Reed is out to break the trend
Veteran horseman Mike Reed is the most successful trainer in the 56-year history of the WA Oaks, and he is planning to break the recent trend of favourites failing in the $150,000 feature for three-year-old fillies by winning the rich classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He is pinning his faith on the brilliant Water Lou, who has amassed $421,494 from 21 wins and two second placings from 27 starts.
Water Lou is favourably drawn at the No. 3 barrier and will be driven by leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko. She is a hot odds-on favourite, but that is no guarantee of success, considering that the past six WA Oaks favourites have been beaten.
What is more likely is that this week’s event will provide a thrilling finish. The margins in the past five Oaks have been a neck (Has No Fear in 2019), a head (Sports Package, 2020), a head (Benesari Lane, 2021), a half-head (Taking The Miki, 2022) and a nose (August Moon, 2023).
August Moon was the $2.60 second favourite when she beat Turn The Page 12 months ago. In the previous five Oaks the winners were Our Major Mama ($139.80), Has No Fear ($37.40), Sports Package ($16), Benesari Lane ($109) and Taking The Miki ($10.20).
The most recent Oaks favourite to win was Maczaffair, who was a $1.10 chance from the No. 1 barrier in May 2017 when Suvaljko drove the Reed-trained filly to an easy all-the-way victory over Sarah Goody.
Reed and Suvaljko also combined to win the 2014 Oaks with the $1.10 favourite Libertybelle Midfrew, who led from barrier five and beat The Parade by seven lengths.
Reed also trained and drove the 6/1 chance Pharosan, who came home strongly with an inside run to beat the 5/4 on favourite Cornsilk in 2000. He also was successful with Sheer Royalty (driven by Chris Lewis) in 2009.
Reed’s four Oaks wins as a trainer give him the record in this classic --- ahead of Fred Kersley jnr, Trevor Warwick and Justin Prentice, each of whom has won the race three times.
Of quite significant importance in Friday night’s race is the fact that none of the twelve runners has contested a race over 2536m.
Two fillies, the Kim Prentice-trained Soho Honey Rider and Soho Vesper Lind, have raced over 2400m at Menangle --- with Soho Honey Rider finishing third in a heat of the New South Wales Oaks and sixth in the final, and Soho Vesper Lind finishing ninth in an Oaks heat.
Suvaljko said that the extra distance would not bother Water Lou. “She works over a mile and a half (2400m) all the time and she finishes better than anything,” he said. “She worked well last Saturday, and she is still on target. I’ll weigh up my options and determine my tactics as the races unfolds.”
It was a rare occurrence last Friday week when Water Lou was unplaced in a race. She was the $1.70 favourite and was restrained at the start from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line of the group 3 Daintys Daughter Classic over 2130m.
She raced in tenth position before starting a three-wide move approaching the bell. With Soho Honey Rider setting the pace, the third quarter was covered in a slick 27.9sec. and was followed by a final 400m of 29.1sec. Atlantic Gem, who trailed Soho Honey Rider, finished strongly to win by a length from that filly, rating 1.56.4sec. Water Lou finished fifth, four lengths behind the winner.
“It was just how the race was run,” said Suvaljko. “When we were off the track (in the final lap) everything sprinted. I would suggest it would pay to forget that run.”
Reed also has a good second string in Friday night’s race in Lion Queen, a winner at four of her seven starts. She had an easy run when won by four lengths from Reelem Inn over 2130m on Tuesday of last week. She will be driven for the first time by Aiden De Campo.
Atlantic Gem, to be driven by Kyle Symington for trainer Ryan Bell, is awkwardly drawn at barrier seven. “It looks a good competitive race,” said Bell. “And Atlantic Gem is not without a chance.”
Mitch Miller has chosen to drive Soho Honey Rider in preference to Kim Prentice’s other runners Soho Vesper Lind and Lenora Jane. Corey Peterson will drive Soho Vesper Lind (barrier nine), and Jocelyn Young will handle Lenora Jane from barrier six.
“Soho Honey Rider (barrier four) is definitely the pick of the three fillies,” said Prentice. “She has trained on extremely well over the past couple of weeks. We will do our homework before deciding whether to press forward with her.”
Prentice has high hopes that Soho Honey Rider will give him his fourth win in the WA Oaks --- after training Onassis Legacy (driven by Craig Goldfinch) for her win in 2003; driving the Noel Keiley-trained Dilingers Reign to victory over Fluent Style in 2006; and driving Benesari Lane for her win in 2021.
Xceptional Arma has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier for trainer Colin Brown, who drove the Greg Bond-trained Millwood Meg to an all-the-way win in the 2010 WA Oaks.
