OK Boomer overcomes a hiccup
An unexpected attack of colic a fortnight ago forced promising pacer OK Boomer to miss the Pinjarra Four-Year-Old Classic and severely dented the hopes of the gelding contesting the upcoming rich feature events for four-year-olds at Gloucester Park.
But OK Boomer responded quickly to treatment and earned a start in the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic next Friday week and the $200,000 Golden Nugget a fortnight later when he scored a fighting all-the-way victory in the $50,000 Nova Four-Year-Old Championship over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Part-owner and trainer-reinsman Lindsay Harper was delighted when OK Boomer, the $2.60 favourite from the favourable No. 2 barrier, relished his pacemaking role and held on grimly to beat the $4.80 second fancy Sorridere by a half-head to qualify automatically for the Golden Nugget.
Harper, who drove Countess Kala to a nose victory over Makes The Rules in the Golden Nugget in December 1999, and was first past the post with True Takeoff in the 1996 Nugget before that pacer was disqualified, explained that OK Boomer had to be scratched from the Pinjarra Classic because of the medication used to treat the colic.
“OK Boomer got a little bit sick on the Saturday afternoon before the Pinjarra race when he had a little touch of colic,” he said. Missing the Pinjarra race was far from ideal before the gelding contested Friday night’s group 3 feature event, an important lead-up before the next two big events for four-year-olds.
“I hoppled OK Boomer for a workout at Byford last Monday, and he went extra good, running a couple of 27s,” said Harper. “He pulled up a bit big tonight, so he obviously needed the run.
“He is not just a frontrunner; he can win when coming from behind. He won quite a few races in Queensland, coming off a sit.”
After a reasonable lead time of 37.2sec. on Friday night, OK Boomer was able to cover the opening 400m section in a comfortable 30.3sec. before pressure exerted by $7.50 chance Skylou in the breeze saw the second quarter run in 29sec. and the final quarters were run in 27.7sec. and 28.2sec.
Sorridere, winner of the recent Pinjarra Classic, enjoyed a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position before finishing determinedly and just failing. Lusaka ($9) raced in fifth place, three back on the pegs, before running home strongly into third place.
OK Boomer rated 1.55.1 and he took his record to 34 starts for ten wins, 11 placings and $165,022. A winner at two of his eleven New Zealand starts, OK Boomer won once in Victoria and four times in Queensland before arriving in WA where his five starts at Gloucester Park have produced three wins and a third placing.
OK Boomer is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the fourth foal out of Art Major mare Its Onlyforyou, who was an outstanding performer on the racetrack, having 46 starts for nine wins, 17 placings and $365,459. Its Onlyforyou was a brilliant two-year-old when her wins included the group 1 Two-Year-Old Fillies Championship at Alexandra Park in May 2012 and the group 1 Diamond Classic at Cambridge the following month.
Jawsoflincoln loves the sprints
New South Wales-bred pacer Jawsoflincoln excels in short-distant events, and his trainer Justin Prentice is planning to start him in the $31,000 Members Sprint over 1730m at Gloucester Park next Friday week.
“He’s got good form over a mile,” said Prentice after Gary Hall jnr had driven Jawsoflincoln to an easy victory in the $31,000 Nova Nation’s Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
After a comfortable lead time of 37.7sec. when Jawsoflincoln, the $1.40 favourite, easily won the start from the No. 2 barrier and then withstood an early challenge from $17 chance Steel The Show, who dashed forward from the outside barrier in the field of eight.
After modest opening quarters of 30.6sec. and 29.9sec. Jawsoflincoln dashed over the final 400m sections in 27.1sec. and 27.8sec. to win by two lengths from $5 chance Ragazzo Mach, who trailed the pacemaker all the way and ran home solidly. It was an excellent run by Ragazzo Mach at his first appearance for 22 months.
“It was good to see Jawsoflincoln in front on the rails,” said Prentice. “He hasn’t had too many ideal draws since he has been here. But he has had two good draws from four starts in this preparation and has got the job done (with two wins).
“He hasn’t been driven with a sit this time in. But he showed how he can perform when racing with a sit when he won the Nights Of Thunder last January.”
Jawsoflincoln enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position before finishing strongly to win the 1730m Nights Of Thunder, rating 1.53.1 and beating Chal Patch and Tiger Royal after final quarters of 27.7sec. and 27.6sec.
