Mister Smartee overcomes setbacks
Star pacer Mister Smartee was slightly below his best but was still good enough to score a splendid victory in the $125,000 North Coast Fibreglass Four-Year-Old Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Nothing turned out the way I expected, and I had to go to Plan A, B, C, D and E,” said champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr after Mister Smartee exploded over the final 50 metres to win by almost a length from Lusaka, who appeared the likely winner when he was more than a length ahead of his brilliant rival 100m from the post.
“Mister Smartee (the $1.10 favourite) made hard work of it, and he is not quite as sharp at the moment as he has been, mainly because of all the racing he has had recently. This was only his 17TH start in a race.
“I think his recent runs have taken the edge off him a little bit, so we’ve now got two weeks to get him ready for the Golden Nugget. We will be trying to get that sparkle back.
“Tonight, I had to make sure he was fully switched on before I pulled him out. Luckily enough, he got the job done. He probably got mixed messages when I was going in and out with him.”
Sorridere, the $9.50 second favourite, was smartest into stride from the No. 3 barrier, but he was unable to cross $41 chance Chivalry from the No. 1 barrier.
Mister Smartee, went forward from barrier five and raced three wide for the first 150m before Hall angled him across to enjoy the ideal one-out, one-back passage. Hall switched Mister Smartee three wide 500m after the start, but he then eased him back to the one-one position.
After a 28.7sec. second 400m section of the final mile Im The Black Flash surged forward, out three wide, in the home straight racing for the bell. Hall then eased out three wide with Mister Smartee but quickly angled back into the one-wide line.
Lusaka ($18) was enjoying a perfect passage behind the frontrunning Chivalry before Dylan Egerton-Green got Lusaka into the clear and burst to the front with 220m to travel. Mister Smartee appeared destined to run second when Lusaka was still a clear leader 100m from the post. But Mister Smartee unleashed a sparkling late sprint to charge to the front 35m from the post and win comfortably. The final quarters were covered in 27.6sec. and 28.3sec. and Mister Smartee rated 1.53.9 over the 2130m.
Chivalry held on for third, ahead of $101 outsider Rolling Fire, who was tenth at the bell and finished powerfully into fourth place.
“Every time I went to go with Mister Smartee, he didn’t grab the bit, so I kept tucking back in,” said Hall.
The New Zealand-bred Mister Smartee, trained by Gary Hall snr, has taken racing in Western Australia by storm, having contested 15 starts here for 13 wins and one second placing to boost his career record to 17 starts for 14 wins, two placings and earnings of $440,211.
Hall jnr now faces an extremely difficult decision whether to drive Mister Smartee or the Justin Prentice-trained Never Ending in the $200,000 Golden Nugget next Friday week.
Never Ending, a winner at 16 of his 23 starts, has not raced since finishing eighth behind Don Hugo in the Eureka at Menangle on September 7. He will resume racing in a 2130m event at Gloucester Park next Friday night.
“Never Ending has been working pretty good and I’m happy with him,” said Prentice. “It’s obviously a pretty big ask, having one run before the Nugget. So, he has to run a good race. But if he doesn’t, we won’t worry about the Nugget.”
Hall will drive Never Ending next Friday night, and he said if the horse performed well, he would face a tough decision, regarding choosing between Mister Smartee and Never Ending in the 2536m Nugget. “Either way, I’m going to upset some of the owners.”
Ambitious plans for Jawsoflincoln
New South Wales-bred pacer Jawsoflincoln sprinted home brilliantly to crush his rivals in the $31,000 Bathroom Central WA Members Sprint over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, prompting his trainer Justin Prentice to contemplate planning setting the five-year-old for feature events next year.
“He will keep racing and then I might give him a bit of a freshen up over Christmas before bringing him back to see if he can take the next step,” said Prentice.
“I’ll be looking at the better Free-For-Alls and the Bunbury and Pinjarra Cups, leading into the Nullarbor in April. It would be nice to get a start in the Nullarbor, and though he is generally regarded as a short distance performer, I am confident he is capable of handling 2536m events like the Fremantle Cup.
Prentice, who prepared $31.20 chance Mighty Ronaldo for his victory in the Fremantle Cup in January 2023, said: “The Fremantle Cup journey shouldn’t worry Jawsoflincoln. Nothing suggests to me that he cannot run the distance. He works over a distance at home, and he runs races like the distance doesn’t bother him.
