20 July 2020 | Ken Casellas
Cups mission for Forgotten Highway
“The Cups — that’s his aim,” declared trainer Michael Brennan after Forgotten Highway had scored an impressive victory in the BOTRA Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Brennan was delighted at the big six-year-old gelding’s performance to beat Im Rocknroll Magic and Major Shard in the 2503m stand and said he was looking forward to him contesting the Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup in the summer, along with his smart four-year-old stablemate Sangue Reale.
It was a brilliant beginning from the outside barrier on the 10-metre mark which paved the way for Forgotten Highway’s win at $6.10 to give Brennan his third success in the BOTRA Cup after wins with Naughty Maravu in 2016 and The Bucket List in 2018.
Forgotten Highway has been a work in progress and Brennan has concentrated on racing him in stands, with 11 of his 13 starts in Western Australia being in standing-start events.
“He’s got really good gate speed in mobiles, but because he is such a big, gross horse we wanted to drive him the best way he is suited, as a sit-sprinter,” Brennan said. “So, we have put him in stands off back marks, and the 2500m in those stands really suits him.”
Brennan was looking forward to watching Forgotten Highway using his speed as a sit-sprinter in Friday night’s Cup, but was thrilled with the skill of Michael Grantham in getting him away so speedily.
Forgotten Highway surged to the front after 400m and gave a bold frontrunning display to take his record to 12 wins and 18 placings from 42 starts for earnings of $139,772.
“It was a super piece of driving from Mike,” said Brennan. “He has come under criticism a couple of times for the way he has driven him. But being the true professional that he is, he’s bounced back and has done nothing wrong in recent starts.
“He is learning as much as the horse is learning. It’s a strange thing to say about a horse who is six years old. And there’s still a lot to learn about him as well. He’s a leisurely type of big horse and he knows how to hold them off when he’s in front.
“He will stay in town now and race in mobiles. He is good enough to drop straight into Free-For-All company. There’s no doubt about that. He has the ability and that sort of racing will suit him because it is more up-tempo.”
Brennan said that an agent had offered him Forgotten Highway just over a year ago. “I went over to New Zealand and drove him at Rangiora, and said that I’d buy him for sure,” Brennan said. The Bettors Delight gelding bred by the Woodlands Stud is now raced by several stable clients.
Chicago Bull back to his best
Superstar pacer Chicago Bull gave further proof that he is far from a spent force when he outgunned rising star Handsandwheels in a thrilling battle in the 2536m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“It was exciting and it just shows that Chicago Bull is getting back somewhere to what he was,” said champion trainer Gary Hall snr. Star reinsman Gary Hall jnr reinforced his father’s thoughts, saying: “It was a terrific run, by both horses. And it was a good rate (1.55.4) on a rain-affected track.”
Handsandweheels, trained and driven by Aiden de Campo, was the $1.80 favourite from the favourable No. 2 barrier, with Chicago Bull at $2.20 from out wide at barrier No. 7.
As expected, Handsandwheels bounced out in front and Hall jnr set the stage for a magnificent spectacle by dashing Chicago Bull forward into the breeze to put pressure on the pacemaker. After opening quarters of the final mile in 29.2sec. and 29.1sec. the two gladiators surged away from their rivals as they raced locked together in a hectic third quarter of 27.6sec.
Handsandwheels responded superbly to the challenge and was a long neck in front with 100m to travel. But Chicago Bull refused to surrender, and Hall virtually lifted him off the canvas in the final few metres, with the champion getting up in the final desperate stride to win by a nose.
Hall jnr said that he planned his aggressive tactics in a bid to expose a chink in Handsandwheels at his second appearance after a spell.
“I thought that if Chicago Bull was ever going to beat Handsandwheels when he was leading, tonight was going to be the night,” he explained. “We had to work him over, for sure. I thought I’d move straight up there (into the breeze) and try to control it from there.
“I was going to pressure Handsandwheels mid-race and go from there. But Chicago Bull got a bit keen going forward and was starting to hit a wheel. So, I thought we’d be better off putting some pressure on early while Chicago Bull was travelling keenly.
“The first 800m wouldv’e been very quick. I thought I’d put the hammer down early, then get a bit of a breather before putting the pressure on again, late. Both horses were legless on the line. They were both super runs. I was concerned from the 400m because Chicago Bull had got off the bit and was struggling.
“This was the first time that Chicago Bull had been in a real dog fight and had come out on top.”
Hall snr said that Chicago Bull was firmly on target for the Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup during the summer carnival.
“After his injury in New Zealand Chicago Bull was out for 11 months and people were a bit disappointed in him when I brought him back for his first preparation after his accident,” he said. “He wasn’t going a hundred per cent, so I spelled him again and he has come back strongly this time. I think he’s getting back to his best level again. This was a great race to watch tonight.”
