Ruby Lovera sparkles in the Diamond Classic
Rubies and diamonds are precious jewels, and Kyle Harper produced a gem of a drive at Gloucester Park on Friday night to land $18.40 chance Ruby Lovera a brilliant winner of the $100,000 Trotsynd Diamond Classic for two-year-old fillies.
With trainer Justin Prentice in Sydney, preparing star four-year-old Never Ending for the $2.1 million Eureka on September 7, Harper was delighted to accept the drive after Maddison Brown opted to handle Ruby Lovera’s stablemate Winter Wonder in the group 2 feature event.
Harper revealed great skill to achieve Ruby Lovera’s notable victory. Ruby Lovera began quickly from the No. 4 barrier, and Harper had to restrain the filly from the breeze to obtain an ideal position, three back on the pegs.
And then in the final lap Ruby Lovera was hopelessly hemmed in on the inside before Harper was able to ease the filly off the pegs about 300m from home and finally get into the clear 150m from the post before sprinting fast to get up and beat the pacemaker and $2.50 favourite Bettagetonpip by a half-neck, with Copper Head Lady ($3) a head away in third place.
This gave Prentice his fourth success in the Diamond Classic, following wins with Lady Luca in 2016, Majorpride (2018) and Always An Angel (2020).
Ruby Lovera, a filly by boom American sire Sweet Lou, is the seventh foal out of the New Zealand-bred Badlands Hanover mare Lovera, whose third foal Eagle Rox won the Diamond Classic in June 2012 when trained and driven by Prentice’s father Kim, who had a quinella result with Bettor Dreams finishing second, with Justin in the sulky.
Lovera’s first foal Artemis Belle also was a filly who was an outstanding two-year-old in 2010, with her six wins from eight starts that season including the group 1 Sales Classic in April, and then not contesting the Diamond Classic in June.
Justin Prentice selected Ruby Lovera at the 2023 Perth APG yearling sale and he bought her for $70,000. She is raced by a syndicate of 16 and she has earned $71,374 from two wins and three placings from six starts.
Harper revealed that Prentice had telephoned him from Sydney a few hours before Friday night’s race, saying that he needed to give the filly a soft run.
“Justin said that he had a big opinion of Ruby Lovera,” said Harper. “However, he said he was a little disappointed with her previous run (when a well-beaten second to Copper Head Lady in a qualifying heat of the Diamond) and a blood test had suggested that she wasn’t at her top, and that I should drive her a bit quiet tonight.
“If we drive her with confidence, I don’t think she can win. If we drive her soft and set her up to run fourth, we might have a chance (of winning) if things go our way.
“So, I said to him, you want me to produce a Justin Prentice special, by driving her cold and get over them late. He rang after the race and I said you wanted a Justin Prentice special, and I delivered a Justin Prentice special.
“When Copper Head Lady (at barrier two) galloped at the start, I came across to the breeze and nobody else seemed to want that position (on the pegs). Ruby Lovera was quite keen, and I couldn’t get her to the pegs straight away.
“We did have to angle back sharply to find that position on the pegs which I thought was the place to be. I had to work her to get in there, and once there she travelled beautifully.
“We were inconvenienced in the last lap (when Jaxs Ideal broke briefly 550m from home) and lost a length and a half. Before that, I thought I was some hope, but then I said ‘there goes my chance.’ Coming to the corner I still had a lapful of horse, and I started angling for a run before managing to bullock my way out. We got clear just in the nick of time.”
The final quarters were run in 28.3sec. and 29sec., and Ruby Lovera rated 1.58.5 over the 2130m.
Bettagetonpip set a solid pace from the No. 1 barrier and looked the winner when almost two lengths clear of her nearest rival with 70m to travel. She fought on grimly but was unable to deny Ruby Lovera. Bettagetonpip’s stablemate Copper Head Lady was unlucky, finishing a head away in third place after galloping at the start.
While Prentice and Harper shared the limelight in Ruby Lovera’s victory, 25-year-old Katie Lally played an important behind-the-scenes role, moving to Boyanup from her city residence to help with the preparation of Prentice’s team of pacers while he is away in Sydney with Never Ending.
“I brought Ruby Lovera to Gloucester Park tonight,” she said. “On and off for about five years I have helped Justin with his horses as a stable hand. At the moment, I’m probably the deputy foreman.”
