Another San Simeon Pace for the Bonds
Champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond notched their fourth victory in the $50,000 Catalano San Simeon Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Stuart McDonald drove $8.60 chance Golden Lode to a decisive win in the 2130m feature event.
Golden Lode became the second three-year-old to win in the 13 runnings of the San Simeon, following the success of Patronus Star, prepared by the Bonds, in 2020. The Bonds also won with Ima Connoisseur in 2015 and Socrates in 2022.
McDonald praised the toughness of Golden Lode after the New Zealand-bred gelding, owned by Team Bond, had surged home from seventh in the middle stages, starting a three-wide burst 1050m from home and racing wide until forging the front at the 390m mark and winning by a half-length from $126 outsider The Beaudster, who was eighth at the bell and flashed home, out four wide.
Three-year-old Tualou, driven by Deni Roberts for the Bond stable, was tenth early and then followed the three-wide run of Golden Lode to finish a good third as the $4.60 equal favourite with Mandown.
Mandown, Hale Saint Louis and Caliente met with interference in the home straight racing for the bell, and they dropped back to the rear.
Insta Gator worked hard in the breeze before Jocelyn Young sent the four-year-old to the front with 450m to travel. He held on to finish a close fourth, with the pacemaker Montana Glory faded to finish ninth.
McDonald used similar tactics to win with Golden Lode a fortnight earlier, and the Always B Miki gelding looks set for a bright career. He said that he had taken heed of the advice of Roberts to drive Golden Lode “tough.”
“Before I won with Golden Lode two weeks earlier Deni advised me to drive the gelding with confidence and not to be afraid to go at the 1200m,” said McDonald. “I carried that confidence into this week’s race, and he was able to do it by himself, without a cart-up.
“In the back straight (in the final lap) Golden Lode gave me a great feel. I gave him a flick (with the whip) and he wanted to go. And then he held the others at bay, and there were some classy animals in the field. He was very impressive.”
McDonald has now driven Golden Lode six times for four wins, and the gelding has earned $121,215 from ten wins and nine placings from 26 starts.
Swingband is Nullarbor bound
Classy five-year-old Swingband is firmly on target for a tilt at the rich Nullarbor slot race on April 25 after scoring an effortless victory in the $25,000 SEFS, You Name It, We Fund It Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Swingband, who impressed with his fast-finishing third behind Catch A Wave and Minstrel in the $1.2 million Nullarbor last April, was making his fourth appearance after a spell when he was the $1.04 favourite from the No. 4 barrier.
Kyle Symington sent him to the front after 400m and the WA-bred Alta Christiano gelding was never out of second gear as he sauntered around and won by four lengths from $13 chance Goodfellaz, who battled on gamely after racing in the breeze.
The final three 400m sections were covered in 28.7sec., 27.9sec. and 28sec. and the winner rated 1.54.8 over the 2130m to improve his record to 37 starts for 14 wins, ten placings and $409,434 in prizemoney.
“It was good that he was able to have an easy kill,” said trainer Ryan Bell. “He will have one or two more starts and then go out and have a month off before getting ready for the Nullarbor, followed by the Fremantle Cup.”
Swingband was having his first start for four weeks, with Symington saying: “He won easily with the plugs in.”
Bell reported that Swingband had made a good recovery from a painful leg injury he sustained when he struck himself during the WA Pacing Cup on November 8. “After a week of icing the damaged leg and walking him he was as good as gold,” said Bell.
OK Boomer ready for the Nugget
Up-and-coming four-year-old OK Boomer warmed up for the $200,000 Golden Nugget next Friday night when he overcame a poor start and won the $23,000 Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales And Service Handicap, a stand over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He made a mess of the start and did a good job to win,” said trainer-reinsman Lindsay Harper.
And Harper made a dramatic admission after the Bettors Delight gelding, the $2.20 favourite, had finished full of running to win by a length and a half from $71 outsider My Ultimate Chevron, rating 2.0.7 after final quarters of 29.4sec. and 29.7sec.
“OK Boomer had a significant setback a couple of weeks ago,” said Harper. “It wasn’t good, and I was worried about the horse’s life at one point.
“He is going to need a (favourable) barrier in the Nugget, but he’s a player.”
Rock Artist, the $3.20 second fancy, galloped for a couple of strides at the start, thus foiling Chris Voak’s plans of setting the pace. Rock Artist then was forced to race without cover while the $31 chance Lamandier was leading after a flying start from the outside barrier (No. 6) on the front line.
Rock Artist took a narrow lead with about 300m to travel, but he wilted in the home straight and finished sixth after OK Boomer had taken the lead 130m from the post.
