Machnificent’s grand comeback
Seven-year-old pacer Machnificent lived up to his name when he caused an upset by beating star performer and $1.60 favourite Lavra Joe in the $31,000 Catalanotrucks.com.au Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It was a stirring victory for the Katja Warwick-trained horse who was having his eighth start on his comeback campaign after recovering from a fractured pastern which kept him out of action for nine months in 2024.
“He is a hundred per cent sound and fully recovered from the injury he received in trackwork early last March which forced me to scratch him from running in the Pinjarra Cup,” said Mrs Warwick.
“He is now racing with a screw in the pastern which is causing no problem. He has been going well and I expected him to put in a good effort, though I’m surprised he went as good as what he did.”
Machnificent showed wonderful early promise and had 16 starts as a two-year-old for three wins and seven placings, including his third behind Give Us A Wave in the group 1 Westbred Classic, followed by his fourth behind Mighty Ronaldo in the Golden Slipper.
Soon after that he fractured a knee which kept him out of action for six months. He won the Nights Of Thunder in January 2022 when he defeated Ideal Agent, rating 1.52.4, and in December that year he finished third to Pinny Tiger and Jumpingjackmac in the group 1 Four-Year-Old Classic and was fourth behind Himself in the group 1 Golden Nugget.
Mrs Warwick produced Machnificent in fine fettle for Friday night’s assignment, and the horse was driven perfectly by Emily Suvaljko. He was a $15.10 chance from the No. 4 barrier, and he settled down in eighth position in the field of nine while Brickies Dream ($4.20) was setting a brisk pace.
Lavra Joe began from barrier eight and was sent forward, three wide, in the first lap by Maddison Brown to race in the breeze. Machnificent was seventh at the bell before he sustained a powerful burst to charge to the front in the closing stages to beat Lavra Joe by 2m, rating 1.55.5 with the final three quarters run in 28.4sec., 28.1sec. and 29.8sec.
Lavra Joe had taken the lead with just under 600m to travel but had no answer to Machnificent’s flying finish.
“I was happy not to do too much out of the gate and then sit one-out and three-back, following Alcopony,” said Suvaljko. “When the others were charging forward, I let them go. I wanted to save him up as late as possible, but about 800m from home it looked like Alcopony was dropping out, so I thought I had better get going, and we got going turning into the back.”
Mrs Warwick was delighted with the win and said that she would be setting Machnificent for the Pinjarra, Bunbury and Fremantle Cups. “In Free-For-All class it always takes a long time for a horse to hit his straps, and I’m looking forward for further successes.”
Machnificent was bred by Bob Fowler and is proving a bargain for Mrs Warwick and her co-owners Ross Waddell and the Pacing WA syndicate. He was purchased for $20,000 at the 2019 APG Perth yearling sale and now has earned $280,190 from 18 wins and 17 placings from 72 starts.
Machnificent is by Mach Three and is the sixth foal out of Norther Luck mare Honourable Daughter, who was retired to the breeding barn after finishing at the rear at her six starts in 2010.
He is, by far, the best of Honourable Daughter’s eleven foals. Honourable Daughter’s dam Mulan is a half-sister to former champion pacer Changeover, who amassed $2,321,676 from 29 wins and 16 placings from 66 starts, and Change Stride (258 starts for 46 wins, 77 placings and $767,530). Machnificent is also closely related to former star Chokin (59 starts for 34 wins, 11 placings and $1,801,685).
Easy decision for Harper
Veteran trainer-reinsman Lindsay Harper went into the $30,000 Warwick Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with an open mind with consistent five-year-old Chivalry, who was favourably drawn at the No. 2 barrier.
“I had two options --- to lead or to drop back and sit behind the favourite Spicey Major,” he said. “But it was an easy decision after Spicey Major galloped at the start from barrier one.
“I thought that Spicey Major was a risk because he was crossed from barrier one the previous Friday night, and when he galloped tonight it made it easy for us, and once Chivalry led, he was going to be hard to beat.”
Chivalry, excellent value as a $12.50 chance, bounced straight to the front, while Spicey Major ($1.22) dropped back to last in the field of eight.