Montana Glory resumes in style
Three years ago, Montana Glory was one of the best two-year-old fillies in New Zealand, and she showed she is on the doorstep of a successful campaign when she gave a splendid first-up performance to score an effortless victory in the Join Trotsynd Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Produced in fine fettle by astute Henley Brook trainer Mike Reed for her first appearance for six months, five-year-old Montana Glory, the $2.80 second fancy, was not extended in winning by more than four lengths from the $2.65 favourite Seven No Trumps.
Seven No Trumps was beaten out from the No. 1 barrier by $20 chance Amazing American, who resisted an early challenge for the lead from Barbados.
Montana Glory began from the inside of the back line, and Shannon Suvaljko quickly eased her off the pegs to settled down in sixth position. After a lap Montana Glory dashed forward to move to the breeze, and then gained a perfect passage, one-out and one-back, after Johnny Lombo ($12) got to the breeze 1100m from home.
Suvaljko bided his time before sending Montana Glory off three wide with 350m to travel. The mare sprinted fast to burst to the front 100m later before careering away to win easily at a 1.57.3 rate over 2130m.
“I watched Seven No Trumps in the warm-up, and he just jogged around,” said Suvaljko. “So, I was then very wary (that he might not win the start and take the lead).
“So, when the pace slackened, and knowing that Montana Glory was pretty fit, I put her into the race, and then got cover, and she finished very well.” Seven No Trumps, who trailed the pacemaker Amazing American, got clear late and ran home solidly to finish second, a head in front of the frontrunner.
Montana Glory now has had 22 starts for four wins, 12 placings and $84,974 in stakes. She won once from seven New Zealand starts, with her appearances in two-year-old events for fillies resulting in seconds in the group 1 Caduceus Club Classic at Alexandra Park and the group 1 Diamond Classic at Cambridge as well as a third placing in the group 1 Sires Stakes Championship at Alexandra Park.
She is by American stallion Always B Miki and is the first foal out of the unraced Mach Three mare Pacific Glory. She appears certain to improve on her West Australian record of three wins and eight placings from15 starts.
Tenzing Bromac survives scares
Star driver Deni Roberts had to survive a couple of anxious moments before guiding top-flight pacer Tenzing Bromac to a hard-fought victory in the $31,000 Trotsynd Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Tenzing Bromac, the $1.30 favourite from out wide at barrier No. 7, raced three wide early before getting past The Code Breaker and into the lead after about 500m, and after a third quarter of 29.5sec. he dashed over the final 400m in 27.7sec. when he had to be driven hard by Roberts in the final stages to beat his stablemate Jett Star ($23) by a half-neck, rating 1.56 over 2130m.
Approaching the home turn Tenzing Bromac began to hang out and was in some danger of The Code Breaker getting an advantageous inside run. And then Tenzing Bromac had to fight on grimly to hold out Jett Star, who finished determinedly after working hard in the breeze for much of the way.
“I had to do a little bit to get to the front, but Tenzing Bromac is used to doing work in his races,” said Roberts. “He ran out on the home turn but once I got him straightened, we found our place again. And then Jett Star got me a bit scared down the straight. But tensing Bromac always seems to find that extra gear.”
Tenzing Bromac, a lightly-raced Bettors Delight six-year-old, owned and trained by Greg and Skye Bond, has resumed after a spell in fine form and his victory on Friday night took his record to 39 starts for 19 wins, 14 placings and $302,475 in stakes.
Lamandier comes from last
Honest performer Lamandier ended a losing sequence of twelve when he sustained a spirited three-wide burst from eleventh and last at the 950m mark to get up and win the 2130m Trotsynd Group 1 Winners Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven in fine style by Maddison Brown and a $22 chance from the outside barrier (No. 9), the Michael Young-trained six-year-old settled down at the rear before Brown sent him forward, three wide, approaching the bell, with the $1.38 favourite Dark Eyes setting a solid pace.
After a third quarter of 29.2sc., the final 400m was covered in 28.7sec. when Dark Eyes failed to hold out the strong-finishing Lamandier and was beaten by a half-length, with the winner rating a smart 1.55.4.
“The lead time (35.9sec.) and the first quarter (29.6sec.) were pretty solid, so I decided to take off at the bell,” said Brown.
The Victorian-bred Lamandier is by Somebeachsomewhere and is the second foal out of the Art Major mare Champagne Dreams, who raced 45 times for ten wins, 13 placings and $60,917.
Lamandier has earned $128,570 from 13 wins and 23 placings from 75 starts. He won at three of his 15 Victorian starts, at three of his five Queensland appearances and his WA 55 starts have produced seven wins and 19 placings.