OK Boomer has had six starts in Western Australia for four wins and a third placing, and he now has earned $178,228 from 11 wins and 11 placings from 35 starts.
Little Darling upsets the favourite
Busselton trainer Barry Howlett has high hopes that his consistent mare Little Darling will win the $50,000 Christmas Belles next Friday week to make amends for the disappointment of his mare Three Rumours running home strongly to finish second to Steno in the 2023 Christmas Belles 12 months ago.
Little Darling, the second fancy at $3, maintained her splendid form at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Chris Lewis drove her to an all-the-way victory in the WA Foton Diesel At Catalano Pace over 2130m.
She dashed straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier and after a slow lead time of 37.8sec. and a modest opening quarter of 30.1sec. she raced keenly and reeled off quarters of 28.4sec., 28.4sec. and 28.6sec.and responded to her driver’s vigorous driving in the home straight to beat the $1.85 favourite Penny Black, who fought on doggedly after working hard in the breeze all the way.
Little Darling ended a losing sequence of seven, but her recent form has been excellent, with second placings to Starlight Dream, Aardiebytheseaside and Steno at three of her most recent five starts.
She was inclined to overrace, but she showed good fighting qualities to hold out Penny Black and gain a half-head victory, rating 1.55.8. Acharne Girl, driven by Stuart McDonald for trainer Gary Hall snr, caught the eye with an excellent first-up effort, running home solidly to finish third.
Five-year-old Little Darling is by Art Major and is the first foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Fay Darling, who had 22 starts in WA for five wins, seven placings and $33,106. Little Darling has earned $207,971 from nine wins and 16 placings from 38 starts.
No trouble for Ventura
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Ventura was not extended in leading all the way for trainer-reinsman Gary Hall jnr in the $19,000 Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales Ugga Dugga Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The $1.30 favourite from barrier three, Ventura surged straight to the front, and after a slow lead time of 38sec. and moderate opening quarters of 30.3sec. and 29.4sec. he dashed over the final 400m sections in 27.8sec. and 27.6sec. to beat $34 chance Rockandrollartist by 4m, after that pacer had enjoyed a soft trip, three back on the pegs. Tommy Waterhouse ($11), who trailed the pacemaker all the way, was a length farther back in third place.
Ventura, who rated 1.55.7 over 2130m, has blossomed since arriving in WA where his first 16 starts have produced nine wins and three placings, taking his overall record to 31 starts for eleven wins, eight placings and $86,503 in stakes.
He is by The Gold Ace and is the fifth foal out of Zitura, who earned $109,391 from nine wins and 19 placings from 61 starts. Ventura’s elder half-brother excelled on the track, earning $261,006 from 23 wins and 41 placings from 118 starts.
Turvey’s wise decision
Just over four months ago Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey had some room in his stables, and he now has no regrets in purchasing experienced Victorian performer Mister Macedon, who produced a typical solid performance to win the Specialised Equipment Funding Solutions Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I was looking for a horse, and he was cheap,” said Turvey, who races the seven-year-old in partnership with three mates, Adrian Pensini, Justin Bugg and Michael Hill.
Mister Macedon’s 12 starts for Turvey have produced three wins, two placings and $21,543, taking his career record to 79 starts for nine wins, 24 placings and $83,635.
He is by American stallion Betterthancheddar and is the first foal out of Modern Art mare Black And Yellow, who raced 40 times for four wins, seven placings and $19,288.
Mister Macedon is related to former smart pacer Bullion Bill, who had 124 starts for 30 wins, 30 placings and stakes of $321,165. After winning eight races in Victoria Bullion Bill won another nine races in WA for trainer-reinsman Bob Mellsop, including the 2006 Narrogin Cup, before being sold to America where he won another 13 times.
Mister Macedon was the $2.30 favourite from barrier two on Friday night when Emily Suvaljko sent him forward to take up the running after 400m, leaving Chambray ($7.50) in the breeze. Mister Macedon ran the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 29.1sec.and fought on determinedly to win by a neck from $7.50 chance Spoil The Party, who raced in the one-out, one-back position before beginning a three-wide move 600m from home.
Slow developer is on the way up
Petes Honour, described by eight-time leading West Australian trainer Ross Olivieri as a slow developer, is gaining confidence and he impressed with a smart all-the-way win in the $21,000 SEFS, The Asset Finance Specialists Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trained by Olivieri’s wife Jemma Hayman and driven by champion reinsman Chris Lewis, Petes Honour was a solidly supported $4.20 second fancy who burst straight to the front from the No. 3 barrier and was not seriously challenged before winning by just under two lengths from $8 chance Kurios Boy, with the $3 favourite Thenu Came Along a length farther back in third place.
