Diego notches his century in style
Sprightly veteran pacer Diego led his rivals on a merry dance when he celebrated his 100TH start by setting a brisk pace and winning the $31,000 Rotary Club of Fremantle Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred eight-year-old, driven aggressively and confidently by Maddison Brown, showed that he has lost none of his competitive spirit and is capable of contesting the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on November 8 --- a race he won in January 2023 when he beat Jumpingjackmac, Mighty Ronaldo and Magnificent Storm.
Diego, bred and owned by Syd and Shona Brown (no relation to Maddison), has been produced in splendid condition by master trainer Gary Hall snr for his winter and spring campaign, and he boasts a marvellous record of 100 starts for 27 wins, 24 placings and stakes of $898,517, which includes 17 starts in New Zealand for three wins, five placings and $26,750.
Maddison Brown has formed a wonderful association with Diego, having driven the Bettors Delight gelding 48 times for 14 wins, six seconds, eight thirds and five fourths.
“He felt strong and really switched on tonight,” said Brown. “Once we got to the front (after 250m) I was going to go up a bit (with her grip on the reins). But he was travelling so sweetly that I didn’t.
“Coming into the bell he was quite keen, but he ran through the line super well. Earlier in the preparation he was getting on his knee a bit, but that has been sorted out since we put a pole on him, and he is racing straighter.”
Diego was the $2.70 favourite on Friday night when he accelerated quickly from barrier five to dash past the polemarker The Code Breaker and into the lead. Mighty Conqueror, the $4 second fancy from the outside barrier in the field of eight, settled in last position before Deni Roberts urged him forward after a lap to move to the breeze, thus giving Wildwest ($8.50) an ideal trip in the one-out, one-back position.
Diego gave his rivals little chance of seriously challenging him by running the final three quarters in 28.6sec., 28.5sec. and 28.8sec. He won by just over a half-length from Wildwest, rating 1.56.7 over 2536m. The Miki Taker ($4.20) ran home strongly from sixth at the bell to finish third.
The sky’s the limit
Powerful New Zealand-bred mare Aardiebytheseaside showed that she not only has outstanding winning prospects in the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic and the $150,000 Mares Classic in November but she has the ability to challenge the male four-year-olds in the $2000,000 Golden Nugget on December 13 with a dazzling first-up performance in the Rotary Club of Fremantle Pace for mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I’m excited about her future,” said Deni Roberts after driving the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Aardiebytheseaside to a most impressive runaway victory in which the mare, at her first appearance for eleven weeks was a hot $1.20 favourite from the No. 5 barrier in the 2130m event.
Little Darling, the $6 second fancy from the No. 1 barrier, set the pace after a fast lead time of 35.6sec., with Blaze Coops ($41) keeping her honest as she raced keenly in the breeze. Roberts was more than happy to take the trail in the one-out, one-back position, following Blaze Coops.
Roberts bided her time until she switched Aardiebytheseaside three wide 550m from home, and the mare sprinted brilliantly to burst to the front 150m later before careering away from her rivals to win by just under seven lengths from $31 chance Sovrana, who ran on solidly from fifth on the pegs at the bell. The winner rated a smart 1.55.2.
“This time, compared to her first preparation here from New Zealand, she is happy in our system,” said Roberts. “I wasn’t concerned about how the race turned out, and it was nice to get a helmet (following Blaze Coops). She is a classy mare and if she has to do the work (in her races), I’m sure she will be able to do that.”
Aardiebytheseaside has not been extended in winning easily at her first three starts in Western Australia, and she appears destined for big things. She has earned $307,954 from 11 wins and eight placings from 24 starts.
Filly’s winning WA debut
New Zealand-bred two-year-old filly Captainshavtime made a successful West Australian debut when she gave a solid frontrunning display to score an easy win in the $21,000 Rotary Ending Polio Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was the $1.20 favourite who was smartest into stride from the No. 6 barrier and then was not seriously challenged on her way to winning by 4m from $34 chance Queen Of All, with Crunchee ($12) a similar distance farther back in third place.
“I learnt a little bit about her,” said her driver Deni Roberts. “And I think she will benefit from a few gear changes. She was quite relaxed and actually was very on the lazy side. She wouldn’t pull away from them, but I feel that if she had a horse outside of her you probably would see a better version of her.”
