16 December 2021 | Ken Casellas
Typhoon Banner is due for a change
With five consecutive placings from unfavourable barriers over the past two months Typhoon Banner is overdue for a change of fortune when he contests the $50,000 Catalano Truck And Equipment Christmas Gift over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred four-year-old has drawn ideally at the No. 1 barrier in the group 2 feature and trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green is quietly confident the Bettors Delight gelding will prove hard to beat.
Typhoon Banner warmed up for this week’s assignment in impressive fashion when he began from the outside barrier (No. 8), was last in the middle stages and then sustained a powerful burst, out wide, from ninth at the bell to finish a neck second to Leosabi.
“He’s been racing really well, and his work has indicated he is holding his form,” said Egerton-Green. “It’s a hot field, but he’s a good chance. We will run the gate and see where we lob. He likes to lead and also has plenty of strings to his bow.
“I’m happy with the draw; it’s a great starting position, and, hopefully, we can finish in the No. 1 spot as well.”
Typhoon Banner’s toughest rivals loom large as Jumpingjackmac, Leosabi and Finvarra.
Jumpingjackmac and Finvarra are the only three-year-olds in the race and are racing in fine form for trainer Gary Hall snr, while four-year-old Leosabi is in top form for trainer Nathan Turvey and driver Emily Suvaljko.
Hall has a high opinion of Jumpingjackmac, who is expected to start favourite at odds-on, which is quite logical for such a talented pacer who has raced 16 times for nine wins and six seconds.
After Jumpingjackmac’s effortless victory when he set the pace and defeated Finvarra and Machnificent last Friday night Hall said the gelding had the class to run in the Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups in the New Year.
Star reinsman Gary Hall jnr shares his father’s opinion of Jumpingjackmac, but he says that the pacer is still on a learning curve. “He is a very good horse but is still immature in his head and in his racing demeanour,” he said. “He is a very big horse who needs a good 12 months of hard racing to get the best out of himself.
“Typhoon Banner looks the likely leader, and Jumpingjackmac will probably be in the breeze.”
Leosabi is in tremendous form and has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of starting from the outside barrier (No. 3) on the back line. His past 15 starts have included seven wins, four seconds and a third.
Leosabi also started from the outside of the back line when he won from Typhoon Banner and Alice Kay over 2130m last Friday week. He was seventh, out three wide with cover, at the bell before getting to the front 50m from the post and winning by a neck from Typhoon Banner.
“He is a versatile horse, who is capable of creating his own luck,” said Suvaljko. “He beat Typhoon Banner at his latest start, and he is still a top five chance, even without luck.”
Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri, who has won the Christmas Gift with Savette in 1992 and Im A Peregrine in 2015, will be pinning his faith on Rupert Of Lincoln, who is awkwardly drawn at barrier No. 7.
Rupert Of Lincoln came from eighth in the middle stages and sustained a strong three-wide burst over the final 1100m to score a smart victory over Shadow Roll last Friday night.
Hall snr, who will be represented by Jumpingjackmac, Finvarra and The Ideal Touch, has been successful in the Christmas Gift with Nixons Creed (1993), Allioop (2004), McRaes Mate (2007), Livingontheinterest (2012), Toretto (2013) and Herrick Roosevelt (2017).
Wildwest suited at No. 1 barrier
Enigmatic five-year-old Wildwest races at his best on the pegs, and from the No. 1 barrier he has bright prospects of leading and winning the 1730m Stephen Croy Memorial Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Punters would be well advised to overlook his 11TH placing behind Balcatherine in the 2130m City of Perth Cup last Friday night when he began from the outside barrier (No. 9) and raced at the rear throughout.
He met with a slight check about 550m after the start, was forced wide briefly and was never in contention, with the pacemaker Balcatherine speeding over the final 800m in 55.5sec.
Wildwest, to be driven by Callan Suvaljko, impressed the previous week when he sat behind the leader Hurricane Harley and was hopelessly blocked for a run when a most unlucky third to that pacer in the 2536m event. A week earlier Wildwest enjoyed the one-out, one-back trail before finishing strongly to win in fine style from Hampton Banner and Perfect Major.