“Lamandier is a battler who goes around every week,” said Young. “He went really well last week and was unlucky not to have run second (when blocked for a run and finish fifth behind Bellezza Nera).”
Another Roberts treble
Deni Roberts maintained her dazzling form in the sulky with another three winners at Gloucester Park on Friday night, with the exciting mare Aardiebytheseaside completing the treble with another splendid performance in scoring a decisive victory in the $21,000 Trotsynd Syndication Pace.
This followed wins in earlier events with other Greg and Skye Bond-trained pacers Tenzing Bromac and Rattlin Lilly. Roberts now has driven 106 winners this year and is on target to notch two hundred winners in a season for the second year in a row.
Aardiebytheseaside was the $1.10 favourite from the No. 4 barrier on Friday night when she set a brisk pace and dashed over the final quarters in 28.6sec. and 28.2sec. to win at a 1.55.7 rate over 2130m. She won by a half-length from her fast-finishing stablemate Carana ($15).
Aardiebytheseaside is unbeaten at her five starts in Western Australia and has a record of 26 starts for 13 wins, eight placings and $335,516. Her main target in the coming months will be the $150,000 Mares Classic on November 15, but she could well be a leading contender in the $200,000 Golden Nugget on December 13.
“She is pretty exciting and has got such a high speed that she runs her quarters so easily,” said an admiring Roberts. “When she goes up in class it will be a bit harder, but I think she has the depth and ability to compete against the boys.”
Crowd Control is fit and healthy
WA-bred four-year-old Crowd Control has recovered from health problems which dogged him last year, and he is now realising his full potential.
The Kim Prentice-trained Crowd Control was the $1.70 favourite from the No. 1 barrier in the $21,000 Trotsynd Pacing For The Podium Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Mitch Miller drove him with great confidence to an impressive all-the-way win over smart three-year-old and $2.75 second fancy Bet The House, rating 1.57.2 after final quarters of 27.6sec. and 28.1sec.
“He promised a lot as a two-year-old and then virtually through his entire three-year-old campaign he had nothing but health issues,” said Miller. “He was a real crook horse as a three-year-old, and now that he’s fit and healthy we should have a lot of fun with him.”
Prentice said that Crowd Control suffered from persistent problems with ulcers last year which required considerable treatment from veterinarians.
“At this stage he is okay,” said Prentice. “Hopefully, he will develop into a candidate for the big races for four-year-olds later this year. He is a nice horse who has been a cheap buy.”
Prentice outlaid $18,000 to purchase Crowd Control as a yearling who is raced by a syndicate of stable clients and has earned $137,421 from nine wins and 20 placings from 40 starts.
He is by American stallion Control The Moment and is the third foal out of Just Visiting, who had 25 starts for two wins (at Bunbury in 2015) and two placings for stakes of $10,398. Crowd Control’s elder half-brother is American Bullitt, who has raced 151 times for 12 wins and 43 placings for stakes of $192,655.
“I was a bit apprehensive about his gate speed tonight because we haven’t had many opportunities to use him off the arm,” said Miller. “But at his previous run he began fast (from barrier four) which gave me confidence. Once we got the 32.1sec. first quarter (after a slow lead time of 38.1sec.) I was happy, as long as I didn’t let anyone out. The only thing that could get him beaten was me.”
A first for Gartrell
Gloucester Park Harness Racing committeeman Rob Gartrell has won hundreds of races with horses he has owned or raced in partnerships --- and now he is enjoying great successes with the first pacer he has bred, the tough five-year-old mare Rattlin Lilly.
Rattlin Lilly, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, was a $9.90 chance who caused an upset by winning the $30,000 WASBA Pace for four and five-year-old mares over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Rattlin Lilly, a daughter of Always B Miki and driven by Deni Roberts, began from the outside barrier in the field of eight, and was suited when not involved in the early speed battle when the lead time whizzed by in a sizzling 35sec.
Polemarker Sister Cherie ($6.50) set the early pace from $12 chance Little Darling in the breeze, while Roberts was happy to settle Rattlin Lilly sixth position before gaining a perfect trail, in the one-out, one-back position, after a lap.
Penny Black, the $1.34 favourite from out wide at barrier seven and attempting to remain unbeaten at her first seven starts in Western Australia, raced three wide for the first 550m and then in the breeze before taking the lead after a lap.
Roberts started a three-wide move with Rattlin Lilly 600m from home, and the mare got on terms with Penny Black on the home turn before taking a narrow lead 70m from the post and going on to beat the favourite by a head, rating 1.55.9.
