good role for her. If she drew well in the Derby, she could figure.”
McDonald paid tribute to the many harness racing people who had assisted him in the sport since arriving in Western Australia a decade ago. “I’ve had a lot of support from a lot of camps during my career,” he said. “It’s been fantastic, the help I’ve had from people like Senior (Gary Hall snr) and Junior (Gary Hall jnr).”
Aardiebytheseaside reigns supreme
Aardiebytheseaside, a big, powerful mare, resumed racing after a six-week absence in grand style with a commanding victory in the $27,000 TABtouch Supports Harness Racing Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It was a performance which indicated she will be at her top for the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 8.
Aardiebytheseaside, the $1.20 favourite trained by Greg and Skye Bond, mustered plenty of pace from the No. 3 barrier to get past the polemarker Castella Dellacqua after about 320m, and she was not extended as she bowled along in front and won by just under a length from Castella Dellacqua, rating a smart 1.54.9 over 2130m.
Zephyra ($41) ran on from sixth at the bell to finish third, a nose ahead of the $4.80 second favourite Steno, who settled at the rear and was fifth at the bell at her first appearance for almost six months.
Aardiebytheseaside, a New Zealand-bred four-year-old, is unbeaten at her seven starts in Western Australia, and now boasts a splendid record of 28 starts for 15 wins, eight placings and stakes of $379,729.
“It was a good first-up run,” said star driver Deni Roberts. “She did a fair bit of work early. She can tend to overrace but she came back to me quite well and didn’t overrace. She ran a nice 1200m (29sec., 28.1sec. and 28sec.) and I think what is going to win her races is her ability to run a solid mile rate.”
Im The Black Flash enjoys the stands
Promising pacer Im The Black Flash has resumed after a five-month absence in splendid fashion with a close second and a very easy win in standing-start events.
He certainly enjoys the stands, having contested standing-start events at five of his past six starts, including his second placing behind Skylou in the Easter Cup last March.
His effortless win off 20 metres in the 2503m TABtouch Past The Post Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night was a firm indication that he is on target to contest important feature upcoming events, including the $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship on November 15, the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic (November 29) and the $200,000 Golden Nugget (December 13).
Im The Black Flash, trained by Gary Hall snr, was the $1.20 favourite in Friday night’s event in which he was driven by Stuart McDonald. He settled down in sixth position before McDonald sent him forward after 700m to dash to the front with two laps to travel.
He was not extended in sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.9sec. and 28.8sec. to win by two and a half lengths from the $11 second fancy Paroquet.
The win took Im The Black Flash’s record to 24 starts for 11 wins, six placings and $178,589.
“He got jammed up a bit at the start, but he got away cleanly,” said McDonald. “I didn’t release the ear plugs, and he did it easily.”
Soho Firestone is versatile
Soho Firestone relished his role as the pacemaker when he scored a very easy win last Friday week, and he revealed his versatility at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he began from the outside of the back line and raced in the midfield before unwinding a strong finish to snatch victory in the $30,000 TABtouch Restricted Spring Feature Pace.
The Kim Prentice-trained four-year-old was excellent value at $10.20 and was driven confidently by Mitch Miller, who was happy to race three back on the pegs while Soho Bollinger ($3.30) was setting the pace from the $2.20 favourite Louie Dior in the breeze.
“I was able to pull out with about 400m to go, and he ran home strongly and thankfully he stuck his nose out at the right time,” said Miller.
Soho Firestone, bred and owned by Rob Watson, got up to win by a half-neck from Soho Bollinger, also bred and owned by Watson. The final three quarters were run in 29.5sec., 28.6sec. and 29.1sec., with the winner rating 1.56.7 over the 2130m journey.
Galaxy Warrior, a $91 outsider from barrier four, was eighth at the bell before running home smartly along the inside to finish a nose away in third place.
Vegas Strip ($8) surged home, out wide, to be an eye-catching fourth, while Louie Dior faded to last after a hard run.
Soho Firestone is by American Ideal and is the third foal out of the unraced Art Major mare Soho Margaux. He has earned $128,520 from 11 wins and 15 placings from 46 starts.
Dark Eyes is on target
Dark Eyes moved a step closer to qualifying for a start in the $200,000 WA Derby on November 1 when he gave a solid frontrunning display to win the 2130m $19,000 TABtouch Scan My Bet Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This was his third win from his past six starts, and the Mike Reed-trained Bettors Delight gelding has now earned $58,787 from seven wins and six placings from 29 starts.
