14 December 2020 | Ken Casellas
Sky’s the limit for Magnificent Storm
He is a muscular ball of strength who walks with the stride of a champion and carries himself with the haughty look of a horse who knows he is good.
That’s Magnificent Storm, who has that special stellar quality and all the attributes of a superstar. He is not at all arrogant; he’s friendly, casual and laid-back off the track, but is a confident and majestic pacer on the fields of battle where he has proved to be invincible, winning easily at his first nine starts in Western Australia.
“He’s the real deal; he’s got gears and is the best three-year-old I’ve ever driven,” declared an admiring Aldo Cortopassi after driving the comparatively inexperienced New Zealand-bred gelding to an effortless victory in the Three Hours Free Weekend Parking In The City Of Perth Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Astute trainer Ray Williams is daring to dream and has no hesitation in saying that Magnificent Storm is the best pacer he has prepared.
“He is a lovely horse who does things so easily and runs 26sec. quarters like other horses run 28sec., and I’m a bit excited about him,” said Williams. “He is an ideal racehorse and we’re heading towards the Four-Year-Old Championship and Golden Nugget early next year.”
Magnificent Storm was favourite at $1.20 when he started from the No. 4 barrier on Friday night. Power And Grace, the $10 second fancy, was smartest into stride from barrier three before taking the trail behind Magnificent Storm after 220m.
Magnificent Storm virtually went to sleep in front after a modest lead time of 37.6sec. and the first quarters were covered in leisurely fashion in 31sec. and 29.4sec. before Cortopassi lifted the tempo and the final 400m sections were run in 28.4sec. and 26.4sec. The winner rated 1.55.7 over the 2130m and won by five and a half lengths from Power And Grace, with Typhoon Banner finishing strongly from sixth at the bell to be third.
Magnificent Storm is by American Ideal and is the first foal out of Our Splendour, a talented mare who earned $148,990 from eight wins and 11 placings from just 28 starts. As a three-year-old Our Splendour was placed four times behind champion Adore Me in feature events. She finished third in the group 2 Ladyship Stakes at Alexandra Park, was third in the group 1 Northern Oaks at Alexandra Park, third in the group 1 New Zealand Oaks at Addington and second in the Diamond at Ashburton.
Our Splendour also raced twice in Australia in June 2013 for a win in the group 3 Gold Coast Oaks and a half-head second to Nosurprisethere in the group 1 Queensland Oaks at Albion Park.
Our Splendour’s unraced dam Splendid Deal also produced an outstanding performer in Maxim, who had 37 starts for 12 wins, 14 placings and $510,151 in prizemoney.
Maxim won the group 1 Sires Stakes at Addington in May 2013, was second to stablemate Sky major in the group 1 Emerald at Ashburton before finishing third behind Tiger Tara in the group 1 Northern Derby at Alexandra Park in March 2014 and third behind Heaven Rocks in the group 1 Easter Cup at Addington in April 2017.
To say that Magnificent Storm is bred in the purple is an understatement — and Williams is delighted to have his two-year-old full-brother Stamford in his Mt Helena stable.
Stamford arrived in WA four months ago and he had his first track workout for Williams on Friday morning. “I hoppled him today for the first time and I will probably start him in a trial on Sunday week,” he said.
“Stamford is the same as Magnificent Storm as far as his demeanour is concerned and he looks a bit more of a racy horse as well. I’m pretty happy with him.”
Mighty Conqueror makes amends
Star five-year-old Mighty Conqueror, an unlucky third in the WA Pacing Cup the previous week, made partial amends by scoring a decisive victory in the $50,000 Lord Mayor’s Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Favourite at $2.40 and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, Mighty Conqueror zoomed past the polemarker after 150m and after a smart lead time of 36.3sec. Egerton-Green was able to give the New Zealand-bred gelding, owned and trained by Greg and Skye Bond, a welcome breather with an opening quarter of 30.8sec.
