10 January 2022 | Ken Casellas
Vampiro highlights Bond stable’s night out
Champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, fresh from winning the trainers’ premiership with 165 winners last year, made a spectacular start to the 2022 season when spritely veteran Vampiro smashed the track record for 2130m in winning the $50,000 Pat Cranley Memorial at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This outstanding result followed the Bond camp’s victories with Double Up and Ideal Agent in the Nights of Thunder qualifying heats earlier in the program.
Vampiro, a $32.10 outsider driven expertly by Michael Grantham, gave the Bonds a rare trifecta result, with the eight-year-old beating five-year-old stablemates Minstrel ($4.40) and Patronus Star ($16) in the group 2 feature event.
The three stable stars will clash again as leading candidates in the $300,000 Retravision Fremantle Cup next Friday week.
“Vampiro is ready for another crack at the Cups,” said Skye Bond. “He has been fortunate enough to have run a couple of seconds in them (leading when a head second to Caviar Star in the Fremantle Cup in January 2020, and leading when a head second to stablemate Mighty Conqueror in the WA Pacing Cup at his next start).
“He has come back from a break really well and is very well in himself. We have been getting to the beach at Kwinana in the hot weather. It’s been a combination of working him at home and wading at the beach.
“Often when horses get older, they lose their gate speed a bit. But he hasn’t lost his early speed; it’s a great asset.”
Vampiro, having his second start after a spell, began speedily from the No. 5 barrier and dashed to an early lead which he surrendered to Minstrel with 1150m to travel. This left Hurricane Harley ($3.60) in the breeze, with Patronus Star enjoying a perfect run, one-out and one-back.
Minstrel looked set for victory when he turned for home with a comfortable advantage. But he failed to hold out the fast-finishing Vampiro, who ran home powerfully to win by a half-length, rating 1.52.6 which broke the track record for 2130m (1.52.9) held jointly by Beaudiene Boaz and Talktomeurmattjesty.
Vampiro, who is owned by Mrs Bond and Rob Gartrell, won once from seven starts as a three-year-old in New Zealand. He now has had 82 starts for 29 wins, 27 placings and earnings of $683,001.
He won at his first six starts at Gloucester Park (in 2017) and his wins in feature events include the Mount Eden Sprint and James Brennan Memorial in 2018, the Stratton Cup and Village Kid Sprint in 2019 and the Pinjarra Cup in 2020.
Grantham has a 100 per cent record in the sulky behind Vampiro, with his previous drive behind the Rocknroll Hanover gelding being when he set the pace and beat Herrick Roosevelt and Galactic Star in the Village Kid Sprint in December 2019.
Friday night’s Cranley Memorial was run at a cracking pace, with a fast lead time of 35.9sec. being followed by quarters of 29sec., 28.5sec., 28.2sec. and 27.4sec.
The Bond trifecta returned a dividend of $1557.80, and the first four dividend (with $12 chance Balcatherine finishing fourth) paid a handsome $12,171.80.
Mrs Bond has delighted with the runs of the three placegetters, saying: “Minstrel maybe was just a little keen, and he stuck it out really well, while Patronus Star put in a really good run. He is always going to be a sniper from back in the pack.”
Nine-year-old Chicago Bull was the $3.20 favourite in Friday night’s race in which he started from the inside on the back line. He was eighth in the one-wide line at the bell and battled on gamely to finish fifth.
Vampiro’s victory gave the Bond stable a record fifth win in the Cranley Memorial, following the successes of Motu Treasure (2010), Midnight Dylan (2013), Galactic Star (2018) and Mighty Conqueror (2019).
Magnificent Storm, the pre-post favourite for Friday’s event, was withdrawn by trainer Ray Williams under the heat policy protocols.
Ideal Agent repeats the dose
Up-and-coming star Ideal Agent led and won by seven lengths from Ragazzo Mach last Friday week. But in the second heat of the Intersport Slater Gartrell Nights of Thunder at Gloucester Park on Friday night he was an $11.20 chance on the tote, with Ragazzo Mach the hot $1.20 favourite.
Ideal Agent, driven by Dylan Egerton-Green as the replacement for the Greg and Skye Bond stable’s No. 1 driver Ryan Warwick (who was committed to a special family birthday celebration), worked hard in the breeze before finishing fast to win by a half-length from Ragazzo Mach, who took the lead after 550m and then set a cracking pace.
“I wasn’t surprised at such a good price,” said Skye Bond. “We have a lot of respect for Ragazzo Mach. We had the (better) draw last week, and this week Ragazzo Mach had the more favourable barrier.
“Last week Ideal Agent showed that he was in the zone. But to do it outside Ragazzo Mach tonight showed that he just doesn’t have to have the draw.