The victory completed a treble for Roberts and leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who had won earlier on the night with Steel The Show and Aardiebytheseaside.
Captainshavtime is by American sire Captain Crunch and she is the first foal out of New Zealand mare Betterthanbrie, who had 44 starts for five wins, 12 placings and $50,897. It is interesting that Betterthanbrie finished second to Mighty Conqueror as a three-year-old in a race at Winton in April 2018, and as a five-year-old finished third behind Minstrel in a race at Wairio. Mighty Conqueror and Minstrel have been outstanding performers for the Bonds in recent years.
Captainshavtime was an easy winner at Winton in April this year and she now has earned $27,058 from her two wins and a third placing from four starts.
Captain Bligh is getting better
Up-and-coming star Captain Bligh is getting better all the time, according to Stuart McDonald after he had driven the New Zealand-bred four-year-old to a splendid victory in the 1730m Cash Converters Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He has shown at his past two starts much improved tractability,” said McDonald. “He is a lot more controllable and that makes him a better racehorse who will go all the way to Free-For-All company.
“Captain Bligh works with our better horses at home, and they find it hard to get past him when he leads. He just has to learn how to race, and he looks like he’s on that path at the moment.”
Captain Bligh, trained by Gary Hall snr, was the $1.40 favourite from barrier three, and McDonald sent him past the polemarker Velocipede and into the lead after 200m, leaving Blaze On ($19) in the breeze.
After a 28.5sec. third 400m section Captain Bligh sprinted over the final quarter in 27.8sec. and won by a length from Velocipede, with $6 chance Coney Island Lou running home solidly to be third to give Hall a trifecta result.
Captain Bligh, who rated 1.54.3, raced nine times in New Zealand for two second placings, and his WA record of 18 starts for eight wins and three placings has taken his career figures to 27 starts for eight wins, five placings and $74,743.
Honest October Reign rules
Mardella trainer Michael Young described Victorian-bred pacer October Reign as an honest performer after Maddison Brown had driven him to an easy win in the 2130m Cleversure Insurance Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
But the six-year-old surely deserves greater praise. He has been a consistent pacer who has now earned $162,927 from 13 wins and 19 placings from 80 starts.
Good gate speed is a vital ingredient at Gloucester Park, and Brown made sure she took full advantage of this asset by dashing October Reign, the $3.30 second favourite from barrier five, to the front after about 80m.
Brown then rated October Reign expertly in front and the gelding coasted to victory by just over a length from $5 chance The Beaudster, who trailed the leader all the way.
“He’s an honest horse who has done a good job,” said Young. “He just plays the system and when he finds a suitable race he is good enough to take advantage of it. He is a good leader, but he has also won from other spots. He is always competitive.”
October Reign is by American sire Sportswriter and is the second foal out of Show Me Amber, who raced 62 times for 11 wins, 16 placings and $64,151.
Lazy Mandown gets the job done
Inexperienced four-year-old Mandown improved his West Australian record to two starts for two wins when he won the 2130m Santosh Contact Care Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night after giving his driver Maddison Brown a few anxious moments with his lazy attitude in the final lap.
Mandown, the $1.40 favourite, raced in the breeze for the first lap before getting to the front and going on to win by almost a length from $17 chance Lamandier.
“He switched off a touch when Lady Prima Donna (in the breeze) dropped off a bit down the back, and I had to get up him to switch him back on,” said Brown.
“There is a lot of ability there, but he switches off at times. Mandown was probably travelling better in the breeze than when he was in front.”
Sound Wave ($5) was in front for the first 900m before Aiden de Campo surrendered the lead to Mandown, with Brown saying: “Obviously, Aiden decided to take a sit because he wasn’t likely to get it easy in the lead.”
Mandown, who is trained by Gary Hall jnr, has raced 18 times for four wins, six placings and $40,323. He won at two of his 16 New Zealand appearances. Mandown is by former star pacer Vincent and is the fourth foal out of the Christian Cullen mare Close Escape.
Mandown’s elder half-sister Escape The Pace raced as a trotter and her 43 starts have produced nine wins, five placings and $98,704. Mandown’s half-brother Mr Henry contested 49 races in WA for five wins, six placings and $27,104.