Then followed a 29.4sec. quarter before Mighty Conqueror safely kept his rivals at bay with final 400m sections of 27.9sec. and 28sec. The winner rated 1.55.1, the fastest time since the Cup was decided over 2130m for the first time since the event was first run in 1966.
Stablemate Vampiro ($8.50) was driven in the one-out, one-back position by Colin Brown before unwinding a fast late sprint to be second, with Argyle Red ($23) finishing third, ahead of the fast-finishing Balcatherine and Galactic Star (who wilted slightly after racing three wide early and then without cover).
This was Mighty Conqueror’s first victory since his brilliant win in the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup last January. He was somewhat unlucky when third behind Vultan Tin and Chicago Bull in the WA Pacing Cup the previous Friday night when he led early and then trailed the pacemaker Vampiro. He was badly hampered for room until the final 150m, when he finished with a resolute burst.
Mighty Conqueror was purchased by the Bonds after the gelding had won at three of his four starts as a three-year-old in early 2018 for trainers Mark and Debbie Shirley and reinsman Shane Walkinshaw. Mighty Conqueror now has raced 33 times for 17 wins, seven placings and $558,843 in stakes.
Vultan Tin, the surprise winner of the WA Pacing Cup a week earlier, was a $15 chance from out wide at barrier eight. He raced at the rear and out wide in the final circuit before finishing last in the field of 12.
Big night for Peterson
Young trainer-reinsman Corey Peterson had a night to remember on Friday when he prepared three winners — two at Gloucester Park and one at Wagin.
The 20-year-old Peterson was successful at Gloucester Park with Cant Refuse and One For Dave Andme, while Bailey McDonough won with the Peterson-trained $2.90 chance Join The Que in a $4500 event at Wagin in which the five-year-old raced without cover before defeating Im Spiderman.
Rock Me Over was all the rage from the No. 1 barrier in the City of Perth Twilight Hawkers Market Pace over 2536m, with Cant Refuse the $4.90 second fancy from the inside of the back line. Rock Me Over ($1.75) set a brisk pace, with Rosies Ideal ($8.50) in the breeze and Cant Refuse trailing the leader.
Thats Perfect came from ninth at the bell with a searching run to hit the front 130m from home and was hailed the winner before Cant Refuse sprinted brilliantly to get up and beat that pacer by a head at a 1.56.4 rate. This followed Cant Refuse’s fast-finishing neck second to Thereugo over 2130m the previous Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred Cant Refuse, a former Sydney performer, has won at two of his five starts for Peterson and now becomes eligible to contest Free-For-All events.
“He had some feet problems, but they seem to be all right now,” said Peterson.
Peterson brought up his driving double later in the night when he was successful with $8.70 chance One For Dave Andme in the 2130m Ian Davie Memorial Pace.
Veteran Maximum Demand led for the first 200m before Touch of Success moved into the lead, and then 300m later Peterson urged One For Dave Andme forward to get to the front. The quick lead time of 36.9sec. was followed by moderate quarters of 31.6sec. and 31sec. before One For Dave Andme dashed over the final quarters in 27.9sec. and 28.3sec. to win by just under a length from Maximum Demand, with Touch of Success and the $1.85 favourite American Brave an unlucky fourth.
One For Dave Andme is owned by Giovanni (Johnny) Filardo and his son Anthony, and has earned $94,630 from eight wins and 22 placings from 95 starts.
Twentynine Twelve a $1000 bargain
Serpentine trainer Matt Scott has a happy knack of buying pacers for a bargain price and then chalking up profitable results from his purchases.
He outlaid just $1000 six months ago to buy experienced gelding Twentynine Twelve, who repaid him by winning the 2130m City of Perth Christmas Lights Trail Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The surprise victory at the handsome odds of $48.80 ended Twentynine Twelve’s losing sequence of 34 and a 17-month drought, and for Scott the seven-year-old’s 22 starts have produced Friday night’s victory, two seconds and two thirds for stakes of $20,319.
Twentynine Twelve started from the inside of the back line and Mitch Miller was content to trail the pacemaker and $2.60 favourite Sightseeing Anvil.