Jawsoflincoln now has raced 45 times for 19 wins, nine placings and $178,109. He has won at three of his nine WA starts after one Victorian victory and 15 wins in South Australia, including success in the SA Derby at Globe Derby Park in April 2022.
He is by Art Major and is the eleventh foal, and easily the best, out of American-bred mare Lincoln Room.
Big plans for Gee Heza Sport
Star driver Deni Roberts heaped praise on Gee Heza Sport after guiding the New Zealand-bred six-year-old to a runaway victory in the Nova 93.7 Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Gee Heza Sport, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, was the $1.20 favourite who began smoothly from the 20m mark and settled down in eighth position before gaining the one-out, one-back position while $41 chance The Wildcard was setting a solid pace.
Roberts sent Gee Heza Sport forward with a sparkling three-wide burst with 1450m to travel. The gelding charged straight to the front and after middle sections of 30.1sec. and 29.1sec. he sprinted over the final 400m in 27.5sec. to win by four and a half lengths from $19 chance Soho Santorini, with Bellissimo Acquisto ($15) a further three lengths farther back in third place.
“He’s getting used to going around our tracks more and more and I’m getting used to him and he’s getting used to me,” said Roberts. “He is exciting and has a serious engine.
“We thought he was going to have a Cups campaign this time, but we had a few problems with him behind the scenes. But next year I think you will be seeing him featuring in all of them (the major events).”
Gee Heza Sport has been extremely impressive with a close second to OK Boomer and three wins from four starts in Western Australia, taking his career record to 50 starts for ten wins, ten placings and $201,746. He is by Sportswriter and is out of New Zealand-bred mare Just Rose, who raced 34 times for six wins, two placings and $38,309.
High Price breaks through
Five-year-old High Price went into the $21,000 Perth’s Newest Station Smooth FM Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night with just one win from his previous 28 starts.
But he had been most consistent, with eleven placings and four fourths, along with a win at Northam in June this year, from those 28 appearances, and he thoroughly deserved an overdue win when Stuart McDonald drove him to a stylish victory. High Price has been prepared by Northam trainer Garry Sayers for his latest 16 starts for two wins and nine placings.
High Price was fourth favourite at $5.90 from the No. 5 barrier, and McDonald was rewarded with his aggressive approach, sending the gelding forward with a three-wide burst for the first 550m before moving to the breeze.
High Price’s three-wide run was followed by $5 chance The Beaudster, who ran past High Price to take up the breeze position after a lap had been completed.
The Beaudster, driven by Emily Suvaljko, got his head in front of the pacemaker Tantabiddi ($19) but failed to defy High Price, who surged to the front 50m from the post and won by a half-length from The Beaudster, rating 1.57.6 over 2130m.
Frisky Styx ($3.80) had little luck in running and did well to run on from last at the bell to finish third, with the $3.60 favourite Vegas Strip enjoying no luck from out wide at barrier eight and finishing seventh.
“I thought that after a slow lead time (38sec.) and being able to get the one-out, one-back position, things would go well for us because the backmarkers would be battling,” said McDonald.
High Price is by former star pacer Alta Christiano and is the first foal out of Grinfromeartoear mare Harriet Price, who had 17 starts for two wins, two placings and $11,189 in stakes. Harriet Price won two minor events in New Zealand as a four-year-old before being sent to WA where she was placed once from eight starts, a nose second to Fay Darling at Bunbury in December 2016.
High Price has now earned $113,729 from nine wins and 19 placings from 55 starts.
A winning combination
Young reinsman Kyle Symington has formed an outstanding association with hardy six-year-old pacer Hillview Bondi, who notched his 17TH victory with an all-the-way success in the $25,000 Vale Kevin Ward Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Symington now has driven the Ryan Bell-trained Hillview Bondi for his past 13 wins.
“He likes to roll along in front; mental pressure doesn’t affect him at all,” said the 22-year-old Symington. “He won the start when he beat out Jaspervellabeach easily, and as soon as we were in front, it was our race to lose.”
Hillview Bondi, unplaced at his five previous starts, was a $5.20 chance from the prized No. 1 barrier, and he simply proved too fast for his rivals. The solid lead time of 36.7sec. was followed by quick quarters of 28.7sec., 29.3sec., 28.4sec. and 29sec.
Hillview Bondi rated 1.54.9 and beat $14 chance Goodfellaz, who fought on grandly after working hard in the breeze. The $2.10 favourite The Miki Taker finished ninth after being trapped three wide for most of the journey.