Once Chivalry dawdled through the lead time in 38.5sec. and enjoyed an easy opening quarter of 30.2sec. his rivals had little chance of overhauling him. Chivalry dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.3sec. and 28.7sec. and won by a neck from $14 chance Soho Santorini, who trailed the leader all the way.
Spicey Major, owned by Mick Boots, finished last. But Boots was far from dismayed. He also owns Chivalry, who ended a losing sequence of 12 and took his record to 12 wins, 11 placings and $125,874 in prizemoney.
“Chivalry is a quality horse, and I expect him to graduate to open class company,” said Harper.
No worries for High Price
In-form reinsman Stuart McDonald, fresh from his busiest and best season in 2024 when he drove 117 winners, was concerned that the well fancied $4.40 second favourite High Price could ruin his chances in the $31,000 Vale Glenyse Landquist Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night by overracing.
“I was a bit worried that if I fired him out from the No. 1 barrier he might start pulling,” McDonald said. “But he didn’t pull, and he was able to cruise to the front. And I was very happy after the slow lead time of 38.5sec. that he was going to be extremely hard to beat.”
The opening quarters were run in 29.9sec. and 30.8sec. before High Price sprinted strongly over the final 400m sections in 28.4sec. and 28.1sec. to win comfortably by a length from the $2.40 favourite and brilliant last-start winner Franco Ecuador, rating 1.57.7.
This was the third time that High Price had set the pace from the No. 1 barrier and won at Gloucester Park. He led from barrier one on debut as a two-year-old in September 2021 when he beat Paul Edward by two lengths.
Six-year-old High Price, prepared in Northam by Garry Sayers, looks set for further wins and should improve on his good record of 57 starts for ten wins, 19 placings and stakes of $131,717.
He is by the ill-fated former brilliant pacer Alta Christiano and is the first foal out of the Grinfromeartoear mare Harriet Price, who won twice from nine starts in New Zealand before managing one second placing from eight WA starts.
High Price’s full-brother, the highly promising four-year-old Alta Tribute has made an excellent start to his career, racing seven times last year for four wins and one placings for stakes of $40,643.
McDonald did not rest on his laurels after winning with High Price. He travelled to Albany on Saturday, and he landed a treble there in the evening, scoring with Tempt the Stars ($7.60), Princess Katie ($1.30) and Bonnie Pauline ($3.20)
Vale Don Harper
When Lindsay Harper drove Classic Choice to victory over Cloud Nine, driven by his elder son Donald, in the 2130m Trotsynd Join The Fun Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night it revived memories of trainer-reinsman Don Harper’s string of victories in 1959 with outstanding young pacer Pauls Gift.
Pauls Gift, a striking chestnut colt, was a star three-year-old whose wins included the Country Derby and WA Derby.
Don Harper, father of Lindsay and grandfather of Donald and his younger brother, trainer-driver Kyle Harper, died on his 94TH birthday on December 22.
Not only was he a successful trainer and reinsman, he also was an excellent footballer, and I can well remember him at the WACA Ground, across the road from Gloucester Park, kicking two goals and playing a significant role in the Claremont league side’s seven-point win over Perth on June 7, 1952.
He was recruited from Trayning, and among his Claremont teammates were 1949 Sandover medallist Sonny Maffina, Ken Caporn, Doug Soutar, Dixie Lee, Peter Jago, John O’Connell, John Munro and Jack Stewart.
New Zealand-bred eight-year-old Classic Choice, an $8.80 chance from the coveted No. 1 barrier on Friday night, was beaten for early speed by $20 chance Cloud Nine from barrier two and the $1.80 favourite Navy Street from barrier three.
Navy Street challenged hard but was unable to cross to the front and was left in the breeze until Chris Voak sent Rock Me Over ($7.50) forward to take the position outside the leader after a lap.
Classic Choice, part-owned and trained by Debbie Padberg, enjoyed a perfect trip behind the pacemaker Cloud Nine and was held up for a clear run until he got clear entering the home straight after Rock Me Over began to wilt. Classic Choice ran home strongly and won by a half-length from Cloud Nine.
“The early burn cost Cloud Nine and he didn’t hit the line like he usually does,” said Lindsay Harper. “And we had the last shot at him over the final 150m.”