Soho Skyfall survives early chaos
Promising WA-bred three-year-old Soho Skyfall was a well-supported $6.50 chance from the No. 1 barrier in the 2536m Quayside Transport Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he avoided interference moments after the start when the two nearest pacers to him, the $2.30 favourite Rajah Rocks and $10 chance Quinton galloped badly.
Soho Skyfall, driven by Mitch Miller for trainer Kim Prentice, then was able to amble through the lead time in a slow 1min. 12.4sec. and the opening quarter in a dawdling 32sec. before reeling off three final quarters of 29.6sec., 28.8sec. and 28.1sec. to win at a modest rate of 2.1.1 from the fast-finishing $6 chance Petes Honour by 2m.
A few seconds after the start Rajah Rocks, with Aiden de Campo angling him across in a bid to gain the sit behind the frontrunner Soho Skyfall, hit the stay of Soho Skyfall’s sulky and broke into a gallop. Moments later, with Quinton, the lone backmarker, dashing through along the inside in a bid to gain a perfect run behind the leader, broke into a bad gallop for no obvious reason.
“Thankfully, the two gallopers were behind me and not in front of me,” said Miller. “I was nervous when Rajah Rocks hit my sulky. But I was quietly confident my horse would not break.
“The lead time was very soft, and the first quarter was slow, and if Soho Skyfall hadn’t won after what I got away with, we would be a long way off the mark with him.
“I have always had a good opinion of him, and he will have another start at Bunbury on Tuesday. After that we will see whether he is able to step up and run in some of the better races for three-year-olds.”
Soho Skyfall is by Sweet Lou and is the second foal out of the New South Wales mare Kristina Adele, who had ten starts for five placings as a two-year-old in 2016 before being retired.
Kristina Adele’s first foal, Quiggley, by Huntsville, has had 19 starts for one win, five placings and $9968. Quiggley competed as a pacer at his first 15 starts, winning at Kellerberrin on debut as a two-year-old in September 2022. Later, he was converted to race as a trotter, and his first four starts as a square gaiter included a head second to Grand Majestic Bells at Pinjarra in February this year.
Change of luck for State Of Heaven
“He has been unlucky, and he was overdue for a change of luck,” said owner-trainer Debbie Padberg after Lindsay Harper had driven six-year-old State Of Heaven to win the 2130m Moonstream Information Services Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Last week he got knocked over when the No. 1 horse galloped in front of him at the start, and at his previous start he was held up for a clear run in the last lap,” said Padberg. “So, nothing seemed to be going right, until this week when he got a good barrier draw (No. 2) and wasn’t taken on when he led. Everything went perfectly.”
State Of Heaven was the $4.40 second fancy, with Flying Rumour, the only runner on the back line, the $3 favourite.
Surprisingly, State Of Heaven was beaten for early speed, with Nathan Turvey sending $26 chance Eton Rock straight to the front from barrier three. Harper, driving State Of Heaven for the first time, then dashed the gelding to the front after 250m, with a slow lead time of 38.1sec. and a casual opening quarter of 31.1sec.
State Of Heaven covered the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 28.9sec. and won by just under a length from Eton Rock. Flying Rumour faded to finish last after racing in the breeze.
The New Zealand-bred State Of Heaven is by Rock N Roll Heaven and is the third foal out of Stateofthenation, who was retired after winning once from her eleven starts. State Of Heaven has earned $121,478 from 11 wins and 24 placings from 60 starts.
Maybe a Marathon run for Steel The Show
Steel The Show is a redoubtable stayer and an experienced campaigner in standing-start events --- and this adds up for the seven-year-old to be an ideal contender for the $35,000 Marathon Handicap over the testing journey of 3309m on August 16.
He has won four times over 2536m, and he began off the 30m mark in last year’s Marathon when he finished second to Youre So Fine. And in November 2021 he finished an excellent fourth in the 3200m group 1 New Zealand Cup at Addington, finishing behind star pacers Copy That, Self Assured and South Coast Arden in the field of 16.
Steel The Show also showed his class when fourth behind Betterzippit, Spirit Of St Louis and Jumpingjackmac in the Nullarbor at Gloucester Park in April of last year.