Hillview Bondi was bred by Pemberton farmer Lisa Bendotti, who races the Somebeachsomewhere gelding with several members of her family. This was Hillview Bondi’s eighth metro-class success, and it took his record to 82 starts for 17 wins, 19 placings and $173,031.
He is the twelfth foal out of Maid For Life, who was retired after being unplaced at her three starts as a two-year-old in November and December 2002.
Bell and Symington kept up the good work at Northam on Saturday night, with Symington bringing home three-year-old filly Shez Sassy Lassy with a late burst to get up and snatch a narrow victory over Drive Line in a 2190m event.
Nase Vira does it easily
“It’s a shame she wasn’t selected to run in the WA Oaks,” said trainer Dylan Egerton after driving Nase Vira to a brilliant all-the-way victory in the $21,000 Nathan, Nat and Shaun For Breakfast Pace for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She had been racing well and was overlooked, and I was disappointed she didn’t get a run in the Oaks,” said Egerton-Green. “Tonight, she copped a bit of early pressure (from Lion Queen), and I didn’t expect her to have won so easily. She went to the line with the plugs in.”
Nase Vira, the $1.50 favourite, dashed straight to the front from the No. 3 barrier and she set a fast pace before increasing the tempo and sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.3sec. and 28.5sec. to win by just under six lengths from $34 chance Heartofahlia, who trailed the leader all the way.
Nase Vira rated 1.55 and improved her record to 18 starts for five wins, four placings and $68,164. She is by Alta Christiano and is the second foal out of New Zealand mare Sovereign Faith, who earned $132,719 from 15 wins and 24 placings from 75 starts.
Sovereign Faith won four races in New Zealan and seven times in New South Wales before arriving in WA where she won another four races, including the listed classic, the Coulson final for mares at Gloucester Park in December 2015.
Egerton-Green also trains and drives Nase Vira’s elder half-sister Champagne Everyone, who has earned $76,872 from seven wins and 12 placings from39 starts.
Gear change helps Mad Monday
Mad Monday made it a fruitful Friday when he scored an easy win in the $21,000 Perth’s Kate For Breakfast On Smooth FM Pace for two-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This completed a hat-trick of wins for the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Mad Monday, who benefitted from a gear change. “When Stuey (Stuart McDonald) drove him at his previous start he was hanging in a bit too much, so we decided to fit a nearside Murphy Blind in a bid to get him around the home corner,” said driver Deni Roberts.
“It helped but he still wasn’t perfect on the corner tonight when he was probably a bit tired because he hadn’t run that sort of time before. He only rated 1.58.4, but the wind was very strong. He has improved with every run.”
Mad Monday, a Victorian-bred gelding, was a warm $2.10 favourite from barrier four, with Roberts happy to give him a perfect passage in the one-out, one-back position while When In Vegas ($6) was setting the pace after keeping My Hammer Down ($3.20) at bay after that gelding was smartest into stride.
My Hammer Down eventually took a clear lead 550m from home before Roberts sent Mad Monday past him about 170m later, on his way to a two-length victory over $13 chance Major Disco, who fought on from fifth at the bell.
Mad Monday was unplaced at his four starts in Victoria earlier this year before coming to WA where his six starts have produced three wins and two seconds to take his record to ten starts for three wins, two placings and $27,820. He is by former star pacer Vincent and is the fourth foal out of Richly Deserved, who raced 31 times in Victoria for three wins and three placings for stakes of $14,836.
Spicey Major takes charge
New South Wales-bred four-year-old Spicey Major gave champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr a torrid time before winning at his West Australian debut at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Spicey Major was a solidly-supported $2.20 favourite from the No. 6 barrier when he flew out and burst straight to the front, leaving the polemarker and $2.90 second fancy Rockandrollartist in his wake.
The quarters whizzed by in 29.6sec., 28.2sec., 29sec. and 29.5sec. as Spicey Major romped to victory, three lengths ahead of Rockandrollartist, rating a smart 1.55.4.
“I had no intention of going forward early, but he was pushing the mobile and I had no chance of getting him back,” said Hall. “So, I had to go to Plan X, and I thought he was millions in the run because he was hitting a wheel and was pulling hard.
“And he got more keen every time a horse got near him, and he kept taking off. He won’t win too many more races, racing like that. There’s a motor there but I’ve got to sort him out and settle him down.”
Spicey Major raced 34 times in Victoria for six wins --- at Warragul (1790m), Yarra Valley (2150m), Bendigo (1650m), Kilmore (1690m), Cranbourne (2080m) and Melton (1200m) as well as being placed eight times.
