Record run by Wishing Belle
Wishing Belle, the $1.40 favourite, revealed splendid fighting qualities to withstand constant pressure from the $4.80 second fancy Miss Red Velvet and go on to win the $35,000 North Coast Fibreglass Gold Bracelet from that filly at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Wishing Belle, trained by Aiden De Campo, drew away from her arch rival in the closing stages to win by just under two lengths, rating 1.56.3 over the 1730m which broke the race record rate of 1.56.5 set by Highview Heidi last year.
The victory came as some compensation for reinsman Trent Wheeler, who was disappointed when he drove the $1.70 favourite Reinette in last year’s Gold Bracelet when she set the pace before wilting to finish fourth.
Wheeler, who had finished third with Remarkable Rock in the 2023 Gold Bracelet, gained the drive behind Wishing Belle when De Campo was suspended for 21 days for causing interference in a recent event. However, Wishing Belle’s victory gave De Campo good reason to celebrate his 33RD birthday on Sunday.
Wheeler took full advantage of the No. 1 barrier by dashing Wishing Belle straight to the front and getting the filly to relax with a modest lead time of 8.5sec. and a comfortable opening quarter of 30.5sec. before Kyle Symington applied plenty of pressure from the breeze with Miss Red Velvet.
This resulted in strong 400m sections of 29.6sec., 28.6sec. and 27.9sec. and the victory took Wishing Belle’s record to three starts for two wins and one second placing from three starts for stakes of $48,509.
De Campo, who drove Some Copper Beach (trained by his father Andrew) for her win in the 2019 Gold Bracelet, purchased Wishing Belle for $55,000 at the 2024 Perth APG yearling sale on behalf of several stable clients.
Wishing Belle is by American sire Bettors Wish, who earned $2,781,240 from 24 wins and 17 placings from 44 starts in the United States. She is the seventh foal out of Christian Cullen mare Libertybelle Midfrew, who raced 51 times for 19 wins, 11 placings and $640,497. Her feature wins were in the 2014 WA Oaks, the Golden Nugget in December 2014, and the Mount Eden Sprint in October 2016.
Wheeler was full of praise for Wishing Belle’s ability and great competitive nature, saying: “Aiden said that she will try that little bit harder, and when Kyle (Symington) cane at me, she was always just happy to keep going a little bit faster. She has a very good attitude.”
Cyclone Jordy is still learning
Star three-year-old Cyclone Jordy was not extended in winning the $23,000 TCS Washroom Supplies Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night to remain unbeaten at his first five starts in Western Australia.
He is the nominal favourite for the rich WA Derby later this year, but his driver Gary Hall jnr said that the New Zealand-bred gelding, who is prepared by master trainer Gary Hall snr, was still learning.
“I’m hoping to teach him to race properly,” said Hall after Cyclone Jordy, the $1.04 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of eight which included older and vastly more experienced pacers, had coasted to a 5m win over $14 chance, five-year-old Lord Titanium, rating 1.57.9.
Hall restrained Cyclone Jordy at the start, and ten-year-old polemarker Acuto was able to dawdle through the lead time in 38.4sec. and the opening 400m section in a slow 31.3sec., with Cyclone Jordy back in last place.
With 1100m to travel Hall switched Cyclone Jordy three wide to move to the breeze, without putting any great pressure on Acuto. Finally, Cyclone Jordy got to a narrow lead 370m from home, and he drew away to win easily, with a final quarter of 27.3sec.
“I was happy to go to the breeze when we did, and I guess the lead was probably there, but I was happy to be there, trying to teach him. There might be the time when he is held out, and he says ‘I don’t like this.’ So, it is good to put him outside his comfort zone a bit in the lower grades.
“He did it very comfortably, as expected. I didn’t pull the plugs, and he is such a nice horse to drive. He is right up there with the best three-year-olds we’ve had. It’s always hard to line them up when they are going through the grades.
