25 April 2022 | Ken Casellas
Swingband set for a clean sweep
Swingband, a big gelding with a powerful physique and an apt stable name of The Tank, took another giant step towards an ambitious target of a clean sweep in this year’s three-year-old classics when he steamrolled the opposition in the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion final for colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His runaway victory followed wins in the group 2 Sales Classic and the group 3 Caduceus Club Classic, and his connections are now looking forward to the Alta Christiano pacer contesting the three-year-old Pearl Classic on May 13 before having a break and coming back for the $100,000 Westbred Classic in September and the $200,000 WA Derby in November.
Swingband, prepared by Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell and driven by Michael Grantham, was the $1.40 favourite in Friday night’s group 2 feature event in which he had to do all the hard work in the breeze before careering away from his rivals and winning by five lengths from $101 outsider Mister Piccolo.
He began speedily from the No. 5 barrier, but both he and the $4.80 second fancy Rock On Top were held at bay by the polemarker and $13 chance Stereophonic, who after a slick lead time of 7.8sec., sped over the opening quarters of the final mile in 27.6sec. and 28.1sec.
Swingband eventually surged to the front about 570m from home and raced away to win in magnificent fashion. Loucid Dreams, a Colin Brown-trained stablemate of Mister Piccolo, ran on gamely from sixth, three back on the pegs, at the bell to be third, with Rock On Top fading to finish last after being trapped three wide throughout the 1730m event. Stereophonic was a wilting fifth.
The final 400m sections were covered in 29.1sec. and 30.3sec., with Swingband rating 1.54.3.
Swingband, who is owned by Kevin Jeavons, his son Kyle and Kyle’s friends Peter Toll and Carl Lancaster, was purchased for $70,000 at the 2020 APG Perth yearling sale. He now has earned $128,252 from seven wins and three placings from 13 starts.
Now for the Diamond Classic
Super filly Wonderful To Fly extended her winning sequence to four when she outclassed her rivals in the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and she now looks unbeatable in the $50,000 Pearl Classic on May 20.
Wonderful To Fly, the $1.04 favourite, was not extended in setting the pace and sprinting over the final 800m in 55sec. to beat Sovrana ($20) by seven lengths, rating 1.53.6 which smashed the track record for three-year-old fillies of 1.54.3 held by Sarah Goody and Miss Boudica.
“We knew she was probably capable of that,” said a delighted part-owner and trainer-reinsman Shane Young. “She was quite sharp tonight. She had had a couple of soft runs and I was happy to let her roll a bit. The hit-out probably will do her the world of good.
“She might have a run next Friday week, but I might decide not to start her until a heat of the Diamond on the following Tuesday, May 10. Hopefully, she will qualify for the final, and after that she will have a break.”
After her spell Wonderful To Fly will be prepared for the $100,000 Westbred Classic for fillies on September 9 and the $150,000 WA Oaks on October 14.
She has already amassed $270,176 in prizemoney, plus more than $40,000 in bonus payments from her 15 wins and six placings from 25 starts.
Valedictorian gains revenge
Valedictorian, a sensible and mature Art Major gelding, turned the tables on Rocket City when he beat that talented gelding by two lengths in the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Rocket City was the $2 favourite after his fast-finishing victory over Valedictorian in a heat of the Gold Bullion, while Valedictorian was the $2.80 second fancy.
Noted frontrunner Major Overs ($5) set the pace, with Valedictorian in the breeze after a fast start from barrier five, and Rocket City in sixth and last place.
Hall sent Valedictorian to the front with about 550m to travel and the gelding quickly surged away from his rivals and went on to score in fine style from Rocket City, who finished with a determined burst.
“I wasn’t disappointed with Valedictorian’s second in the heat,” said Hall. “Justin (trainer Justin Prentice) said that he had pulled up really big and would be better for the run. And tonight, Valedictorian was a lot sharper.
“The leader was my worry, not beating him but doing enough to beat him and then holding off Rocket City. That was the worry.
“Once I saw that the leader was not travelling, I thought I should go for home and try to pinch a break. Valedictorian is mature and is like a five-year-old who knows what he is doing, and that’s a good part about him.”
Valedictorian, raced by the Trotsynd No. 20 syndicate, was purchased for $40,000 at the 2021 APG Perth yearling sale. He has had five starts for three wins, a second placing and $99,935 in stakes. He will now have a spell before being brought back for a tilt at the $100,000 Pearl Classic for two-year-olds on August 26.
Prentice and Hall are hoping for another feature event victory when Hall drives the Prentice-trained Mighty Ronaldo in the rich final of the Gold Bullion for four-year-olds at Menangle next Saturday week (May 7).
Mighty Ronaldo, winner of the Golden Slipper in July 2020, the Sales Classic and WA Derby early last year and the Bunbury Cup in March this year, left Perth by air for Melbourne on Thursday night before travelling by float to Sydney.
Flametree repeats the dose
Flametree, a smart pacer by American sire Huntsville, maintained her supremacy over Dream Control when she led and easily beat that filly in a two-horse affair in the $50,000 final of the Gold Bullion for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It was a carbon copy of the Gold Bullion heat ten nights earlier when Flametree, driven by Mitch Miller for owner-trainer Barry Howlett, set the pace and beat her only rival, Dream Control by a metre at a slow 2.6.7 rate over the 1730m journey.