The seven-year-old Chicago Bull now has had 78 starts for 50 wins, 22 placings and $1,844,126 in stakes. He boasts a remarkable record at Gloucester Park where his 63 starts have produced 45 wins, seven seconds, nine thirds and two fourths.
Otis has a sweet tooth
Promising two-year-old Otis, unlike most horses doesn’t fancy carrots, but loves munching apples.
“I’ve been feeding him Pink Lady apples since he was four months old,” said 22-year-old Charlotte Johnson, who races the Sweet Lou colt in partnership with her father Steve, who bred him from his brood mare Janet Gai.
Otis notched his second win from seven starts when he started at $5.50 and resisted a strong challenge for the early lead from the $1.60 favourite Sugar Street and set the pace in the 21230m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Free Delivery Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The colt, trained at Byford by David Thompson and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, sprinted over the third quarter of the final mile in 27.7sec. and then held on defiantly to win by 2m from $34 outsider Star of Willoughby, who finished strongly from last at the bell in the field of seven. Our Shelley Beach was third, with Sugar Street wilting to fourth after working hard in the breeze throughout.
Otis is the only foal out of the Art Major mare Janet Gai, who is a full-sister to Steve Johnson’s bonny mare Mandy Joan, who has earned $40,015 from nine wins and nine placings from 34 starts. Janet Gai is also a half-sister to Isaiah Artois, whose nine wins includes the group 1 Pearl Classic in June 2014.
“Janet Gai is a big strong mare and was potentially a good racehorse,” Johnson said. “But she galloped on something, probably a steel picket, in the paddock and suffered a major injury to a pedal bone.” Janet Gai raced only seven times for an easy win at Pinjarra and one placing before being retired to stud.
“Otis is a beautifully natured colt who is quite immature and has the makings of developing into a good three-year-old,” said Johnson.
Otis completed a double for Johnson on Friday night when his Heston Blue Chip colt Nigel Ernest started at $1.55 and led all the way to beat Captain Dandi by a length in an event for three-year-olds at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park.
Named after the formula British Formula One champion Nigel Mansell, the colt has recovered fully from a fractured pastern which kept him out of action for 12 months.
Voak’s happy association
Star reinsman Chris Voak is building quite an impressive association with the New Zealand-bred five-year-old Ultimate Offer, who maintained his excellent form with a convincing victory in the 2130m One Stop Shop at Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Voak now has driven Ultimate Offer ten times for six wins and two placings for veteran Boyanup trainer Dennis Roche, who races the gelding in partnership with is wife Dorothy and their daughter Lisa.
From the No. 4 barrier Ultimate Offer was favourite at $1.90 and Voak dashed him to the front after 270m. He bowled along, sprinted over the final 400m in 27.9sec. and won at a 1.57.7 rate from Twentynine Twelve and Our Rhythm N Blues.
Roche, who recently extended his interest in horses by purchasing a couple of gallopers who are being trained in Boyanup by Michael Lane, is a keen student of breeding and he purchased Ultimate Offer as a yearling in New Zealand (for about $80,000 landed in WA) after being impressed by the deeds of Bettor Offer, who won at three of his first four starts in New Zealand.
Bettor Offer and Ultimate Offer are by Bettors Delight out of Dream Offer, a mare who raced only twice, as a three-year-old in New Zealand for one win, when she led over 2200m at Alexandra Park.
Ultimate Offer is following in the footsteps of his full-brothers Bettor Dream (68 starts for 13 wins, 24 placings and $224,334). Bettor Offer (50 starts for 15 wins, 14 placings and $207,614), Delightful Offer (101 starts for 27 wins, 28 placings and $336,928) and Cant Refuse (81 starts for 14 wins, 24 placings and $259,056).
Ultimate Offer now has raced 37 times for 11 wins, 11 placings and $72,224). Another full-brother is two-year-old Unconditional, who is raced by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
Gee Jay Kay back on song
Former smart juvenile performer Gee Jay Kay has bounced back to form and ended a losing sequence of nine when he endured a tough run in the breeze and held on grimly to win by a half-head in a blanket finish to the 2130m www.horseandhound.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
A well supported fancy at $4.50 from barrier five, the four-year-old Gee Jay Kay settled down in the second half of the field of 12 before Chris Lewis urged him forward, three wide, to move to the breeze after 600m.
The speedy Thereugo set the pace until Gee Jay Kay got to a narrow lead about 420m from home. Challengers came from everywhere in the home straight and Gee Jay Kay held on to score by a half-head from $15 chance Mister Bushido, who finished powerfully, out wide, from ninth at the bell. Tuas Delight ($101) was a head away in third place, with Madame Meilland ($19), a stablemate of the winner, an extremely close fourth.
Gee Jay Kay, prepared by Ross Olivieri, had been unplaced at his five previous starts, including his three outings since resuming from a spell when he finished eighth, sixth and eleventh.
“I think he has turned the corner, but still has a fair way to go,” said Olivieri. “He’s a funny horse and it takes a bit to get him right. I can’t say I’ve got the complete answer to him yet. But I’d say he’s heading in the right direction.”