“It’s a big jump when you get to racing the best of the best. He definitely has the speed, and I have the feeling that he has the speed to measure up.”
Admirers of Cyclone Jordy are looking forward over the coming months to comparing him with the deeds of some former brilliant three-year-olds from the Hall camp, including Beaudiene Boaz, Alta Christiano and The Falcon Strike.
In 2015 Beaudiene Boaz won the Western Gateway Pace, the Caduceus Club Classic and the WA Derby in which he beat Tricky Styx by eight lengths.
Alta Christiano was a magnificent three-year-old, an exciting speed machine who raced ten times in WA as a three-year-old in 2013 for nine wins and one third placing. He won the Western Gateway Pace and the WA Derby, in which he defeated Macha by five lengths.
The Falcon Strike won the 2001 Western Gateway and Caduceus Club Classic before he met with severe interference and finished eighth behind Manifold Bay in the WA Derby.
Cyclone Jordy, unbeaten at his five WA appearances, has earned $211,494 from eight wins and one second placing from ten starts.
Cunning Montana D J triumphs
Montana D J, described by his driver Gary Hall jnr as a cunning horse who knows all the tricks, bounced back to his best form with a powerful victory in the $23,000 Lori K Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Montana D J, trained by Michael Young, was the $1.90 favourite from barrier two who had to work hard in the early stages before getting to the front after 450m, following a fast lead time of 36.2sec. set by the polemarker and $11 chance Showpony.
Great early pressure was applied by Hillview Bondi ($7.50) who began from out wide at barrier seven before being sent forward with a three-wide burst. Montana D J survived this pressure to take the lead from Showpony, leaving Hillview Bondi in the breeze.
The pace was on throughout the event, with the quarters being run in 28.9sec., 29.2sec., 28.6sec. and 30sec. Montana D J won by just under a length from $16 chance My Ultimate Chevron, who rattled home from last at the bell.
Montana D J rated a smart 1.55.5 in winning for the second time from eight appearances in WA, following six wins and nine placings from 30 starts in New Zealand.
“If it wasn’t for Hillview Bondi (charging forward) we probably wouldn’t have got to the front,” said Hall. “Montana D J doesn’t always apply himself in the best manner.
“He did a very good job in New Zealand as a youngster, and sometimes when they get a bit older, they lose a bit of their will to win.”
Montana D J raced twelve times as a two-year-old when he was successful in the group 1 Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes at Alexandra Park. He is by American stallion Captaintreacherous and is the ninth foal out of former champion mare One Dream, who amassed $899,487 in prizemoney from 18 wins, four seconds and one third from 23 starts.
One Dream won seven group 1 feature events and two at group 2 level. Five of her victories came from seven Australian starts, including the Australian Oaks at Moonee Valley in July 2007.
Champions breed a star
Norm and Julie Champion enjoyed considerable success with Nicky Eileen between 2010 and 2014, and now they are delighted with the performances of that mare’s first foal Nickys Son.
They bred Nickys Son (by American sire Imperial Count) after retiring Nicky Eileeen after she had had 113 starts for 13 wins, 32 placings and $125,549.
And the nine-year-old Nickys Son boosted his earnings to $147,091 with his all-the-way win in the $21,000 Harleys Plumbing Trot over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night. This improved his record to 70 starts for 15 wins and 25 placings.
Chris Lewis, who drove Nicky Eileen to eleven of her wins, got Nickys Son, the $4.50 third favourite, away speedily from barrier three, and the veteran trotter ambled through the lead time in 39.3sec. and the opening quarter in 31.2sec. before increasing the tempo with quarters of 30sec., 29.5sec. and 29.6sec. to go on and win by a neck from Chumani ($3.70), and with the $2.15 favourite Patched in fourth place.
“We copped a bit of pressure early, and he did a good job,” said Lewis.
Chumani, a last-start winner, worked hard in the breeze and was gallant in defeat, while Patched, who raced in the one-out, two-back position, battled on gamely.