Dark Eyes, the $3.40 favourite from the No. 2 barrier, ambled through the lead time in 38.6sec. and coasted through the opening quarters in 31.8sec. and 30.8sec. before dashing over the final 400m sections in 28.9sec. and 28.1sec. He rated 1.59 in beating The Beaudster ($11) by a half-length, with $8.50 chance Flying Rumour, a stablemate of Dark Eyes, finishing strongly into third place.
“I was always confident of winning,” said leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko. “There were two horses out wide with good gate speed, so we had to time the gate right and get to the front, and once we got there easily, we were set for victory.
“Dark Eyes can reel off a quick half, and he does only what he has to. When the two main dangers were sitting up, we just controlled the race and made it a sprint home.”
Rockmyster surprises Egerton-Green
Serpentine trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green wasn’t sure that Rockmyster had sufficient gate speed to set the pace in the 2130m $21,000 You’ve Got The TABtouch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night --- and he was pleasantly surprised when the five-year-old revealed excellent speed from barrier five to surge to the front after 100m.
And from then on it was a one-horse affair, with Rockmyster, the $3.20 favourite setting a solid pace with final quarters of 29.9sec., 29sec. and 27.9sec. on his way to winning by just over two lengths from Dominus Factum ($4.80), with Star Casino ($3.40) finishing third after sustaining a long three-wide burst.
Rockmyster rated 1.56.3 and improved his record to 44 starts for 12 wins, ten placings and $140,023 in prizemoney. He won once from nine starts in New Zealand, and his WA record stands at 35 starts for 11 wins and nine placings.
He is by American sire Rock n Roll Heaven and is the sixth foal out of Operative Asset, whose seventh foal, Hammer Down, made a successful debut when he finished brilliantly for trainer-reinsman Nathan Williamson to win by two lengths from Glenkenick at a 1.57 rate over 1609m at Forbury Park on June 22 this year.
Hammer Down, a small gelding by Always B Miki, will do his future racing in Western Australia.
A first for Cloud Nine
New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Cloud Nine has never been known as a pacer with good gate speed, and it came as a surprise when he began from the No. 1 barrier and dashed straight to the front, set a brisk pace and won easily when he rated 1.57.8 in the 2130m TABtouch Have You Got the Touch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This was a significant first for the Bettors Delight gelding --- the first time in 41 starts in Western Australia that he had set the pace.
After driving Cloud Nine, the heavily-supported $2.10 equal favourite with Soho Moonraker to an effortless victory by four and a half lengths over Soho Moonraker, Byford trainer Donald Harper said: “Cloud Nine is not generally known for his gate speed but tonight he began well enough to hold them out at the start.
“I thought that if he could hold up it would give us the best winning chance.”
Cloud Nine was purchased by Harper for $11,000 in June this year, and the gelding is raced by his wife Tara. Cloud Nine has had 13 starts for the Harper stable for Friday night’s win, four placings and stakes of $13,470.
A winner at two of his 16 New Zealand starts, Cloud Nine has earned $143,349 from 11 wins, 19 seconds and six thirds from 88 starts.
“He has been unlucky a fair few times,” said Harper, who is hopeful of further successes with the seven-year-old who he describes as a very easy horse to deal with. Our son Logan (11) comes down every day after school and puts him on the treadmill for an afternoon walk.”
Sugar Shake shines at his city debut
Barry Howlett bred, owns and trains Sugar Shake, a five-year-old who made a successful debut at Gloucester Park when he gave a bold frontrunning exhibition to win the 2130m TABtouch Place A Same Race Multi Pace on Friday night.
“He had never seen Gloucester Park, but I was confident that he would win,” said Howlett. “He has a bit of ability and has good gate speed, and from barrier one I knew he would lead. He was a level 6 horse racing against level 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 15 horses but it makes it easy when you draw barrier one.”
Sugar Shake was the $4.10 second fancy, with Magnus Victor, a level 10 pacer from barrier five, a hot $1.50 favourite. Magnus Victor was fastest into stride but was unable to cross Sugar Shake, driven by Chris Lewis. Aiden De Campo then was able to get Magnus Victor into the favourable one-out, one-back position.
Sugar Shake dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.9sec. and 28.7sec. and was not extended in beating $16 chance Lamandier, who finished strongly from sixth at the bell. Name In Lights ($21) who trailed the pacemaker, was a sound third, just ahead of Magnus Victor.