Xceptional Arma, who will be driven by Maddison Brown, has the ability to win on Friday night. She is versatile and boasts a splendid record of 33 starts for 12 wins, eight seconds and four thirds for stakes of $310,744.
Four starts ago Xceptional Arma raced three back on the pegs before running home solidly along the sprit lane to finish second to Water Lou in Pinjarra’s Daintys Daughter Classic.
The highlight of her career was when she won the group 1 Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park in September 2023. She beat I Cross My Heart by two lengths, with Water Lou finishing sixth after starting from the back line and moving to the breeze after a lap.
“I’m happy with the draw, and aim to be coming out hard,” said Maddison Brown. “She raced in the breeze at her latest start (when sixth behind Atlantic Gem in the Daintys Daughter Classic at Gloucester Park last Friday week) and her run before that was very good (when fifth in the Westbred Classic when hampered by a flat sulky tyre).
“I’m not quite sure about her ability to run a strong race over 2536m. I like her over a mile because she can pull over that distance because it doesn’t matter. I’ll be happy if she doesn’t get too keen and settles down.”
The only New Zealand-bred runner in Friday night’s race is the Stuart McDonald-trained and driven Madam Publisher, who is favourably drawn on the inside of the back line. She has won at six of her ten starts and is capable of causing an upset.
Aardiebytheseaside’s grand final campaign
Brilliant mare Aardiebytheseaside, unbeaten at her six appearances in Western Australia for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, will reappear after a six-week absence when she clashes with dazzling speedster Steno in the $27,000 TABtouch Harness Racing Free-For-All for mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The outstanding mares will line up next to each other, with Aardiebytheseaside at barrier four and Steno at barrier five in an event that star driver Deni Roberts describes as four-year-old Aardiebytheseaside’s stepping stone into her grand final campaign.
“It’s a good race, and she has a bit of class on her side,” said Roberts. “She has been freshened up, leading into the feature races (including the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 8 and the $150,000 Mares Classic on November 22).
“We didn’t want to keep her up all that time, following her last-start win in the August Cup. There could be fireworks early on Friday night.”
Outstanding trainer-driver Jocelyn Young is looking forward to five-year-old Steno returning to action after a 25-week absence --- following her last-start second to Aardiebytheseaside in the 2536m Empress Stakes on April 19 when she set the pace and overraced.
“Steno trialled up good the other day and should be fitter for that run,” said Young. In the 2185m trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week Steno was restrained from the No. 4 barrier and raced in fifth and last place in the Indian file affair until Young eased her off the pegs at the bell.
Steno then made up ground rapidly to move to the outside of the pacemaker Soho Moonraker 650m from home. The final 400m sections were covered in 26.9sec. and 27.2sec. and Steno was not fully extended in finishing second, a length behind Soho Moonraker, who rated a smart 1.56.9.
Young will also be represented by four-year-old Castella Dellacqua in Friday night’s event, in which she will start from the No. 1 barrier with Maddison Brown in the sulky.
Brown handled Castella Dellacqua when the mare began from the back line and raced three back on the pegs before finishing strongly to win easily from stablemate Peaceful, rating 1.55 over 2130m after the final three 400m sections were covered in 28.5sec., 28.5sec. and 28.6sec.
That followed Castella Dellacqua’s impressive win over Zephyra and Sister Cherie the previous Friday night.
Three Rumours will resume after an eleven-week absence, and trainer Nathan Turvey said that the mare was working really well and was ready to run a good race. Three Rumours, to be driven by Emily Suvaljko, is awkwardly drawn at barrier seven but is capable of working hard in her races and still fighting out the finish.
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Shane Young has decided not to contest Friday night’s Free-For-All for mares with his talented five-year-old Wonderful To Fly, a winner at 30 of her 57 starts. He has chosen to run Wonderful To Fly in the You’ve Got The TABtouch Pace, in which she is favourably drawn at barrier No. 2 on the back line.
“I thought that this race was the better option for Wonderful To Fly after her unplaced runs at her first two starts after a spell,” he said. “There is good speed I front of her, and I’ll let the race unfold and play it by ear.”
Wonderful To Fly will clash with several in-form pacers, including Rockmyster, Star Casino, Goodfellaz, Stormyskyes, Classic Choice and Rock Me Over.
Prentice likes Soho Dow Jones
Soho Dow Jones was a $61 outsider when he finished fifth behind Mister Smartee in the Past President’s Cup at Gloucester Park last Friday night, and it was an effort which impressed his trainer Kim Prentice.