“He has a bit of bottom, and I’ve been waiting for him to get a run like he had tonight (three back on the pegs) where he can sit off them and not do too much work before getting home. He put them away nicely tonight.”
Gary Hall jnr was impressed with Jawsoflincoln’s performance, saying: “He has a certain element of toughness about him, and if he draws to lead, he goes well in front. He can follow any speed, and generally in the better grades he is a bit of a sniper.”
Polemarker To Fast To Serious ($4.80) resisted early challenges for the lead from Jumpingjackmac ($11) and Captain Ravishing ($1.70) and he dashed over the opening quarter in 28.6sec. with Captain Ravishing in the breeze and Jawsoflincoln ($7.90) settling comfortably in fifth position, three back on the pegs.
Hall eased Jawsoflincoln off the pegs 400m from home and he moved into third place on the home bend, with Captain Ravishing taking a narrow lead. Jawsoflincoln hit the front with 100m to travel and he won by two lengths from Captain Ravishing, rating a smart 1.52.9 after a final quarter of 27.4sec.
The much-travelled Jawsoflincoln has now earned $195,909 from 20 wins and nine placings from 46 starts. A winner of 15 races in South Australia and one in Victoria, Jawsoflincoln has won at four of his ten WA starts.
“Approaching the home bend, he took a little bit to wind up to the speed they were running,” said Hall. “But on straightening up I was confident he was going to get over the top of them.”
Atlantic Gem is thriving
Promising filly Atlantic Gem gave a sample of her class when Kyle Symington drove the three-year-old to a smart win in the $21,000 North Coast Fiebreglass Neerabup Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was the $1.80 favourite who bounced straight to the front from the No. 3 barrier, and set a modest early pace before dashing home over the final quarters in 28sec. and 27.5sec. to win by just over a half-length from $21 chance Copy Cat Queen, who was last in the field of nine at the bell before flying home from the rear on the home turn.
“Surprisingly, she was relaxed out in front, but when I asked her to go, she responded well,” said Symington. “She is thriving and coming through every run very well. This is her first serious race preparation, and I expect her to come back better at her next preparation.”
Atlantic Gem, trained by Ryan Bell, surged home from the rear when second to Madam Publisher in the WA Oaks early in October, and she now has had 14 starts for four wins, four placings and $91,461 in stakes.
“She appreciated getting an easy run in front tonight,” said Bell. “She has had a few hard runs since the Oaks and has acquitted herself well. We were pretty confident she would win, but there is such an even bunch of fillies you can never be too confident.”
Atlantic Gem is by American stallion Downbytheseaside and is the second foal out of Bettors Gem, who earned $103,276 from eleven wins and 13 placings from 40 starts. Bettors Gem’s first foal is the brilliant Swingband, who was retired to stud after racing 36 times for 13 wins and ten placings for stakes of $395,079.
Caliente excels in stands
Lightly-raced six-year-old Caliente, a half-brother to evergreen veteran pacer Cordero, excels in standing-start events, and it was his ability to win the start that paved the way for his easy win in the $21,000 Tinnie Lynney Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Caliente, trained by Chris Voak and driven by Chris Lewis, was the $3.50 second favourite from barrier two on the front line. He was beaten for early speed by $12 chance Cheddar Is Better, but aggressive driving by Lewis enabled Caliente to withstand the challenge and to assume the role of pacemaker.
Lewis set a solid pace with Caliente, who made life tough for the opposition by dashing over the third 400m section of the final mile in 27.7sec. and forcing his main rivals Soho Santori ($5.50), Brickies Dream ($3.40 favourite) and Coney Island Lou ($5) to work hard.
Caliente needed to run the final 400m in only 29.3sec. to win by two lengths from Brickies Dream, who dashed forward from the rear after a lap to work in the breeze. Coney Island Lou came from tenth in the middle stages to be fourth, out three wide, at the bell. However, his habit of hanging did not help his prospects, and he battled on gamely to finish third.
Caliente has contested 13 stands for five wins and seven placings. He has earned $60,774 from seven wins and ten placings from 23 starts.
He is by American Ideal and is the fifth foal out of former star mare Innocent Eyes, who had 62 starts for 18 wins, 17 placings and $421,875.