Sugar Shake has had only ten starts for five wins, three placings and $30,480. “We didn’t do much with him early when he was quite small,” said Howlett. “And he has suffered from bad feet all the time which has required constant treatment.”
Howlett bred Sugar Shake from Bonnies Blessing, a mare he bred but did not race because of leg issues. “Bonnies Blessing is a daughter of Bonnie Blue Eyes and is a very big horse, standing more than 17 hands, but Sugar Shake is much smaller, typical of the progeny of Bettors Delight.”
Sugar Shake has inherited much of the ability of Bonnie Blue Eyes, who raced 44 times for 12 wins, 16 placings and $87,565 before being retired to the breeding barn. The best of her nine winners was No Blue Manna, who earned $628,157 from 41 wins and 25 placings from 105 starts.
Riding helps Paul Edward
A change in his training routine has helped Paul Edward to bounce back to form after a sequence of five unplaced efforts.
The WA-bred five-year-old was the $2.70 second fancy from the No. 2 barrier in the 2130m TABtouch Watch Sky Racing Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when trainer Dylan Egerton-Green drove him to an all-the-way win over Franco Western ($9) and Hez Sam ($51).
After a slow lead time of 38.6sec. and comfortable opening quarters of 30.4sec. and 30.1sec. Paul Edward sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.3sec. and 28.4sec.
“He has had a lot of feet problems, and I’ve changed the way of working him over the past two weeks,” said Egerton-Green.
“I’ve been riding him twice a week on a bush track on the farm at Serpentine, and this has helped to change his mindset. And I haven’t hoppled him at all since his previous start, a fortnight ago.”
Paul Edward is by American sire Always B Miki and is the ninth foal out of Like A Dame, who had 36 starts for three wins, 12 placings and $10,312. The best of Like A Dame’s progeny has been David Hercules, who amassed $1,263,159 from 39 wins and 35 placings from 108 starts.
Soho Santorini, the $2.25 favourite in Friday night’s race, had a tough run in the breeze before fading to finish in eighth place. After the race Soho Santorini was found to be lame in the off-hind leg.
Now, it’s Minstrel for Roberts
Steel The Show revealed his typical toughness to win the $31,000 TABtouch Share My Bet Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night and to earn a start in the $100,000 James Brennan Memorial next Friday night.
But Deni Roberts, who drove Steel The Show to his half-head win over the fast-finishing Sangue Reale, will not be in the sulky when he contests the Brennan Memorial.
Instead, she is looking forward eagerly to driving millionaire star pacer Minstrel in his comeback race after an absence of six months.
Minstrel, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, will be beginning his spring and summer campaign, with the $100,000 J. P. Stratton Cup on October 25 and the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on November 8 his major targets after racing next Friday night.
“Minstrel has had a nice, long spell which is something he hasn’t had in the four years he has been in WA,” said Roberts. “He is going really good, is ticking over nicely, and is in a really good head space.”
Minstrel has had 62 starts for 24 wins, 19 placings and $1,038,908, and among the highlights of his wonderful career are his win in the Golden Nugget in February 2021 and finishing second to Catch A Wave in the inaugural Nullarbor slot race in April this year.
Steel The Show was the $4.20 second fancy from barrier four in Friday night’s Free-For-All, in which the polemarker Soho Dow Jones was the $2 favourite.
Steel The Show had been unplaced at his six starts, mainly in stronger company, leading into the race, and Roberts planned to use the seven-year-old’s strength to advantage by softening up the opposition.
Soho Dow Jones was smartest to begin, and Roberts quickly sent Steel The Show forward to race in the breeze and apply pressure on Soho Dow Jones.
After the second quarter of the final mile was covered in 29.3sec. the next two 400m sections were run in 27.9sec. and 28.8sec. Steel The Show got to the front 120m from the post and he held on to beat the $5 chance Sangue Reale by a half-head, rating 1.56.5. Sangue Reale was sixth at the bell and he sprinted home brilliantly.
“Steel The Show hadn’t had a (favourable) draw in most of his recent starts, and I was happy to be able to drive him like I did tonight,” said Roberts. “It was a race in which we could be more positive, and he put in a much stronger performance. He’s tough and doesn’t mind doing work in his races.”
Steel the Show, a winner of six races in New Zealand, has excelled under the care of the Bonds, and he now has a splendid record of 79 starts for 16 wins, 23 placings and $420,751.