Miller set a dreadfully slow pace in the heat, but he decided to lift the tempo appreciably in the final in which Flametree rated 1.58.5 and finished seven lengths in front of her only rival.
Flametree, bought for $40,000 at the 2021 APG Perth yearling sale, has earned $64,832 from four wins and two placings from seven starts.
Power And Grace holds on
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Power And Grace, hot favourite at $1.10 in the 2130m Hoist Solutions Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night gave his supporters some anxious moments before holding on and beating $10 chance Beat City by a head.
Power And Grace, driven by Chris Lewis, was smartest to begin from the No. 1 barrier and he set the pace and dug deep when challenged by Beat City in the home straight after a spectacular accident had disorganised the field approaching the home turn.
Six horses were affected, leaving Power And Grace to stave off the determined late bursts from Beat City, Miss Limelight and Vivere Damore.
“Power And Grace has done a tradesman-like job in front,” said trainer Ross Olivieri. “Beat City had a fair bit of luck in the race to lob where he did, and he got close to Power And Grace. In fact, it looked like he had him, but the little fella fought back when Chris (Lewis) asked him. That’s what he’s like; he is solid, and he’s got more wins in him. He is nice and honest.”
Power And Grace is by American sire Somebeachsomewhere and is the first foal out of the unraced Art Major mare Pure Magic. All of his 42 starts have been in Western Australia, resulting in 14 wins and 16 placings for earnings of $118,516.
He gave a sample of his ability when he finished second to the brilliant Magnificent Storm in the group 2 Four-Year-Old championship in January 2021.
Ima Rockabilly Rebel is improving
New Zealand-bred pacer Ima Rockabilly Rebel has been a work in progress for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, and the four-year-old notched his fifth win from eight starts this season when he finished solidly to beat $34 outsider Master Leighton in the 2130m Taking You To New Heights Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Greg has said for 12 months that he’s like a first-year apprentice trying to become a tradie,” explained star reinsman Ryan Warwick.
“They’ve been very conscious about where they have raced him and how long they have raced him for. It’s working and I think he is nearly there. He is mentally probably a little bit off still. But there has always been ability, and I think we are now seeing a more consistent model, which is good.”
Ima Rockabilly Rebel, the $1.90 favourite from barrier four in Friday night’s race, raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, while the $3.70 second fancy Distinguished Taste was setting a brisk pace with a lead time of 36.7sec. and opening quarters of 29.4sec. and 28.7sec.
Warwick sent Ima Rockabilly Rebel forward, three wide, at the 700m and the four-year-old surged to the front 180m later and was not extended in beating Master Leighton by 4m. However, Warwick had to drive him vigorously approaching the home turn before he finished full of running.
“I think it was a case of him having a gawk around,” said Warwick. “He probably hasn’t been in that position (in front) enough because we have always driven him for speed to run through the line. Tonight, he was in front a lot earlier than usual and he probably didn’t know how to handle it. However, I thought his performance was pretty good.
“We thought as a three-year-old he had the potential to be a Derby contender, but he didn’t mature in time. His transition has been good, and I can’t see why he won’t develop into a fringe player for the big races for four-year-old later this year.”
Ima Rockabilly Rebel has raced exclusively in Western Australia where his 20 starts have produced nine wins, six placings and $64,228 in stakes.
Typhoon Banner’s fast start decisive
Typhoon Banner’s ability to begin fast and wrest the early lead from the $2.25 favourite Vespa proved the major factor in the gelding’s victory in the 2130m Rent A Gen Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trainer Dylan Egerton-Green drove the $3.30 second fancy Typhoon Banner hard from the No. 3 barrier to charge past Vespa 150m after the start, and after a modest lead time of 37.6sec. Typhoon Banner relaxed and coasted through the opening quarter of the final mile in 31.8sec.
Typhoon Banner then covered the next three 400m sections in 29.9sec., 27.7sec. and 28.2sec. on his way to beating Heez Our Perseus ($11) by 2m, with Vespa finishing third after being hampered for room in the final circuit.
The New Zealand-bred Typhoon Banner won once from two starts in New Zealand and he has been an excellent performer in Western Australia where his 32 starts have produced ten wins and nine placings.
Unconditional is a nightmare
New Zealand-bred mare Unconditional’s 21 starts have all been in Western Australia for trainers Greg and Skye Bond for earnings of $54,998 from eight wins and five seconds.
But the four-year-old continues to provide plenty of headaches for her driver Ryan Warwick, who drove her to a narrow victory in the 2130m Vertical Transport And Hoisting Needs Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Favourite at $2.10 from barrier four, Unconditional enjoyed a perfect passage in the one-out, one-back position before starting a three-wide move 480m from home and gaining a head verdict over the pacemaker and $4.40 second fancy Run For Mercy, rating 1.57.3.
“She is a nightmare to drive,” said reinsman Ryan Warwick. “In the preliminary she gives you bad anxiety. She spins around. When she is going three-quarter pace, she just spins around. It is quite dangerous. I’d love to say she is getting better, but she’s not.