Classic Choice, unplaced at his previous nine starts, improved his record to 103 starts for 17 wins, 24 placings and $202,822.
Our Lady Jen makes amends
Smart mare Our Lady Jen made amends for her most unlucky ninth behind Secret Reaction last Friday week when she overcame difficulties to win the $21,000 ADC Winner Gary Hall Junior Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was the $1.90 favourite from barrier five and was driven for the first time by Gary Hall jnr, taking over from trainer Dylan Egerton-Green, who was in Bunbury attending the wedding of trainer-reinsman Kaiden Hayter.
Malakie, a $41 outsider from the No. 2 barrier, won the start, while Our Lady Jen pressed forward early to race three wide for the first 400m before moving to the breeze. Relatively Arma ($3.40), who had galloped in the score-up, then assumed the breeze position 200m later, enabling Our Lady Jen to enjoy the one-out, one-back passage.
However, Our Lady Jen was hopelessly hemmed in and was tightened and paced roughly in the back straight in the final lap before getting clear 250m from home and then sprinting strongly to get to the front 120m later on the way to a two-length victory over $23 chance Jackie Daniels, who surged home from last at the bell.
Relatively Arma, who had taken the lead with 600m to travel, fought on doggedly to finish third. This was an outstanding effort, and she will pay to follow.
Our Lady Jen, a five-year-old by Captaintreacherous, has earned $102,027 from ten wins and 16 placings.
50TH winner for Joey Suvaljko
Twenty-one-year-old Joey Suvaljko chalked up his 50TH driving success when he guided veteran pacer Hillview Bondi to victory in the $21,000 Smooth FM Perth On Digital Radio Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
And on Monday he will begin a new chapter in his burgeoning harness racing career when he starts as a stablehand at Aiden De Campo’s new training property in Serpentine.
He is looking forward to gaining further experience from De Campo after stints with trainers Ryan Bell, Michael Young and Dylan Egerton-Green.
Suvaljko has a close association with seven-year-old Hillview Bondi, having handled him in trackwork for Bell for many months.
“Hillview Bondi is not the easiest horse to drive, and he does all his trackwork with Joey,” said Bell.
Hillview Bondi was the $1.80 favourite in Friday night’s 2130m event in which he began from the No. 4 barrier. Regal Cheval ($4.60) began speedily from the No. 6 barrier and led clearly after 100m before Gary Hall jnr took the sit behind Hillview Bondi 350m later.
Suvaljko rated Hillview Bondi perfectly with opening quarters of 30.1sec. and 30sec. followed by two 28.7sec. sections. He won comfortably by just over a half-length from Regal Cheval, who ran home solidly. Hillview Bondi rated 1.56.7 and took his record to 88 starts for 18 wins, 20 placings and $193,068.
“Hillview Bondi is great in trackwork, and tonight he did it easily,” said Suvaljko. “I was happy to get to the front early when Gary Hall grabbed up with Regal Cheval.”
Bell said that he was planning to retire Hillview Bondi at the end of the 2024 season but changed his mind when he studied the new handicapping system.
“We thought that he was on his mark and were going to retire him at the end of the year,” said Bell. “The new handicapping system is going to help him win some more races. He will benefit from the system, and I feel he is capable of winning another three or four races.”
Mellsop is a trotting maestro
Bunbury horseman Bob Mellsop has no peer as a trainer of square gaiters, and his latest trotting star Hold That Gold continued his splendid form and notched his sixth win in a row when Deni Roberts drove him to a comfortable victory in the $21,000 You’ve Got The Touch Trot over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mellsop has enjoyed great success with a long line of star trotters this century, many of whom have, like Hold That Gold, chalked up significant winning streaks.
“Hold That Gold still has a way to go challenge for the title as my best trotter,” said Mellsop, who considers Lord Liam as his finest square gaiter.
Lord Liam won 19 times for Mellsop, and in 2019 he won eight in a row. “He also won four in a row and three in a row, as well,” he said. Lord Liam had 47 starts for Mellsop for 19 wins, 16 seconds and five thirds.