Drop in class aids Goodfellaz
WA-bred five-year-old Goodfellaz appreciated a considerable drop in class when he was untroubled to stroll to victory in the 2130m Fibreglass Shower Specialists Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Debra Lewis-trained gelding, driven by Chris Lewis, was a hot $1.30 favourite from the No. 3 barrier when he was not bustled early before getting past Navy Street ($6) to assume the role of pacemaker after 300m.
Goodfellaz showed his class with final three 400m sections of 28.7sec., 28.2sec. and 27.7sec. and he won by two lengths from Navy Street, who trailed him and finished more than five lengths ahead of the third placegetter, the $21 chance Rockandrollartist, who raced without cover early before gaining an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position.
“It all worked out perfectly,” said Lewis. “Once he got to the front, he was going to be hard to beat. Even if he breezed, he would’ve been hard to beat.
“The (unfavourable) draws in several recent starts put him back in the field and didn’t help him.” Goodfellaz’s win gave Lewis the first leg of a driving double which he completed with Caliente’s victory later in the program.
Goodfellaz is by American Ideal and is the seventh foal out of Shes Innocent, who raced 14 times for one win, four placings and $12,460. Shes Innocent’s first foal Restrepo earned $527,118 from 19 wins and ten placings from 49 starts.
Whataretheodds set for San Simeon Pace
Crack sit-sprinter Whataretheodds ran an excellent trial for the $50,000 San Simeon Pace next Friday night when he unleashed a sizzling burst of speed to snatch a last-stride victory in the 2130m Vale Peter Gannon Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The win completed a double for Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell and young reinsman Kyle Symington, who were successful earlier in the night with three-year-old filly Atlantic Gem.
Whataretheodds ($4.20) began from the No. 6 barrier, and Symington did not bustle him while the polemarker Lamandier ($8) was setting a solid pace from the $3.40 favourite Star Casino in the breeze, Ragazzo Mach ($4.20) behind the leader and Ima Fivestar General $7) in the one-out, one-back position.
Whataretheodds was eighth at the bell before Symington sent him forward in the back straight. The speedy five-year-old was switched five wide 250m from home, and he sprouted wings as he charged forward to beat the fast-finishing $7 chance Nullarbor Navajo by a head, rating 1.54.9 after final quarters of 28.2sec. and 27.9sec.
Star Casino, who had worked his way to the front 120m from the post, was third, a half-length ahead of Ima Fivestar General.
“Whataretheodds hit the line better tonight (after a second to Ventura and a fourth behind Golden Lode at his two previous starts),” said Bell.
Whataretheodds, purchased for $25,000 at the 2020 Perth APG yearling sale, has now earned $141,608 from nine wins, ten seconds and two thirds from 26 starts. He finished second in two group 1 events as a two-year-old. He is by Betting Line and is the second foal out of the Mach Three mare Generally Outspoken, the winner of the group 3 Gold Bracelet in July 2013, who was retired with earnings of $69,688 from eight wins and five placings from 26 starts.
Montana Glory bounces back
Smart New Zealand-bred mare Montana Glory, unplaced at her five previous outings and having her first start for three weeks, bounced back to her best form when she gave a bold frontrunning display to score an easy victory in the $21,000 Lori Ki Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was the $3.50 second fancy behind the $1.65 favourite Peaceful and was driven with supreme confidence by leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko.
Suvaljko got the Mike Reed-trained Montana Glory away to a flying start from the No. 2 barrier and the five-year-old travelled smoothly in front and after final quarters of 27.5sec. and 28.6sec. she won by just over a length from Peaceful, who began from the outside barrier in the field of nine and worked hard in the breeze.
“She was a lot better this week,” said Suvaljko. “She hadn’t raced for a couple of weeks but her work with Ragazzo Mach has been first-class. She is not really a good trackworker, so I knew she would run a good race.
“She was sweet on the bit and the way she was travelling she was never going to lose from the bell onwards. She has had bad feet, and Mike is now on top of it. I think she will keep improving.”
Montana Glory beat Peaceful by just over a length, with Our Lady Jen ($26) improving from seventh at the bell to be third, a nose ahead of Seagrass ($19).
Montana Glory is by Always B Miki and is the first foal out of unraced Mach Three mare Pacific Glory. She has earned $117,084 from seven wins and 12 placings from 31 starts. After one win from seven New Zealand appearances Montana Glory has had 24 starts in Western Australia for six wins and eight placings.