“Dylan had to make the early move (dashing forward three wide in the first lap to race without cover). He needed to do this to get into the race. With the short trip, he didn’t have any time to waste to get there.
“Ideal Agent is not just a sprinter; he’s got some depth, too.”
Ragazzo Mach, driven by Mark Reed, mustered good early pace from barrier four and burst past the polemarker Withoutthetuh ($17) to take up the running after 550m. The quarters whizzed by in 28sec., 28.8sec. and 27.5sec. and Ragazzo Mach looked the winner when he led by a length 65m from the post. But Ideal Agent sprouted wings and beat Ragazzo Mach by a half-length, with a final quarter in 28.3sec. and rating 1.51.9. Withoutthetuh impressed in finishing strongly to be third.
Ideal Agent, a five-year-old stallion by American Ideal, is the first foal out of the unraced Bettors Delight mare Lady Smack. His 31 New Zealand starts produced four wins and 12 placings, and he has had eights starts in Western Australia for five wins, two seconds and one seventh placing.
Double Up scores at long odds
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Double Up went into the first qualifying heat of the Etch Coatings Nights of Thunder at Gloucester Park on Friday night having started favourite at ten of his 13 appearances in WA and at odds-on in eight of those events.
He was drawn on the outside in the field of eight and was the rank outsider at $86 on the tote and at the remarkable odds of $126 on the fixed market. The longest price he had started at his first 13 WA outings was $7.50.
Double Up, prepared by Greg and Skye Bond, had Deni Roberts in the sulky, taking over from Ryan Warwick, who had driven the American Ideal gelding at all his previous WA starts. Warwick missed the meeting because of a family commitment.
Punters overlooked Double Up’s claims, with Mighty Ronaldo ($2.10), Jumpingjackmac ($2.65), Bettortstartdreaming ($6.50) and Machnificent ($7.50) dominating the betting.
Double Up was three wide early before being restrained to the rear, while Bettorstartdreaming was setting a fast pace, with Jumpingjackmac in the breeze and Mighty Ronaldo in the favourable one-out, one-back position.
Double Up was seventh, on the pegs, with 300m to travel. Mighty Ronaldo was surging forward with a three-wide burst, but the race changed drastically as the runners approached the home turn. Mighty Ronaldo and Jumpingjackmac locked sulky wheels and galloped out of contention, and Typhoon Banner and Machnificent met with severe interference, with Typhoon Banner dislodging his driver Dylan Egerton-Green and then crashing to the track.
Bettorstartdreaming remained in front in the home straight, but was unable to hold out Double Up, who had missed interference and flew home with a dazzling burst of speed to get up and beat the frontrunner by a half-length, rating 1.52.4, with a final quarter of 28.5sec. after earlier 400m sections of 28.5sec., 28.3sec. and 27.6sec.
“I was contemplating moving off the pegs approaching the home turn, but decided against it,” said Roberts. “If I had left the pegs I would have been involved in the mix-up.”
Double Up was having his third start after a spell, with his previous two runs being in stands for a third behind Beat City and a fifth behind the same pacer.
“There was no special reason why Double Up raced in those stands,” said Mrs Bond. “He did simply because he’s good at them. He hasn’t been super lucky, and a week ago he got stuck in the breeze. I think he’s more a sprinter than a stayer, and his late sprint didn’t surprise me. He is a very quick horse.”
Double Up won at two of his 14 New Zealand starts and he has raced 14 times in WA for nine wins and three placings.
Arma Einstein is getting better
Ace trainer-reinsman Colin Brown has cured many of Arma Einstein’s problems, and the WA-bred four-year-old is developing into a good, reliable performer.
Arma Einstein, the $1.80 favourite, gave an excellent example of his sit-sprint ability when he was tenth at the bell before he finished powerfully to win the 2130m Nova 93.7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Valbonne ($11) set the pace, with $41 outsider Regal Scribe in the breeze, with Brown content to remain at the rear and rely on Arma Einstein’s sprinting ability.
Regal Scribe got to the front 80m from the post and finished a commendable neck second to Arma Einstein, who gained the upper hand in the final 15 metres.
“Arma Einstein is a sit and kick horse,” said Brown. “He’s very fast, and I was confident tonight that he was going to outsprint his rivals — until coming off the back when a horse came out under him, and I had to turn him sideways.
“He has come a long way. He is a lot better gaited. He used to hit a knee and we had trouble getting him around the final bend. But dragging him sideways tonight wasn’t an issue. He ran an enormous last half, three and four deep coming off the back.
“I’m proud of him. That’s the sort of thing I know he can do. No doubt speed is his main asset. As a two and three-year-old he raced against all the best horses. His overall form is against some of the best juveniles in the State.”