He raced in 22 stands in New Zealand for three wins (including a victory on debut in a 2600m stand at Rangiora on November 8, 2019), six seconds, two thirds and three fourths, and he has contested five stands in WA for a win and two placings.
Steel The Show began from the 20m mark in the Happy 80TH Birthday Jesse Moore Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he was the class runner in the field of eleven and was at handsome odds as the $2.30 favourite.
Trained by Greg and Skye Bond, Steel The Show was driven with supreme confidence by Deni Roberts, who was happy to allow the Bettors Delight gelding to race in eighth position while the $11 chance Feeling Aces was bowling along in front.
Roberts started a three-wide forward move with Steel The Show with 1050m to travel and the final 400m sections were run in 27.9sec. and 28.7sec. with Steel The Show getting to the front 55m from the post and winning by a length and a half from Feeling Aces.
“We got a nice getaway, and it mapped out well for me; everything was where I wanted it to be,” said Roberts. “It is a bit different for the Free-For-Allers (like Steel The Show). They can run for three quarters, while the others can only run two.
“I have confidence in Steel The Show. He might not look like he’s doing it that well, but he finds that other gear.”
Steel The Show has amassed $396,110 in prizemoney from 15 wins and 23 placings from 72 starts. He won at six of his 44 New Zealand starts and his 28 appearances in WA have resulted in nine wins and eight placings.
Swagger Man overcomes constant problems
Swagger Man has always shown abundant ability, but his career has been beset by recurring hoof problems which have given his trainer Ryan Bell many headaches over the past couple of years.
The five-year-old won at two of his 12 starts in New Zealand and his troublesome hooves have resulted in only another 20 starts since he arrived in WA in August 2022.
“From day one after getting off the plane from New Zealand he has been affected by quarter cracks and hoof wall separation,” said Bell. “It’s not his fault. The ability is there but we are never going to get to his full potential because his feet keep collapsing.
“He wears various styles of bar shoes; whatever makes him comfortable at the time. I stand him in clay all the time and he is now the most comfortable he’s ever been. But it is a constant battle with him; it’s not just his front feet, it’s all four feet.
“When I first got him, I started him in a Derby prelude and declared him, predicting he would lead and win. However, he went awful, and when I got home that night, I picked up one of his feet and the whole wall of his foot fell out.”
Bell restricts Swagger Man’s work on the training track to a minimum to protect his sore feet. “We have a sixty by forty metre arena at home, and we ride him for 30 minutes every day in the deep river sand arena and keep him off the track as much as we can,” said Bell.
Swagger Man was the $2 favourite in the 2130m Odin Consulting Services Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he started from barrier three and was beaten for early speed by the polemarker Soho Confidential ($9.50) and Major Freeway ($3.30).
Aiden de Campo cleverly was able to angle Swagger Man across from being out three wide to gain the one-out, two-back position, with Soho Confidential setting the pace from Major Freeway in the breeze, Get Ya Bets On ($7) behind the leader and Disco Under Fire ($15) enjoying the one-out, one-back trail.
De Campo started a three-wide move 650m from home and Swagger Man sprinted strongly to burst to the front 300m later and then career away to win by three lengths from Major Freeway, with Get Ya Bets On a close-up third.
The win ended a 20-month drought for Swagger Man, whose only other WA victory was at Northam on November 19, 2022, at his fourth start in the State.
“Tonight, we were hoping to lead,” said Bell. “Swagger Man is the type of horse you feel will charge the gate, but when you go for him (at the start) there’s nothing there. Aiden did well to get into the one-wide line so quickly after he had failed to get to the front.”
Swagger Man, who ended a losing sequence of 15, is by Bettors Delight and is the fourth foal out of Motu Haughty Helen, who raced 31 times for three wins, ten seconds and $41,865. Motu Haughty Helen also produced four-year-old Rakero Raider, who finished seventh behind Mandown in race nine on Friday night to take his record to 36 starts for four wins, 17 placings and $44,437.
Swagger Man’s 20 WA starts have produced two wins and seven seconds.
Bell and de Campo continued in fine form at Northam on Saturday night when they combined to land a double with Pocket The Change and It Is Crunch Time.