He is by Art Major and is the sixth foal out of champion mare Ima Spicey Lombo, who amassed $483,686 from 24 wins and 13 placings from 57 starts. Spicey Major’s record now stands at seven wins, eight placings and $49,945 in stakes from 35 starts.
Our Sandy Shore set for classic
Speedy four-year-old Our Sandy Shore continued her winning ways and earned a start in the $150,000 Mares Classic next Friday night with a splendid victory in the $23,000 Perth’s Hit Music Station Nova 93.7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Sunshine Beach mare, trained by Colin Brown, was the $2.30 favourite from barrier five, with Maddison Brown in the sulky. She began swiftly and took the lead after 300m before coasting through the opening quarters in 30.4sec. and 29.3sec. and then dashing over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 29sec. to win by a length from $8 chance Sista Sammy, who finished strongly from sixth at the bell.
This was Our Sandy Shore’s eighth win from twelve starts this season and took her earnings to $105,218 from nine wins and 12 placings from 31 starts.
“She will be nominated for the Mares Classic next Friday, and I will have to chose between her and Jocelyn Young’s Castella Dellacqua as my drive in the race,” said Maddison Brown.
“On the track, Our Sandy Shore has a lot of speed, and she won’t disgrace herself against the likes of Steno and Aardiebytheseaside, particularly if gets a handy draw.”
With six wins from her past eight starts Our Sandy Shore will add plenty of interest in the 2536m Mares Cassic. She is the third foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Winter Strike, who raced 31 times for four wins, three placings and $25,385.
Winter Strike is a full-sister to the brilliant Bettors Strike, who earned $789,864 from 16 wins and 26 placings from 77 starts. At the peak of his powers he finished second to Monkey King in the $1 million New Zealand Cup at Addington in November 2009 before he dead-heated for first with Ohoka Nevada in the group 2 Cranbourne Cup and then won the group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton, beating Smoken Up and Blacks A Fake, and the group 1 Tasmania Cup at Elwick.
Quinny lookalike shows his style
Recent Victorian import Dalvey Robyn, who bears a striking resemblance to former superstar pacer Im Themightyquinn, impressed at his second WA appearance when he sprinted home strongly to win the Nova Boy’s Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He reminds me a lot of Quinny, but not in any way, shape or form in ability,” said his trainer Gary Hall jnr, who drove Im Themightyquinn to 50 of his 58 career wins from 111 starts for earnings of $4,567,456.
“Sitting in the cart behind Dalvey Robyn reminds me of a young version of Quinny --- in colour, looks and everything about him. He is about the same size of Quinny but is definitely more narrow.”
Im Themightyquinn and Dalvey Robyn are by the American sire Washington VC, with Dalvey Robyn being the first foal out of unraced New Zealand mare Casey Robyn.
Dalvey Robyn had twelve starts in New Zealand for two wins, five placings and $17,992 before racing 36 times in Victoria and New South Wales for seven wins and 16 placings. His one win from two starts in Western Australia has taken his record to 50 starts for ten wins, 21 placings and $110,051 in prizemoney.
Hall jnr, who is now preparing a team of six pacers, was also represented in Friday night’s event with last-start winner Ventura, who was drawn on the inside of the back line, with Dalvey Robyn more favourably drawn at No. 3 on the front line.
Hall opted to handle Ventura, the $2.45 favourite, with Maddison Brown driving the $4.70 second fancy Dalvey Robyn.
Brown had driven Dalvey Robyn at his WA debut the previous Friday night when the six-year-old raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before finishing a sound fourth behind smart performers Skylou and Street Hawk.
“Dalvey Robyn showed more speed tonight than he did last week,” said Brown. “He travelled nicely although he didn’t get around the track all that well, and I was a bit worried around the (home) turn, but it didn’t seem to worry him.”
Tommy Waterhouse, a $7.50 chance driven by Trent Wheeler for trainer Gary Hall snr, set the pace from barrier No. 2, with Dalvey Robyn enjoying a perfect trail in the one-out, one-back position, and Ventura locked in three back on the pegs.
Brown eased Dalvey Robyn out three wide 400m from home and the gelding sprinted home with a 27.6sec. final 400m to get up in the final couple of strides and win by a neck from Tommy Waterhouse, with Ventura held up until late, charging home, three wide, to finish an unlucky fifth.