Wildwest is prepared by Gary Hall snr, who has three other runners in the race — champion Chicago Bull, Diego and Alta Intrigue.
Gary Hall jnr will drive eight-year-old Chicago Bull, who has won 61 races and $2,330,983 in prizemoney. “Barrier eight over 1730m is not ideal,” said Hall.
“He looks super and is going well, and they are the most important things. He went 2min. 57sec. two track runs ago and then 2.58 at his next hoppled run.
“You would expect Wildwest to be able to lead, and he could run close enough to 1.53, or sub 1.53 which would make him pretty hard to beat. I won’t be disappointed if Bully runs midfield; I’m rapt that he is back fit and healthy.”
Wildwest gave an early indication of his frontrunning ability when, at his third start in a race and at his Gloucester Park debut he rated 1.57.5 over 2130m and dashed over the final 400m in 26.8sec. in winning easily from Beaudiene Western.
He started from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Governor’s Cup last February when he easily won the start, fought off a spirited early challenge for the lead, ran the lead time in a scorching 34.5sec. and won from the fast-finishing Miracle Moose, rating 1.54.9.
Chicago Bull, winner of the 2017 WA Pacing Cup and a dual Fremantle Cup winner, has overcome a couple of minor setbacks and will be making his first appearance since he raced in the breeze before fading to eighth behind Shockwave in the 2536m Winter Cup on June 21.
Also resuming after an injury-enforced two-year absence is seven-year-old Rocknroll Lincoln, who was driven by Hall in two trial wins last month for Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice.
“His trials have been really good, and he should come back in really good shape,” said Hall. “And I know that whatever he’s done in the trials he will improve on. He went very well in the first trial (at Pinjarra) and felt even better in the next one (at Bunbury). If he gets a crack at them, he will be dangerous.”
Hall has driven Rocknroll Lincoln 15 times for seven wins, including the Bunbury Cup in December 2018, the WA Pacing Cup in January 2019 and the Governor’s Cup in February 2019. He has made a good recovery from a damaged suspensory ligament and will be having his first start since he was badly checked and finished last behind Vampiro in the Village Kid Sprint at Gloucester Park on December 27, 2019.
Rocknroll Lincoln is the only runner off the back line in Friday night’s event and he will be driven for the first time by Aiden de Campo.
Leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond will be represented by richly-talented New Zealand-bred four-year-olds Minstrel and Patronus Star, each of whom has an excellent winning chance.
Minstrel, to be driven by Ryan Warwick from barrier six, has won at 13 of his 25 starts and he was extremely impressive at his first appearance for three months when he raced wide early and then in the breeze before finishing with great determination to be second to the pacemaker Hurricane Harley over 2536m last Friday week. If he replicates that performance, he will take a lot of beating.
Dylan Egerton-Green will drive Patronus Star, a winner at 13 of his 30 starts who is favourably drawn at barrier two. He caught the eye with a superb first-up performance when fourth behind Hurricane Harley last Friday week. He was 11TH at the bell and flew home with a dazzling seven-wide burst.
“It was a really good run, and he should run a nice race,” said Egerton-Green.
The brilliant Ray Williams-trained four-year-old Magnificent Storm cannot be underestimated and is still a winning prospect, even from the outside barrier (No. 9).
He reappeared after a brief spell when he raced in the breeze at various stages and fought on gamely to be third behind Balcatherine and Motu Premier over 2130m last Friday night. His previous 19 starts resulted in 18 wins and a second placing.
Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri is looking for a strong performance from five-year-old Perfect Major, who will be driven by Chris Lewis from barrier five. “He has won six Free-For-Alls, two of them in group 2 events,” said Olivieri. “He is a silly chance.”
Sahara Storm set to sizzle
On the surface Sahara Storm, the only three-year-old filly in the SEFS The Asset Finance Specialists Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night, appears to face a stern test against seven older and experienced mares.