Gee Jay Kay, the first foal out of Case Of Bubbly, has earned $130,750 from 11 wins and eight placings from 33 starts.
Cyclone Banner bred to succeed
Cyclone Banner, who made a one-act affair of the $30,000 Chandon Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he was untroubled to lead throughout, is bred to be a good winner.
By champion sire Bettors Delight, Cyclone Banner is the fourth foal out of the unraced McArdle mare When You’re Hot, who is a half-sister to Flaming Flutter, who amassed $814,235 from 25 wins and 43 placings from 122 starts.
Flaming Flutter has the distinction of being placed twice in an Interdominion Championship final — in the same year. He was second to Beautide in the final at Menangle in March 2015 and was third behind Lennytheshark and Lovers Delight in the final at Gloucester Park in December of that year.
Flaming Flutter also won the South Australian Derby, beating Lennytheshark at Globe Derby Park in January 2013 and he was the winner of the South Australian Cup three years later.
Cyclone Banner, prepared at Mt Helena by Ray Williams, was favourite at $1.70 on Friday night when he was driven perfectly by Aldo Cortopassi. The gelding was first to begin from barrier three and he dashed over the final 800m in 56.3sec. to win comfortably from Bracken Sky, who trailed him throughout. Baylan Jett raced in the breeze and finished a solid third.
Cyclone Banner, who won at two of his six New Zealand starts, has had 22 starts in WA for ten wins and seven placings.
A winning combination
Talented driver Jocelyn Young and WA-bred four-year-old Pierre Whitby have been a highly successful combination, with Young in the sulky for nine of the gelding’s ten wins in a 65-start career which has netted $86,658 in prizemoney.
Pierre Whitby, trained by Debra Lewis, is a noted sit-sprinter, but he revealed abundant gate speed from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he resisted a determined challenge for the early lead from Art Tutor and plenty of pressure from Bolta, out three wide.
The lead time was a fast 35.9sec. and Young relinquished the front to Art Tutor, who took over as pacemaker after about 550m. Art Tutor covered the final quarters in 28.7sec. and 28.3sec., but was unable to hold out Pierre Whitby, who flew home to gain a last-stride victory by a half neck. One For Dave Andme finished good third after working in the breeze for much of the way. Pierre Whitby was a popular $4.70 tote fancy, who was a strongly supported favourite at $3.50 on the fixed market.
Pierre Whitby is by Mach Three and is one of seven winners out of former classy mare Party Date, who earned $256,003 from 25 wins and 27 placings from 111 starts. Other good winners out of Party Date have been Bettor Party (203 starts for 39 wins, 53 placings and $329,528) and Rocknroll Whitby (109 starts for 14 wins, 13 placings and $163,324).
Fake News resumes in style
Four-year-old WA-bred pacer Fake News, resuming after an absence of 20 weeks, gave further proof that she has the ability to develop into one of the State’s best mares when she was untroubled to set the pace and win easily from Parisian Partygirl and stablemate Just Rockon Bye in the 2130m Call Garrard’s Horse And Hound Perth Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trained by Gary Hall snr and driven by Stuart McDonald, Fake News, favourite at $3.40, started from the No. 2 barrier and took the lead after 40m. She was able to coast through the lead time in an ambling 38.8sec. and she gave her rivals little chance by sprinting the final 400m section in 27.8sec.
The victory boosted her record to 34 starts for 12 wins and six placings for stakes of $147,917.
Just Rockon Bye, who was driven by Gary Hall jnr, was gallant in defeat after racing without cover and fighting on doggedly. She, like her younger stablemate, is sure to be prominent in feature events for mares over the coming months.
Star Of Diamonds makes amends
Promising three-year-old filly Star Of Diamonds made partial amends for her last-stride half-head defeat at the hands of Blockjorg in the $30,000 Daintys Daughter Classic at Pinjarra last Monday when she won the $14,400 Garrard’s Horse And Hound For All Your Equine Needs Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Favourite at $2.20 from barrier two, Star Of Diamonds was driven confidently by Chris Voak, who sent her straight to the front and was able to conserve energy with a slow lead time of 39sec. and a dawdling opening quarter of the final mile in 32.2sec.
Star Of Diamonds sped over the final 800m in 56.2sec. and won by 2m from Soho Whisper, who had trailed the leader all the way.
Fifty Five Reborn, second fancy at $3.10, was unlucky. After being restrained from barrier six in the field of eight and being in last position with two laps to travel, she was sent forward by Colin Brown and into the breeze 1350m from home. She was still in second place on the home turn, but not threatening the leader. But at the 120m mark Fifty Five Reborn met with interference, broke into a gallop and dropped back to finish last.
Star Of Diamonds, trained by Barry Howlett, has had 25 starts for three wins, eight placings and $46,671 in prizemoney.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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