“Once she gets camouflaged on the way to the barrier and once she gets on to the arm, she is fine.
“Tonight, I had to go when I did because they weren’t going quick enough, and when she did, she had them covered leading into the corner. I just had to get around the corner nicely, and she did it pretty easily, even though the margin wasn’t big.”
A treble, and now for some fishing
Star reinsman Ryan Warwick drove with great skill to land a treble at Gloucester Park on Friday night before setting off on an overnight drive to Carnarvon to relax with some deep-sea fishing for the next week or so.
He completed his treble when he guided the highly promising four-year-old Dont Bother Me None to a narrow win in the 2503m Hoist Torque Australia Handicap.
Dont Bother Me None, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, was the $2.10 favourite who began safely from the 10-metre mark and settled down in seventh position before Warwick sent him forward 600m after the start.
With $6.50 chance Gee Smith in his usual role of pacemaker, Dont Bother Me None relaxed in the breeze without applying any pressure to the frontrunner. He eventually took the lead 300m from home and went on to beat Gee Smith by just a head, with Yankee Lincoln impressing at his WA debut in finishing third after being blocked for a clear passage in the home straight.
There is little doubt that the New Zealand-bred Dont Bother Me None will develop into a leading candidate for the rich classics for four-year-olds in December.
“I’ve said for a while now that he is nearly untapped but is not showing his true ability on the track,” said Warwick. “It’s good to hear people praising him, but I think he’s running on only about 80 per cent.
“It’s good that he is winning but I think that there is a lot more there. Four runs ago he was so-so, and then his next two runs were real good before his fourth behind Doc Holliday in the Four And Five-Year-Old Championship was poor.
“Then tonight, he was good; it was tradesman-like. He is better than that. He is learning and there is a lot more to be shown.”
Texas Tiger on his best behaviour
Lightly-raced five-year-old Texas Tiger has posed plenty of problems for trainer Gary Hall snr, who describes the gelding as his own worst enemy.
Therefore, it gave Hall and his son, star reinsman Gary Hall jnr considerable pleasure when he was on his best behaviour at Gloucester Park on Friday night and gave a bold frontrunning performance to win the $30,000 Hoist Torque Australia Pace over 2536m.
“He can be a bit funny by pulling and doing crazy things,” said Hall jnr. “Some days you work him, and he will just bolt, and you have no control and just have to hold him the best you can.”
He also missed several months of racing last year when he went a little bit footsore as well as losing weight. Various changes of gear have helped Texas Tiger to become more tractable.
“He was sensible tonight and he raced very well,” said Hall jnr. “He still wanted to run off the gate pretty hard, but he settled well in front.
Texas Tiger, the $3.80 favourite, began speedily from barrier six and Hall sent him to the front after 200m. He paced smoothly in the lead, and after an opening quarter of the final mile in 30.3sec. he covered the next three quarters in 29.7sec., 28.9sec. and 28.1sec. and won by just over a half-length from $12 chance To Fast To Serious, who finished strongly from sixth at the bell.
Sangue Reale ($101) was tenth and last at the bell before storming home, out four wide, to be a head away in third place. Babyface Adda ($6) also caught the eye when he finished fast to be fifth.
Texas Tiger, who won at two of his 20 starts in New Zealand, has now raced eleven times in Western Australia for nine wins to boost his earnings to $156,706.
Born To Boogie set for Breeders Stakes
Eight-time WA premiership trainer Ross Olivieri is setting brilliant mare Born To Boogie for the $50,000 WASBA Breeders Stakes next Friday week after her stylish victory in the 2130m Hoist Torque Australia Pace for mares at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“We will bypass the Race For Roses next Friday because she would be handicapped on 50 or 60 metres,” said Olivieri.
“Born To Boogie is a very good mare, who is probably a bit underestimated. At her first-up run the previous week she hit the cart and Chris (Lewis) couldn’t rate her back. So, she was steaming all the way and finished a very close fourth behind Double Up. We moved the cart back and she did not have the same trouble this week.”
Born To Boogie, the $1.30 favourite, began speedily from the No. 3 barrier and burst straight to the front. After a slick lead time of 36sec. she relaxed and ambled through the first quarter of the final mile in 31.6sec. before dashing over the next 400m sections in 29.2sec., 29sec. and 27.6sec.
She beat $31 chance Bettor Get It On by just under a length, rating 1.55.9. Savvy Bromac ($12) started from the outside barrier (No. 9) and was last at the bell before finishing powerfully, out four wide, to be an eye-catching third.
Alta Cinderella ($26) began very fast from barrier eight and led by a half-length after 100m but was unable to cross to the lead. She then raced in the breeze before wilting to last.
Born To Boogie had 26 starts in New Zealand for five wins and ten placings and she has been superb in WA, with her 12 starts for Olivieri producing eight wins, three seconds and one fourth placing.
After a winter spell Olivieri will prepare Born To Boogie for the $50,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 11 and the $125,000 Mares Classic on November 25. She won the Norms Daughter Classic last November before finishing second in the Mares Classic.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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