But that’s not the case, according to outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko, who is bubbling with confidence that Sahara Storm has the speed to lead her rivals on a merry dance.
“She will lead (from the No. 2 barrier) and will take some running down,” she said. “Sheez Our Hope has a quick turn of foot, and Queen Shenandoah are the ones to beat.
“Sahara Storm was a good winner at Bunbury last Saturday night. It was her first time over 2500m, and she sprinted home in 27.8sec.”
The Victorian-bred Sahara Storm, trained by Nathan Turvey, has blossomed in WA, with her first three starts in the State producing two wins and a second placing.
The 21-year-old Suvaljko is enjoying a magnificent season during which she has driven 170 winners, including a quartet at Bunbury last Saturday night.
She was successful behind Stirup Iron Jack ($6.50), Kitty Go Round ($6.50), Sahara Storm ($1.45) and Fatal Attack ($6). This was the second time she has landed four winners on a program, and she created a record by becoming the first female driver in West Australian harness racing history to win four races at a meeting on two occasions.
Suvaljko should start Friday night’s meeting on a winning note be driving the Turvey-trained four-year-old Hesashark to victory in the 2130m Catalano Truck And Equipment Sales Pace.
The former South Australian pacer has had three runs in WA for a fighting first-up fourth behind Machnificent, followed by thirds behind Master Leighton and Heez Our Perseus.
“Hesashark has had a few runs under his belt here and should be good to go,” said Suvaljko. “He didn’t have any luck when third behind Heez Our Perseus last week when the one-legged spreader broke and he didn’t get a clear run until the final 50 metres.”
Suvaljko is also looking forward to driving the Gary Elson-trained Battlescard in the SEFS You Name It, We Fund It Pace. Battlescard, who will start from the No. 4 barrier, has resumed after a spell in good form, with a first-up win over Griffin Lodge and a third last Friday week behind Youre So Fine and Paul Edward after setting the pace.
“I’d say we will be pushing the buzzer off the arm, and it will be up to Gary to see whether to take a sit or not,” said Suvaljko.
Gary Hall jnr will handle the last-start winner and favourite Youre So Fine, who will start from the outside barrier in the field of eight two-year-olds.
“This is a pretty good race and will be another good test for Youre So Fine,” he said. “He is so versatile, and that’s the good part about him.”
Youre So Fine is sure to meet plenty of opposition from last-start winners Linebacker, Floewriter and Maungatahi, as well as from Battlescard and Paul Edward.
Arma Indie set to lead again
Reinsman Mark Reed was delighted when Arma Indie returned to good form with an all-the-way victory last Friday night, and he predicts the five-year-old mare is capable of repeating the dose when she starts from the prized No. 1 barrier in the Catalano Truck And Equipment Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I think she will be improved by her run last week,” he said. “She is a good frontrunner who should again give her rivals something to chase, even though it is a bit stronger field.”
It appears to be quite an even field, with Arma Indie’s main rivals likely to be last-start winners Double Expresso and Heez Our Perseus, as well as Carrera Mach, who was an unlucky third behind Manning last Friday night when he lost ground in the back straight in the final circuit when he locked sulky wheels with The Kraken.
Carrera Mach and Double Expresso are trained by Ross Olivieri, who gives both pacers a good chance of winning. “Carrera Mach was unlucky last week, and he will make his presence felt,” said Olivieri. “He is not far away from a win.
“Double Expresso has drawn barrier No. 10, the inside of the back line. It’s not a bad draw. I remember when she started from barrier ten in the Caduceus Club Classic in February 2020, raced three back on the pegs and won from Major Martini.”
Double Expresso bounced back to her best last Friday night when she started from the outside of the front line, settled in tenth place and finished powerfully to win by two lengths from Alta Rhett.
Heez Our Perseus, trained by Gary Hall snr, is in splendid form, with two wins and two seconds from his past four starts. He is poorly drawn out wide at barrier seven but cannot be underestimated.
“The wide barrier will test him,” said reinsman Gary Hall jnr. “However, he is a good sit-sprint horse, and will probably be driven that way. He is going well enough to play a part.”
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