Sightseeing Anvil began to weaken noticeably turning into the back straight in the final circuit, and when Gary Hall jnr took $4.40 second fancy Baylen Jett from the breeze and into the lead with 650m to travel Miller was able to get clear running with Twentynine Twelve, who finished strongly to overhaul Baylen Jett in the home straight and beat that pacer by almost a length.
Twentynine Twelve’s eight-year-old stablemate Always Arjay, an $81 outsider after having been unplaced at his previous 21 starts and boasting a losing sequence of 26, ran on solidly from sixth on the pegs at the bell to finish third.
Scott said that Twentynine Twelve had been advertised for sale on Facebook and he was happy to spend $1000 to buy him. “I bought him because at the time I had a lot of horses spelling and I needed my staff to do something,” Scott explained.
“After he had run a couple of seconds for me, he went off a bit and I decided to spell him, and this was his fourth run back and I thought he would run a bit of a race.
“I took 11 horses to the track on Wednesday and Twentynine Twelve was the best worker. Mitch Miller is an underrated driver and he does well with the opportunities he gets. The win came as a pleasant surprise. I also must thank chiropractor Dean White, who has been manipulating his muscles.
“Always Arjay has had two throat operations and the vets have been telling me for about three months to give up on him. But I have been hanging in with him, particularly because his owner John Gullace is pretty crook.”
Suvaljko makes the right choice
Top-flight reinsman Shannon Suvaljko surprised many punters when he opted to drive Vivere Damore from the outside of the front line in the 2130m City of Perth Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night in preference to the better drawn Waltzingwithsierra, a mare he had driven to an impressive fast-finishing victory the previous Friday night.
However, Suvaljko’s judgment proved to be spot on, and he drove a patient race before bringing Vivere Damore, a $20.40 chance, home with a spirited three-wide burst to snatch a head victory over the fast-finishing Queen Shenandoah ($5), with the $3.60 favourite Radiant Amber fading to finish third after setting the pace.
“I chose Vivere Damore because I drove her in the Mares Classic last Friday week when she led and finished fourth behind Balcatherine, Somebeachparty and Has No Fear, with the winner rating 1.56.8 over the 2536m,” Suvaljko said. “And 2500m isn’t her go, and I thought her run in the Mares Classic was the run of the race.
“I gave Vivere Damore a good chance tonight, dropping back to this (lower) grade. Waltzingwithsierra needs to race on the rails, whereas Vivere Damore can make her own luck. And I considered her to be my best drive for the night.
“Tilly (trainer Peter Tilbrook) wanted me to go forward, but I said ’leave it to me and I’ll be going back.’ I expected two or three would be coming out (fast) and run a 36sec. lead time. Vivere Damore is a strong horse and she could’ve taken off at the bell. But they had been rolling and were going to get home in only 57sec.”
Vivere Damore raced in eighth position in the one-wide line, following the in-form Headline Act, who was urged forward by Chris Lewis 750m from home. Suvaljko then followed Headline Act’s three-wide surge before switching the mare four wide on the home turn. The pacemaking Radiant Amber began to wilt in the home straight and Vivere Damore finished boldly to win from Queen Shenandoah.
Waltzingwithsierra, a $14 chance driven by Gary Hall jnr, raced three back on the pegs in fifth position and was badly hampered for room until late when she finished strongly to be an unlucky fourth.
American Arma is tough
Inexperienced filly American Arma continues to reveal her wonderful potential and showed that she should develop into one of the leading candidates for the rich WA Oaks next year when she gave a fighting performance to win the Visitperth.com Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trained and driven by Colin Brown, American Arma was the $1.90 favourite from barrier four. Rumour Has It, the $2.70 second fancy from barrier three, dashed to the front after 80m and Brown was content to rate American Arma in the breeze.
After a slow lead time of 39.2sec. and moderate opening quarters of 31.7sec. and 30.2sec. Rumour Has It, having her first start for nine months, increased the tempo with final 400m sections in 28.6sec. and 27.1sec.