Princess Katie is tough
Consistent four-year-old Princess Katie notched her first metro-class success when she raced wide early and then in the breeze before defying a spirited late challenge from Hunt The Magic to go on and a narrow victory in the Vale Ed Dewar Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The win gave part-owner and trainer Michael Young a good reason to celebrate his 36TH birthday three days later.
“This was an easier race than she has been in for a while,” said Young. “And she showed that she is pretty tough.”
Princess Katie was a $4.60 chance from out wide at barrier seven, and she settled down at the rear before Gary Hall jnr sent her forward with a sharp burst after about 400m. She then raced without cover, with Bettor Have Faith ($4.40) overracing in the lead.
Bettor Have Faith was always going to be a sitting shot after she had broken into a gallop in the score-up, forcing Shannon Suvaljko to urge her forward to make up about six or seven lengths of lost ground.
Princess Katie got to the front with 400m to travel and then had to fight off a strong and persistent challenge from $20 chance Hunt The Magic, who was last before starting a three-wide move 700m from home.
Hunt The Magic and Princess Katie were locked together in a fierce duel in the home straight, with Hunt The Magic looking the likely winner after getting her nose in front in the closing stages. However, Princess Katie fought on in grand style to win by a nose, rating 1.56.8 after final quarters of 29.6sec. and 29.2sec.
“She is quite tough,” said Hall. “I thought that the other horse (Hunt The Magic) had her for the fair bit of the last 400m. Princess Katie was brave to kick back and win. Sometimes when they get passed, they are reluctant to fight back.”
Princess Katie has now earned $90,433 from seven wins and 12 placings from 40 starts. She is by former star pacer Vincent and is the first foal out of Rocknroll Dreams, who raced 21 times for two wins, six placings and $18,121.
Emily seizes her chance
Outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko made the most of a chance drive to handle Soho Santorini for the first time when the Kim Prentice-trained six-year-old began from the No. 5 barrier in the $30,000 Ascot Group WA Im Themightyquinn Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was engaged to drive Soho Santorini after the gelding’s regular reinsman Mitch Miller opted to handle stablemate Franco Ecuador from the inside of the back line.
“Kim said that if you lead, you will win,” said Suvaljko after she had dashed Soho Santorini, a $16 chance, to the front after 70m and then set the pace on the way to victory by just under a length from the $3.50 favourite Ima Fivestar General.
Suvaljko was acutely aware that the polemarker Ima Fivestar General was enjoying a perfect trip behind the frontrunning Soho Santorini.
“I expected Ima Fivestar General to be the main danger, so I had to make sure that I had to block him in,” she said. Suvaljko kept Ima Fivestar General in a watertight pocket until she dashed Soho Santorini away in the final stages. Ima Fivestar General then got into the clear and ran home strongly.
Franco Ecuador raced three back on the pegs in fifth position and was blocked for a clear run until the late stages, when he finished in 11TH place. The eye-catching run came from the $3.90 second fancy Spyglass, who raced at the rear before flying home, out six wide, to finish a close seventh.
“Soho Santorini travelled really good and every time he got to the straight, he grabbed the bit and got going,” said Suvaljko. “We got away with a slow lead time (38.3sec.) and nice enough sectionals to make it a sprint home. I wanted to keep Ima Fivestar General locked in behind me, and we kept him there for long enough.”
Soho Santorini is by Sunshine Beach and is out of Jeremes Jet mare Hannah Isabella, who was retired after one start when finishing last in a race at Gloucester Park in January 2014. On the credit side, Hannah Isabella is a half-sister to nine winners, including No Blue Manna (105 starts for 41 wins, 25 placings and $628,157).
Miki Windermere overcomes concerns
Former problem pacer Miki Windermere has turned over a new leaf and he made a successful debut on the Gloucester Park circuit --- and at his first appearance under lights --- when he gave reinsman Stuart McDonald a few concerns before scoring an easy win in the $21,000 Foton Media Autumn Series Pace on Friday night.