Arma Einstein is by Renaissance Man and is the second foal out of the unraced Bettors Delight mare Arma Fifty Five, whose first foal Fifty Five Reborn has had 48 starts for Browen for 14 wins, six placings and $191,674. Arma Einstein now has raced 38 times for eight wins, 15 placings and $76,527.
Egerton-Green lands a double
Talented young reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green completed a double at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he drove $5.30 chance Shadow Roll to an easy victory in the 2130m Mondo Doro Smallgoods Pace.
This followed his success earlier in the program when Ideal Agent won a heat of the Nights of Thunder.
Shadow Roll has flourished under Egerton-Green’s care since he entered his stable about eight months ago. The six-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding has had 12 starts for the 28-year-old Egerton-Green for two wins, five seconds, one third and two fourths.
“He went very well,” said Egerton-Green. “He was involved in a quick lead time (35.6sec.) and was strong enough to hold them off. All he needed was a bit of luck to go his way.”
Egerton-Green dashed Shadow Roll to an early lead from barrier four before Thereugo burst to the front 250m after the start. Egerton-Green then regained the lead 250m later and the gelding relaxed with opening quarters of 31.4sec. and 31sec. before finishing with smart 400m sections of 28.3sec. and 28.9sec. on his way to defeating Thereugo ($15) by two and a half lengths, rating 1.57.2.
Shadow Roll, the eighth and final foal out of the unraced Artiscape mare Classy Return, has earned $120,472 from 13 wins and 24 placings from 57 starts.
Nota Bene Denario holds on
Seven-year-old Nota Bene Denario has resumed after a spell in fine style, and he revealed excellent fighting qualities to set the pace and then hold off a determined strong challenge from stablemate Gambit in the 2536m Hoist Torque Australia Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Nota Bene Denario, driven by Callan Suvaljko, and Gambit, driven by Gary Hall jnr, dominated betting on the race, with the former starting second favourite at $3.90 and Gambit a warm $1.80 favourite.
It was a more favourable barrier which played the major role in determining the result. Suvaljko made every post a winner by setting the pace with Nota Bene Denario, who dashed straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier, while Gambit, from barrier five, was perfectly driven in sixth position, one-out and two-back.
Hall switched Gambit three wide 1050m from home and the six-year-old challenged Nota Bene Denario strongly for the lead over the final 550m. But Nota Bene Denario sprinted powerfully and covered the final 400m sections in 27.6sec. and 27.9sec. to hold Gambit at bay. The winning margin was a half-length.
The New Zealand-bred Nota Bene Denario has won twice and finished second twice at his five appearances after a five-month absence. A winner of six races from 49 New Zealand starts, Nota Bene Denario has earned $138,647 from eleven wins and 31 placings from 67 starts.
Four in a row for Orlando Blue
Mundijong trainer Michael Young has Orlando Blue racing in peak form, and the WA-bred four-year-old stretched his winning sequence to four when he gave another bold frontrunning display to score a narrow victory in the 2536m Direct Trades Supply Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Shannon Suvaljko took full advantage of the No. 1 barrier with Orlando Blue, the $2.30 favourite, who was able to cover the first 800m of the final mile in 60.7sec. before sprinting over the final two 400m sections in 27.1sec. and 28.5sec.
Dont Bother Me None, the second fancy at $2.45 at his first appearance for two months, began from barrier five and Dylan Egerton-Green sent the four-year-old forward, three wide, for the first 400m before settling in the breeze.
Dont Bother Me None fought on determinedly and failed by just a half-head. It was a splendid effort, and he will pay to follow.
Orlando Blue, who rated 1.58.7, has had 12 starts for Young for six wins and two placings to improve his career record to 36 starts for 11 wins, nine placings and $114,348 in stakes.
Floewriter following Handsandwheels
Highly-promising colt Floewriter has inherited much of the ability of his close relation Handsandwheels, and he is developing into a strong candidate for the WA Derby in May.
Floewriter, trained and driven by Aiden de Campo, was wonderful value at $13.90 from out wide at barrier eight in the 2130m Simmonds Steel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when de Campo was rewarded for his aggression with an impressive victory over the $2.90 favourite Tricky Miki.
Floewriter began speedily and burst to the front after 200m before setting a solid pace and dashing over the final 800m in 56.6sec. to record a mile rate of 1.56.9 and beating Tricky Miki by a half-length.
Tricky Miki, having his first start for six months and starting from the outside of the back line, raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before finishing strongly.
“Our main dangers were on the back row — Tricky Miki and Maungatahi — and with Swingband racing first-up and from barrier six and likely to go back at the start, I took the punt by making use of Floewriter’s good gate speed,” said de Campo.
“I didn’t want to end up behind those good horses because it would have been hard work to outsprint them late.”
Floewriter now has won from wide barriers at three of his past four starts at Gloucester Park and the $30,000 yearling now has earned $127,766 from five wins and two seconds from 12 starts.