Petes Honour rated 1.56.5, with final quarters of 28.3sec. and 28.4sec. He led when he won from My Silver Spoon at his previous outing, thus ending a losing sequence of 14.
“He was a bit unlucky in some of those races, and we gave him a little let-up and brought him back again,” said Olivieri who was standing in for his wife, the gelding’s trainer who was at the meeting at Wagin where her one starter Diamond World set the pace and finished third behind Sheza Sassy Lassy.
“We have worked on his manners, and they have got better and better,” said Olivieri. “He was overracing and being a bit hot-headed and silly. During his losing sequence he ran a couple of seconds in town against some good three-year-olds, including Tualou.
Petes Honour is by Sweet Lou and is the fifth foal out of Western Terror mare Arousing, who earned $119,663 from 11 wins and 32 placings from110 starts.
Hayman, who bred Petes Honour, also bred and raced Arousing’s first foal, Run For Mercy, who was retired after a good career of 91 starts for 12 wins, 26 placings and $132,581. Petes Honour looks set to exceed that record. He now has raced 27 times for five wins, eight placings and $52,771.
Mikis Beach repays Prentice’s faith
Outstanding Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice almost gave up preparing Mikis Beach because of the gelding’s problems. But he realised that the pacer had excellent potential, and he decided against abandoning him.
“I persevered with him, and now he is repaying us for our patience,” said Prentice.
Mikis Beach notched his third win from five outings in his current preparation when he endured a tough run in the breeze until Gary Hall jnr sent him to the front with just over a lap to travel in the 2130m Catalanotrucks.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He has a lot of ability but has had a lot of problems,” said Prentice after Mikis Beach, the $1.20 favourite, had gone on to win on Friday night, beating two $126 outsiders Gee Smith and Beyond Bling.
“He had gaiting problems, and I almost gave up on him, early on. It took a long time to get him right. He is the hardest horse I’ve had to gait up. But he also showed me that he had a motor.
“He was keen tonight, but overracing is not usually an issue for him.”
Hall explained that Mikis Beach had begun to race fiercely after getting to the breeze in the first lap when $10 chance Alta Freeway was setting the pace.
“He wasn’t great, and then he hit the wheels a couple of times on the bend into the home straight the first time,” he said. “Later, he got really keen when Voaky (Chris Voak) was urging Alta Freeway. That set Mikis Beach off even more, so I thought I’m only going to cause myself harm if I hold on to him, so I went to the front at the bell after a 27.4sec. quarter, something I didn’t need, but sometimes you have no choice.”
Mikis Beach covered the third 400m section of the final mile in 28.2sec. before running the final quarter in a modest 31sec. He rated 1.55.7.
“He is a good horse, and ability-wise, he is a Nugget horse,” said Hall. “He has stretched Mister Smartee’s neck before.
Prentice said that if Mikis Beach pulled up well after his win, he would nominate him for the Golden Nugget to be run next Friday night.
Mikis Beach, purchased for $50,000 at the 2021 Perth APG yearling sale, has had 17 starts for eight wins, four placings and $55,073. He is by Always B Miki and is the first foal out of unraced Somebeachsomewhere mare Coopers Beach, whose half-brother Devil Dodger had 244 starts for 38 wins, 63 placings and $724,666. He won the group 1 Australasian Breeders Crown for three-year-old colts and geldings at Melton in August 2010.
Wicked Lover fights back
Star young reinsman Kyle Symington did not panic when the pacemaker Wicked Lover was passed by Fly She Can 50m from the post in the 2130m Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales Kenwick Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He retained his composure and gave Wicked Lover a cut with the whip to regain the lead and go on and win by a half-neck from Fly She Can.
This completed a double for Symington and trainer Ryan Bell, who had combined to win earlier in the night with Swingband.
And Symington continued in grand style in the sulky by landing a treble at Gloucester Park on Saturday night when he scored with Under The Alta ($9), Ideal Interest ($5.50) and American Major ($1.10).
These wins are sure to boost his confidence when he represents Western Australia in the Australasian Young Drivers Championship series in New South Wales this week --- with two heats at Menangle, Bathurst, Penrith and Newcastle before the final at Menangle next Saturday night.
“Tonight, Wicked Lover kicked away from the main pack (on the home turn) and then went to pull up,” said Symington. “But when Fly She Can came, she switched back on and fought back. She is still learning and does a couple of things wrong.”