He was the $2.20 favourite from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line and settled down in seventh position while $8.50 chance Alreddy Flyin was setting a slow pace with a casual lead time of 38.5sec. and two opening quarters of 30.3sec.
Stuart McDonald sent Miki Windermere forward to the breeze after 700m before the WA-bred four-year-old took a narrow lead with 270m to travel.
After a third quarter of 29.4sec. Miki Windermere covered the final 400m in a modest 30.6sec. before winning by two lengths from the $5 chance Shalini, who rattled home from eighth at the bell.
“I’m happy with the way he went,” said McDonald. “He is just green; he didn’t want to get to the breeze, and he didn’t want to go past the leader.”
Miki Windermere is trained in Bunbury by Steve De Campo, who races the horse in partnership with his daughter Lara, her husband Reon Tither, Jeff Wright and Daid Cross. Miki Windermere is the first pacer bred by Lara Tither, whose husband, an accountant, has driven winners in New Zealand and in WA.
De Campo also trained Miki Windermere’s dam B D Windermere, a winner of four races in New Zealand who had eight starts in WA for one placing, a second to Glow Bright after setting the pace in a race at Gloucester Park on September 29, 2017.
B D Windermere’s full-brother Watching Our Coin has earned $196,110 from 13 wins and 20 placings from 59 starts. He was sold to race in America after having 21 starts in WA for trainer Michael Young for ten wins and seven placings in 2023 and 2024.
De Campo revealed that Miki Windermere is a work in progress, saying: “Initially, I couldn’t get him to pace; he kept on breaking up on me. Now he is just starting to put things together. He was brushing his knees and needs to race with spreaders.”
Major Freeway ends a lengthy drought
Veteran pacer Major Freeway ended a losing sequence of 37 and broke a lean spell of 33 months when he excelled in the role of pacemaker and won the $21,000 JMD Pressure And Window Cleaning Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Major Freeway, who had been unplaced at his five starts this year for Byford trainer Shane Quadrio, was a $9.20 chance from the favourable No. 2 barrier, and champion reinsman Chris Lewis had no trouble in sending him straight to the front and setting the pace on the way to winning by a half-length from the $1.80 favourite Chasing Hill, who raced without cover.
Major Freeway was always going to be hard to beat after coasting through the lead time in 38.1sec. and the opening quarters in 31.1sec. and 30.1sec. He covered the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 29sec. and fought on courageously after Chasing Hill had edged his way to a narrow lead with 400m to travel.
Nine-year-old Major Freeway is raced by Quadrio, his wife Terri, his mother Dawn and his sister-in-law Marion Hudson.
Quadrio said that he bought Major Freeway about six months ago after he had been advertised for sale by Busselton owner-trainer Barry Howlett.
“We wanted to have a bit of fun with a horse at Gloucester Park who would be competitive,” said Quadrio. “We got him for a good value, and hopefully he has turned the corner and can win some more races.” He has had 16 starts for his new owners for one win and five placings.
Major Freeway is by Art Major and is the second foal out of Armbro Operative mare Eliza Grace, who raced 49 times for seven wins, 12 placings and $61,588.
Breakthough win for Classnsmart
Redoubtable seven-year-old gelding Classnmart recorded a memorable victory --- his first at Gloucester Park --- when Shannon Suvaljko brought him home with a strong finish to get up in the final stride and beat the pacemaker Alfredi by a nose in the $21,000 TCS Property Maintenance Pace on Friday night.
This was the WA-bred gelding’s 19TH appearance at Gloucester Park in a 116-start career featuring wins at Pinjarra (two), Bunbury (two), Northam (two) and Williams, Wagin and Bridgetown.
He was bred by Ross Waddell and is raced by Waddell’s Pacing WA syndicate and trainer Sarah Suvaljko, and his ten wins and 19 placings have produced $81,166 in prizemoney.