The five-year-old, driven by Mitch Miller, began from barrier five and he raced four back on the pegs before being eased off the inside at the bell and was sixth at the 600m before finishing solidly, out three and four wide.
“He will go really, really good on Friday night (in which he has drawn barrier one in the 2130m TABtouch Share My Bet Free-For-All),” said an upbeat Prentice.
“He has been going super and he hit the line strongly last week. His work since has been good and Mitch will be aiming to lead. Last week he came from near last and was beaten only a couple of lengths when they went sub1.55.”
Steel The Show (barrier four) and Sangue Reale (the solitary runner on the back line) loom large as the toughest rivals for Soho Dow Jones.
The Greg and Skye Bond-trained Steel The Show has been unplaced at his past six starts, mainly from wide draws, and star driver Deni Roberts is looking for a strong showing on Friday night.
“Steel The Show hasn’t had a lot of favourable draws, and this week’s Free-For-All is a bit weaker than the other recent Free-For-Alls,” said Roberts.
Trainer-reinsman Chris Voak predicted a far better performance from Sangue Reale, following his well-beaten sixth behind Mister Smartee in a field of eight last Friday night when he began speedily and set a brisk pace before fading over the final 400m.
“That run was very disappointing,” said Voak. “He will be a much better horse this week. It’s a weaker field, and if he sees daylight he will be very hard to beat.”
Magnus Victor drops in grade
A strong finishing burst by Magnus Victor to be placed in fast time in a 2185m event at Pinjarra on Monday of last week has prompted the four-year-old gelding’s trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo to suggest he has excellent winning prospects in the opening event, the 2130m TABtouch Place A Same Race Multi Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Magnus Victor was racing first-up for 12 weeks when Ajay Markham drove him from barrier four at Pinjarra and brought him home with a spirited burst from sixth at the bell to finish third behind Rocknroll Elliot in the race in which the final three quarters were run in 28.6sec., 28.4sec. and 27.1sec.
“It was a very good first-up run and Magnus Victor made up ground when they came home in fast time,” said De Campo. “It’s an awkward draw (No. 6) on Friday night but he drops a little in grade, so we will see where we get to.”
Magnus Victor, a winner at 12 of his 43 starts, is expected to receive stiff opposition from the polemarker Sugar Shake and Major Jay, who will start from the No. 2 barrier.
Five-year-old Sugar Shake, who will be making his first appearance at Gloucester Park, is trained by Barry Howlett and will be driven by Chris Lewis. A winner at four of his nine starts on country tracks, is sure to appreciate the prized No. 1 barrier.
He has been freshened up since he ran on from sixth at the bell to finish an excellent sixth behind Im Lightning Banner and Grevis over 2185m at Pinjarra.
Major Jay is a three-year-old trained by Nathan Turvey and driven by Emily Suvaljko who will be taking on older and more experienced pacers, is ideally drawn at barrier two and must come under serious consideration.
After being placed at three of his seven New Zealand starts, Major Jay has had eleven starts in WA for four wins. His three runs at Gloucester Park have produced a win, a second and a third placing.
“Major Jay goes good, but the penny hasn’t dropped yet,” said Turvey. “I would like to be able to lead, and I’m sure he will run a good race.”
De Campo said he was confident that the David Young-trained gelding The Wildcard would fight out the finish of the TABtouch Past the Post Payouts Handicap in which the five-year-old would start off the front line and have a 20-metre advantage over the brilliant four-year-old Im The Black Flash.
“The Wildcard was super at Pinjarra on Monday of last week when he flew the tapes and won,” he said. If he does so again and is able to lead, he will be hard to beat.”
Shannon Suvaljko said he expected the Mike Reed-trained Dark Eyes to lead from barrier two and prove hard to beat in the TABtouch Scan My Bet Pace. “His third behind Alta Tribute last Friday night was good,” he said.
“His stablemate Flying Rumour is flying and looks the hardest to beat.” Flying Rumour will start from out wide at barrier No. 8 and will be driven by Michael Tenardi.
Reinsman Ryan Bell is confident that Louie Dior is capable of making amends for his last-start fifth behind Mister Smartee last Friday week by winning the TABtouch Restricted Spring Feature Pace, in which the Annie Belton-trained four-year-old will start from the No. 4 barrier.
“I was hemmed in the whole way in the final lap, and he acquitted himself well,” said Bell. “There is plenty of speed underneath him, and I’ll drive Louie Dior depending on how the race presents itself.”
Soho Bollinger, Vegas Strip, Rocket City and Soho Firestone are all capable of making life tough for Louie Dior.