American Arma, with Brown driving confidently, finished with dogged determination and got to the front 60m from the post before winning by a half-length from the pacemaker.
This improved American Arma’s record to five starts for four wins and one second placing (behind smart colt Sugar Street) for stakes of $40,140.
Cyclone Banner runs fast time
New Zealand-bred four-year-old Cyclone Banner built on his impressive record in Western Australia for Mt Helena trainer Ray Williams when he finished with great determination to prevail in a thrilling three-way photo finish to the 2130m Visit The Northbridge Piazza Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The sparks were flying from the outset when the polemarker Jimmy Mack resisted a spirited challenge for the lead from noted speedster Thereugo and the lead time was a flying 34.9sec.
Jimmy Mack ($5.50) then set a fast pace, forcing the $1.55 favourite Patrickthepiranha to work hard in the breeze. Aldo Cortopassi was able to position Cyclone Banner, a $15.80 chance, into the favoured one-out, one-back position behind Patrickthepiranha.
Cortopassi switched Cyclone Banner three wide approaching the home turn and he had a tremendous battle in the home straight with Sir Galahad ($6) and Justasec ($23). He fought on tigerishly to beat Sir Galahad by a head, with Justasec a head away in third place after being hampered for room in the closing stages.
Cyclone Banner recorded a fast mile rate of 1.54.4 which compared extremely favourably with the 1.55.1 rate recorded by Mighty Conqueror in winning the following event, the group 2 Lord Mayor’s Cup. Cyclone Banner has been a consistent performer in WA, with his 27 starts producing 12 wins and seven placings. His career record now stands at 33 starts for 14 wins, eight placings and stakes of $119,779.
“He toughed it out really well,” said Cortopassi. “We got a good run, but I was a bit worried because of the early speed, and I thought that a few of the swoopers might have got us. But to his credit, he knuckled down and did his job.”
Blue Blazer enjoys a perfect trip
Enigmatic New Zealand-bred five-year-old Blue Blazer ended a losing sequence of 12 when Michael Grantham gave him a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position in the 2536m Discover The Urban Orchard in the City of Perth Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Ryan Bell-trained gelding enjoyed the perfect trip and he unwound a strong late sprint after Grantham eased him out three wide 250m from the post. He burst to the front with 100m to travel and won by a half-length from $8.50 chance Extradite, who finished determinedly after racing outside the pacemaker Dominate The Dojo. The final 400m was run in 27.9sec.
Dominate The Dojo held on to finish third, with the $1.95 favourite Henwood Bay an unlucky fourth.
Deni Roberts restrained Henwood Bay from the No. 6 barrier before sending him forward after 500m in a concerted bid to move outside the leader. However, her plan was foiled by Corey Peterson, who kicked up in the breeze with Extradite and kept Henwood Bay out three deep.
Roberts then restrained Henwood Bay to the rear and the gelding was seventh (on the pegs) at the bell. Finally, Henwood Bay was able to vacate the pegs 400m from home. He went four wide at the 250m and finished strongly, out five wide.
Blue Blazer, by Auckland Reactor, has raced 63 times for ten wins, 15 placings and $74,510 in prizemoney.
Princess Mila too speedy
Five-year-old mare Princess Mila has a reputation of being unreliable in standing-start events, but she was on her best behaviour when she began smoothly from the back mark of 20m in the 2096m Celebrate The Silly Season in the City of Perth Trot at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
In contrast, Sunnys Little Jestic, a newcomer from Victoria and the $2.25 favourite, galloped badly and trailed the field throughout before finishing last.
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr was content to keep Princess Mila in eighth position in the field of nine while $6 chance Champagne Prince was setting a solid pace.
Princess Mila was still eighth with 700m to travel when Hall urged her forward and she was able to gain an ideal run in the one-wide line behind Dark Secret before going three wide at the 200m. She took the lead 70m from the post and won comfortably from Dark Secret and Champagne Prince.
The Victorian-bred Princess Mila now has had 47 starts for 13 wins, 16 placings and $122,452.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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