Sarah Suvaljko was at the Narrogin meeting in Friday night, and Joey, one of her sons, brought Classnsmart to Gloucester Park. Another of her sons, Daniel, drove Classnsmart’s ten-year-old stablemate and half-brother Isaidboo into third place behind Mega Mach in a 2242m event at Narrogin at the gelding’s 178TH start in a race.
Other half-brothers to Classnsmart have been durable performers, with Atlastalone earning $201,147 from 19 wins and 28 placings from 158 starts, and Reminder Call racing 103 times for 12 wins and 28 placings for stakes of $91,832. Isaidboo has earned $110,235 from his 12 wins and 44 placings.
All those pacers are out of the Fake Left mare Classy And Smart, who raced 73 times for 14 wins, 21 placings and $104,828.
Joey Suvaljko said that Classnsmart had always found it difficult to get around the Gloucester Park track and was better suited to the bigger circuits at Bunbury and Pinjarra.
“Classnsmart is a big tough guy, not blessed with a lot of speed, but he keeps fighting on in his races,” he said.
Sacked Gaitcrasher shows his class
Roguish behaviour by Gaitcrasher as a young pacer drove his trainer Annie Belton to distraction, so much so that she was forced to give him the sack after his first 12 starts produced two well-beaten third placings at Pinjarra and unplaced efforts at Gloucester Park at tote odds of $126 (twice), $91 and $81.
“One day he wasn’t doing the work I was asking of him,” said Mrs Belton. “He was throwing his head about this way and that way, and then when I put him in the cart, he wanted to put me through the fence.
“So, I thought I was too old for this, and I decided to sack him, I wanted to be fair to the owners and I rang Aiden De Campo, who said he was willing to take him into his stables.”
Remarkably, after being off the scene for ten months, Gaitcrasher, now a four-year-old, has resumed in superb fashion, winning brilliantly at his first three starts for De Campo, including an effortless all-the-way victory when he beat Kinsaabi by three and a half lengths in the $23,000 Bathroom Central Autumn Series final over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
After being despised by punters and starting at very long odds earlier in his career, Gaitcrasher has now won at $1.32, $1.01 and $1.30 odds at his three starts for the De Campo stable.
“Annie Bolton had him and he was getting big and fierce and putting Annie in danger,” said De Campo. “He was quite big as a two and three-year-old and was taking his time to grow into his body.”
Mrs Belton said she was rapt with the way Gaitcrasher was performing for De Campo. “We always knew he was a good horse who would develop into a smart pacer as a four-year-old,” she said.
Gaitcrasher, who was driven by Joey Suvaljko on Friday night, replacing the suspended De Campo, was not extended in winning at a 1.57.5 rate. Suvaljko, who works for De campo as a stablehand, said: “You don’t realise how much it means to me for Aiden to have the confidence in me to put me on his horses. And it’s nice to drive a nice horse.”
Gaitcrasher was an impulsive and headstrong pacer as a youngster, and after Gordon Day paid $85,000 for him at the Perth APG yearling sale in 2022, he went to Trevor and Colleen Lindsay’s property where on the first night there he burst through a gate and careered into a paddock.
This was the reason why Day named him Gaitcrasher, who looks destined to develop into a star performer. Day races the gelding in partnership with his wife Carol and their children Marielle, Blaine and Keelan.
The gelding has now earned $30,178 from his three wins and two thirds from 15 starts. He is by crack American sire Always B Miki and is the first foal out of Art Major mare Innocent Affair, who raced 32 times for seven wins and ten placings for stakes of $51,641. In 2018 Innocent Affair won four races at Bunbury, twice at Gloucester Park and once at Pinjarra.
Innocent Affair’s full-brother Restrepo earned $527,118 from 19 wins and ten placings from 49 starts, and her younger half-brother Goodfellaz has had 42 starts for 14 wins, 15 placings and $182,677 in prizemoney.