Wicked Lover, a $6 chance, beat Fly She Can ($7.50) who sustained a spirited run from eighth at the bell. Ciganda ($61) was a well-beaten third, with the $3.60 favourite Ruia in fourth place after settling at the rear and then dashing forward to the breeze with 1200m to travel.
Wicked Lover is by former star American pacer McWicked and is the fourth foal out of unraced Bettors Delight mare Another Cover Lover. Wicked Lover, purchased for $52,000 at the 2023 Perth APG yearling sale, has earned $27,637 from three wins and one placing from 14 starts.
Another Cover Lover’s elder full-sister Bettor Cover Lover was a champion pacer who amassed $1,026,427 from 19 wins and 14 placings from 39 starts, which included five group 1 successes. Bettor Cover Lover raced three times at Gloucester Park in November 2013 when she finished third behind Leda McNally in the Norms Daughter Classic and fourth behind the same pacer in the Mares Classic.
“Wicked Lover has been a bit of hard work,” said Bell. “She always had the ability, but she has a bit of an attitude. She has a bit of grit about her and will stay all day. She is quite tough, and I like her for the future.”
Jumpingjackmac beats the stars
In-form reinsman Stuart McDonald defied the instructions of Hall Of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr when he caused an upset by driving Jumpingjackmac to a surprise victory over his glamorous and much better fancied rivals Lavra Joe and Never Ending in the $31,000 Catalano Truck And Equipmemt Sales Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Senior told me to just let Jumpingjackmac flop out of the gate (from barrier six) and then go to the breeze and hopefully get the one-out, one-back trail if Never Ending went to the breeze,” said the 30-year-old McDonald.
“In the warm-up I didn’t like that idea, and I decided to put all the eggs in one basket by trying to dash out and get across to lead.
“Jumpingjackmac is very quick to begin on his night, but I haven’t had the chance to do it this time in. I tried it in the Pacing Cup, but he didn’t get out as good as he can. It probably was my fault. Once I got to the front tonight, I was confident Jumpingjackmac was going to be hard to run down.”
Lavra Joe, the $1.85 favourite, was expected to lead from the prized No. 1 barrier, but he was beaten for early speed by Jumpingjackmac, and he settled down behind the pacemaker, with the $2.15 second favourite Never Ending, driven by Gary Hall jnr, being restrained back to last after starting from the outside in the field of seven.
After moderate early times of a lead of 37.4sec. and opening quarters of 30.9sec. and 29.1sec. it was obvious that McDonald held all the aces with Jumpingjackmac and that his rivals were facing quite difficult tasks.
At the bell McDonald lifted the tempo and Jumpingjackmac sprinted over the final 400m sections in 27.4sec. and 28.1sec. to beat Lavra Joe by a neck, with Never Ending, sixth at the bell, finishing solidly into third place, a length behind Lavra Joe.
“When I saw Never Ending pull out with 700m to go I had to dash away,” said McDonald. “I had to get away from Never Ending and make him work.”
Never Ending, having his first start for 13 weeks, ran a solid trial in preparation for the $200,000 Golden Nugget over 2536m next Friday night.
Trainer Justin Prentice said that Never Ending “went okay” and that the brilliant gelding would run in the Nugget providing he pulled up well after his sound first-up performance.
“Junior (Hall) said that Never Ending’s steering was not great again, and that he wanted to run in during the race,” said Prentice.
“Never Ending got used to Menangle (where he raced twice in August and September) and was running out. Now he is wanting to run in, like he used to before he left for Sydney.”
Six-year-old Jumpingjackmac will be set for the Nullarbor slot race on April 25 and the Fremantle Cup after that event. He finished fifth behind Catch A Wave in the 2024 Nullarbor last April.
McDonald said that Jumpingjackmac was an extremely versatile pacer. “He is one of the few horses these days, no matter where he draws, you know he is a danger if the race is run right,” said McDonald. “He doesn’t need to be on the rail or leading.”
The New Zealand-bred Jumpingjackmac now has raced 74 times for 21 wins, 26 placings and $947,871 in prizemoney. McDonald has driven him 38 times for seven wins, 12 seconds and three thirds.
He has finished second in six group 1 events and has won three group 2 features and two group 3 events, and he is on track to become an equine millionaire without having been successful in a group 1 event. One of his group 2 victories was in the $100,000 Brennan Memorial in October 2023 when he defeated Diego and Tenzing Bromac.
Karloo Mick, who had 159 starts between 2003 and 2013 for 64 wins, 59 placings and stakes of $1,493,155, did not win a group 1 event during his outstanding career.