“Rattlin Lilly was battling to go with them in the early stages, but she then got a lovely trip,” said Roberts. “She is a dead-set stayer and is definitely up to Free-For-All mares company.”
Gartrell bred Rattlin Lilly from the New Zealand-bred mare Baileys Gold, a pacer he raced in partnership with his father Kevin, brother John, Greg and Skye Bond, Andrew Foster and Craig Hampson.
Baileys Gold did all her racing in Western Australia and was retired as a five-year-old after a Gloucester Park win on February 28, 2017, with a record of 67 starts for seven wins, 11 placings and stakes of $70,475.
“I have now bred seven pacers, including Rattlin Lilly’s full-sister Lady Camel, who has had two starts for one win, at Bunbury in March,” said Gartrell.
De Campo’s hat-trick
Capel horseman Aiden de Campo is enjoying a purple patch in the sulky, and he maintained his outstanding form by driving the final three winners on the ten-event program at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He brought up his hat-trick with a superb drive to get the $7.60 chance Twobob Cracker home a strong winner in the 2130m Trotsynd Going For Gold Pace. This followed his wins with Rascal, a $14.30 chance in the Trotsynd Register Young Interest Pace, and Whos The Dad ($1.30 favourite) in the Palette Pace.
These successes for three different trainers took de Campo’s tally for the season to 96 winners.
Twobob Cracker, a standing-start specialist whose previous nine wins were in stands, was driven with great panache in a 2130m mobile event.
Twobob Cracker settled down in fifth position on the pegs, with Awaitinginstructions ($21) setting the pace from $8.50 chance Withoutthetuh, who won the start from out wide at barrier seven but was unable to get to the front.
After a modest lead time of 37.3sec. the opening 400m section was run in a dawdling 32.1sec. which prompted de Campo to urge Twobobcracker forward with a three-wide burst to move to the breeze.
Then Twobob Cracker was able to gain the ideal sit in the one-out, one-back position after the $3.50 favourite Classic Choice had taken up the position outside the pacemaker.
Twobob Cracker was sandwiched in between two runners in the back straight the final time before de Campo was able to ease the six-year-old into the clear 450m from homer. Twobob Cracker then went four wide on the home turn and he burst to the front 120m from the post before winning by almost a length from the fast-finishing Pierre Whitby.
Twobob Cracker’s owner-trainer Glenn Elliott was working at Alcoa, and the pacer was in the care of Elliott’s partner Grace Inwood, who said: “He’s an honest horse who always tries hard. This race looked suitable for him.”
That certainly proved to be correct, with Twobob Cracker appreciating a considerable drop in class after being unplaced in stands at his three previous starts when competing against pacers of the quality of Carana, Steel The Show and Otis.
Twobob Cracker is by Art Major and is the first foal out of Where Dreams Grow, who raced 62 times for 12 wins, 12 seconds, two thirds and $103,800. He was passed in at the 2019 Perth APG yearling sale before Elliott bought him for $22,500 the day after the sale.
Whos The Dad, trained by Ryan Bell, was the all the rage in his 2130m event in which he won the start from barrier two and coasted through the lead time in a slow 38sec. and the opening quarters in 31.6sec. and 29.9sec. before final 400m sections of 28.7sec. and 27.9sec. gave his rivals little hope. He won by 4m from the $6.50 equal second fancy Soho Firestone, rating 1.57.9.
Whos The Dad, a Betting Line gelding, has been a handy performer who has earned $158,527 from 12 wins and 21 placings from 73 starts.
“Once we held up early, I was confident of winning,” said de Campo. “Our main danger (Soho Firestone) was on our back, so we were able to keep him in a pocket until late.”
Rascal, trained by Katja Warwick, faced a tough assignment from the outside barrier in the field of eight. But de Campo was able to overcome this disadvantage by getting Rascal to the front after 220m.
“I didn’t expect to get to the front,” admitted de Campo. “Rascal was very keen up to the gate, and I thought I’d let him roll for the first hundred. And when the favourite Solesseo Matuca ($1.09 from barrier one) got crossed (by Acuto) I thought I’d stamp our authority and see how we’d go.”
Rascal, who has always relished a frontrunning role, enjoyed his time as pacemaker and he dashed over the final three 400m sections in 28.9sec., 28.2sec. and 28.8sec. on his way to winning by three lengths from $13 chance State Of Heaven, rating 1.55.9. Solesseo Matuca raced without cover and wilted to finish fourth.
The victory took Rascal’s record to 59 starts for 16 wins, 12 placings and $158,689 in prizemoney.