De Campo picked out Floewriter as a yearling, mainly because he was the second foal out of Maddy White, a mare he had driven to seven of her 11 victories. Maddy White is a half-sister to Handsandwheels, who has raced 83 times for the de Campo stable for 28 wins, 26 placings and $666,739 in prizemoney.
Asked to compare Floewriter with Handsandwheels, de Campo replied: “It’s a funny one; Floewriter has probably over-performed at this stage of his career compared with Handsandwheels, who won only one race (at his debut at Pinjarra in February 2016) as a two-year-old.
“Handsandwheels didn’t really step up until around Derby time (when he won the 2017 WA Derby). I wouldn’t say that Floewriter is at his level by any stretch of imagination. But he has the same attributes, being a really good racehorse and naturally gaited.
“Floewriter is like Handsandwheels in that you can use him early and then he drops the bit for you. Floewriter will race until the end of February before going for a break.”
De Campo continued in winning form at the meeting in Albany on Saturday night when he trained three winners — Sport Sport Sport, The Miki Taker and Cordering Road.
He drove Sport Sport Sport and The Miki Taker, and the nine-year-old Cordering Road gave 18-year-old Emily Johnson her first winner at her fifth drive in a race. Cordering Road ($7.50) began smoothly from the stand and was rated perfectly in front on his way to a three-length victory over Party Boy Freddy over 2247m.
This ended a losing sequence of 79 for Cordering Road, whose previous (and only other victory from xx starts) was when he was a $20.40 chance in an all-the-way success over 2180m at Wagin on May 26, 2017.
Johnson was ecstatic and she wielded the whip jubilantly before the veteran pacer crossed the finish line well clear of the opposition. Johnson has enjoyed an excellent relationship with Cordering Road, having driven him in 19 trials at Pinjarra and Bunbury.
Olivieri praises Papinik
Papinik, a lightly-raced gelding, gave further proof of his excellent potential when he was not extended in scoring an effortless victory in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trainer Ross Olivieri was delighted with his win at a 1.55 rate in beating Golden State by one and a half lengths.
“I think that his form warrants a start in the Fremantle Cup (next Friday week),” said Olivieri. “I think that the handicappers might have had the possibles and the probables tonight, and there were some horses who did not perform all that well.
“Papinik is ticking along rather nicely, and he deserves a start in the Fremantle Cup. It has been a real team job at the stable where everyone has played their part. My wife Jemma has been the centre-half-forward in the team.
“He won easily tonight and when he went 27.9sec. down the back Chris (Voak) said it felt as though he was going 29sec., and that is a good sign, a sign of a good horse.”
Papinik, the $1.50 favourite, is in top form, with his four starts in his current preparation producing three wins and a second to Major Martini. He has raced only 18 times for 12 wins and five placings for earnings of $95,489.
Misstiano ends Foley’s drought
“I thought it was never going to happen — the number of times going back home with a hard luck story,” said Mandurah butcher Ian Foley after his promising mare Misstiano had broken through for an overdue win at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Misstiano’s strong-finishing effort to beat the pacemaker and $1.40 favourite Alice Kay in the 2130m Choices Flooring Pace gave the 59-year-old Foley his first win at Gloucester Park for almost 14 years.
“This is my first city winner since Ruby Dazzler won the WA Oaks in May 2008,” said the hobby trainer who has two pacers in work at Pinjarra — Misstiano and Dame Valour, a Sweet Lou filly who was successful at her only start to date, at Northam in late November.
Misstiano, a $7.60 chance from the inside of the back line, was driven by Chris Lewis, who enjoyed the perfect trail behind the pacemaking Alice Kay before getting off the pegs 220m from home and finishing determinedly to beat Alice Kay by almost a length at a 1.56.5 rate.
The five-year-old Misstiano, owned by Foley and several members of his family, has had a stop-start career and was making her 14TH appearance at Gloucester Park in Friday night’s race which was restricted to mares. She now has had 28 starts for eight wins (including three at Pinjarra and two at both Northam and Bunbury) and ten placings for stakes of $63,262.
After Misstiano had finished strongly to win the $14,000 King Lethbridge Stakes at Pinjarra last April there were fears that the mare might not be able to continue racing.
She then suffered a serious eye injury, a virus which threatened to end her career. “She spent seven weeks with the vet., who managed to save the eye,” said Foley. “I then decided to give her a good spell and this was her third start in her current campaign.
“I think she is capable of measuring up to the better mares.”
Misstiano is by former star pacer Alta Christiano and is the second foal out of the Live Or Die chestnut mare My Killarney Miss, who had 99 starts for eight wins, 27 placings and $64,465. The New Zealand-bred My Killarney Miss ended her career with 22 starts in Western Australia for two wins for Nathan Turvey — at her first two starts in the State, in October 2012.
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