Penny Black toughs it out
New Zealand-bred mare Penny Black revealed wonderful fighting qualities to race without cover before fighting on grimly to snatch a last-stride win by a half-head from the pacemaker and $2.25 favourite Insta Gator in the $23,000 Be Like Charlie Four-Year-Old Consolation over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She wouldn’t be out of place in the Golden Nugget,” said reinsman Gary Hall. “She would be competitive and if she happened to draw to lead, she would take a lot of beating.”
Penny Black, the $2.80 second fancy from the No. 4 barrier, refused to give in during the tense struggle with Insta Gator in the home straight. The final quarters were run in 28.6sec. and 28.4sec. and the winner rated 1.54.9.
“She’s super,” said Hall. “She might lack that little yard of speed, but she really hasn’t had the chance to show it so far. What she lacks in speed, she makes up with her toughness.
“Michael (trainer Michael Young) has been bullish about her for a long time. We were looking forward to the Mares Classic but obviously the barrier (nine) completely took the race out of her reach.”
Penny Black looks set for highly successful career and should improve considerably on her record of 17 starts for eight wins, four placings and $91,374. Her eleven WA starts have produced seven wins and two placings.
Penny Black is by boom sire Sweet Lou and is the fourth foal out of unraced Rocknroll Hanover mare Tessa Rocks, whose half-sister Crystal Sparkles had 118 starts for 29 wins, 35 placings and $223,951. Crystal Sparkles was trained by Ross Olivieri when she had 20 starts in WA in 2019 for five wins and seven placings before continuing her career in the United States.
Galactic Star’s memorable success
Exactly nine years ago on November 29, 2015, Galactic Star won at his second start in a race, as the $2.30 favourite from barrier two in a 2200m event at Invercargill, and the evergreen equine marvel is still competing with admirable verve.
At Gloucester Park on Friday night, on November 29, 2024, the 11-year-old Galactic Star was a $4.50 chance when Dylan Egerton-Green drove him to an impressive victory in the $25,000 Ascot Group WA Pace.
This was a most fitting result on the same night as his Greg and Skye Bond-trained stablemate Minstrel won the opening heat of the Interdominion Championship at Newcastle in New South Wales, considering that Galactic Star has an imposing record in Interdominion Championships.
Galactic Star contested the championship series in WA in 2017 and in Victoria the following year when in 2017 he won a 2100m heat at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park, beating Yayas Hot Spot and Lennytheshark, and was fifth in the final at Gloucester Park, finishing behind Lazarus, Chicago Bull, Tiger Tara and Vultan Tin.
In December 2018 Galactic Star was a most unlucky sixth behind Tiger Tara in the Inters final at Melton when he began from the No. 1 barrier and was third after 100m before meeting with severe interference and galloping back to last.
This followed Galactic Star’s win over San Carlo in a 2240m qualifying heat at Melton, his second to Spankem in a 2550m heat at Cranbourne and his third behind Cruz Bromac in a 1710m heat at Ballarat.
Galactic Star, who finished second to Chicago Bull in the 2020 Fremantle Cup, has proved to be an outstanding bargain for his owners, Team Bond, and Rob Gartrell’s Running Camel Pty Ltd.
After racing 13 times in New Zealand for four wins, seven placings and $25,848, Galactic Star was sold to his WA owners for less than $50,000. His record now stands at 159 starts for 37 wins and 45 placings for $853,540.
Galactic Star has been a versatile performer throughout his distinguished career, setting the pace and winning many times, as well as racing with a sit and unwinding a powerful late burst.
When he won at Invercargill on November 29, 2015, Galactic Star was ninth at the bell before finishing powerfully to win from Better Go Hurry at a 2.1.1 rate.
At Gloucester Park on Friday night Galactic Star enjoyed a perfect sit behind the pacemaker Jaspervellabeach before he finished fast in the home straight to get up and win convincingly from the $2.30 favourite Hampton Banner, who had taken the lead 220m from home after racing without cover all the way. Jaspervellabeach held on to finish third.
Galactic Star was driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, who said that the old gelding was a perfect horse to drive. “He does everything right, and trailing the leader was ideal when no-one else wanted to be on the fence,” he said. Egerton-Green has handled Galactic Star (who ended a losing sequence of eleven) 19 times for two wins, four seconds and three thirds.
Galactic Star is by champion stallion Bettors Delight and is out of the Christian Cullen mare Petra’s Star, who raced 14 times in New Zealand for three wins, two placings and $26,739.