Mellsop considers that Hold That Gold ranks behind his best trotters --- Lord Liam, Dave Star, Drop Of Gin and Sun Of Zola --- but has the ability continue his winning sequence and move up the list of his top-flight performers.
Dave Star won 17 races for Mellsop, including five in a row in 2007; Drop Of Gin’s nine wins for the stable include four in a row in 2007; and Sun Of Zola’s 19 starts for Mellsop produced eleven wins (four in a row) and five placings before he was sold to continue his career in America.
Other quality trotters prepared by Mellsop include Beau Brummell (winner of the 2014 Trotters Cup), Papa Razzi (34 starts for 12 wins and ten placings), Always A Dreamer (12 wins), Gee Invasion (five wins from ten starts), Baby Jack (seven wins), Sammy Charles (six wins) and Taimate Angus (six wins).
“Hold That Gold will not contest the Trotters Cup on January 31 because he will be handicapped off 50m,” said Mellsop. “His next run will be in the $31,000 Trotters Sprint, a mobile event in a fortnight’s time.”
The New South Wales-bred Hold That Gold won at three of his 28 Victorian starts before entering Mellsop’s stable, with his first 21 WA starts resulting in 13 wins and four second placings.
“Hold That Gold’s biggest asset is his gate speed, and he loves having company up there (when he is in front), and the more they sit outside him, the more he likes it,” said Mellsop. “He has always had the ability, and his improvement is due a great deal to his gaining in confidence.”
Hold That Gold was the $1.20 favourite from the No. 3 barrier. Roberts sent him straight to the front and he ambled through the lead time in 40.6sec. before dawdling opening quarters of 33.4sec. and 31.3sec. with $11 chance Patched in the breeze.
The tempo increased with final 400m sections of 29sec. and 29.7sec. and Hold That Gold won by just over a half-length from Patched.
“Earlier, he was stopping before the line, but now he is running through the line very well,” said Roberts. “We got away with some nice (slow) quarters tonight, and he has got the respect of the others.”
Heez A Vibe is Young’s fastest
“He’s a bit of an emu, skinny and weedy, but he’s the fastest horse I’ve ever had,” said trainer Michael Young after Emily Suvaljko had brought Heez A Vibe home with a sizzling burst of speed from last at the bell to score an effortless win in the $21,000 Welcome To 2025 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Point to point, he is the fastest horse I’ve trained,” said Young. “He’s not the best I’ve had, nor the strongest, but he is the fastest.”
Heez A Vibe has been in Young’s Mardella stables for about four months, and he has scored easy victories at his first four starts for Young --- three in Albany in December and his brilliant win on Friday night.
Four-year-old Heez A Vibe, bred in New South Wales, was purchased for $27,500 by Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell at the 2022 APG Perth yearling sale.
“I bought him, but the people we bought him for pulled out, so we got stuck with him, and Kody Charles (the colt’s vendor at the sale) ended up buying him back,” said Bell.
Bell then trained Heez A Vibe for the pacer’s first 15 starts for three wins as a two and three-year-old as well as an excellent fourth behind Menemsha in the Pearl Classic as a two-year-old in August 2023.
“Ryan was having some health problems with Heez A Vibe and Kody asked me to take him over,” said Young.
Bell said that Heez A Vibe was a decent little horse with good speed, but he had considerable problems getting him to eat.
Emily Suvaljko, who has driven Heez A Vibe for his four wins from his first four starts for Young, said: “I was quite confident tonight, despite starting from the outside barrier. At his previous start at Albany he put the writing on the wall when I was able to settle him, sit him up and pull him out when he rated 1.55.3.
“I didn’t even hit him or pull the ear plugs; he had that much left. The early pressure tonight helped him.”
Heez A Vibe is by Tintin In America and is the second foal out of Art Major mare Lettucerockher, who finished at the rear in all of her nine appearances in New South Wales in 2015 and 2016 before she was retired. Heez A Vibe has now earned $69,755 from seven wins and two placings from 19 starts.
Young and Suvaljko continued in fine style at the Albany meeting on Saturday night when they combined to win with Illawong Mustang ($1.40) and Machlani ($2.40). Young also was successful with Princess Katie ($1.30).
