25 July 2022 | Ken Casellas
Paroquet is a late bloomer
Paroquet, whose first 14 starts, as a two and three-year-old, resulted in just two thirds, at Wagin and Narrogin, has blossomed as a four-year-old and she gave promise of better things to come when she gave a powerful frontrunning performance to win the group 3 Retravision Lewis Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Paroquet, bred and owned by Paula Petricevich, has had ten starts as a four-year-old for five wins and three placings. She was a $16.30 chance on Friday night when she won in dashing style from stablemate Sheza Bromac ($21) to give trainer Michael Munro a quinella result.
Sheza Bromac was first into stride from barrier two before Chris Voak took the sit behind Paroquet, who began speedily from barrier three and surged to the front after 350m.
“Paroquet is a strong horse who grows a leg when in front,” said reinsman Shannon Suvaljko. “So, I thought that if she got to the front and then had a bit of a breather, she would be hard to beat. Her recent trial at Byford when she beat Perfect Major gave me plenty of confidence.
“I thought that if I could hold the runners on her outside, and with Eighteen Carat on the back line, Paroquet could lead and take plenty of catching.”
After a lead time of 36.5sec. and opening quarters of 31.3sec. and 29.7sec. Paroquet sprinted over the third quarter of the final mile in a swift 28.2sec. to make life tough for her rivals. She then covered the final 400m in 29.3sec. and was untroubled to win.
Eighteen Carat, the $1.90 favourite at her first appearance for 18 weeks, finished third. She started from the inside of the back line, and Gary Hall jnr eased her off the pegs immediately after the start. She settled down at the rear and was tenth at the 950m mark when Hall dashed her forward, with a three-wide burst.
Eighteen Carat was sixth at the 400m and she finished strongly. “I was really happy with her,” said trainer Michael Young. “It was a sensational run. She made up plenty of ground, off the track, when they were running, and she got to the line really good.”
Paroquet, who is by the American stallion Shadow Play, is the tenth foal, and the fifth winner, out of the unraced Walton Hanover mare Smooth Moven. She now has earned $47,818 from six wins and five placings from 30 starts.
August Moon is the real deal
August Moon, described by her trainer Luke Edwards as the real deal, gave a sample of her class with a superb victory in the $20,250 Noah George Race Night Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Her victory ended a sequence of four second placings and showed that she should develop into a leading candidate for the $225,000 Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies on September 16.
“She is not paid up for the Diamond Classic next month, and her main goal is the Westbred Classic,” said Edwards.
August Moon was a $6 chance from barrier three, and Gary Hall jnr was hellbent on getting her to the front. He succeeded, with August Moon charging forward and then being tackled by $9 chance Wanlea, who began brilliantly from the outside barrier (No. 9).
Wanlea, driven by Chris Voak, led by a length after 100m, but was unable to wrest the lead from August Moon, who covered the lead time in a dazzling 35sec.
August Moon then relaxed and ambled over the opening quarters of the final mile in 32.1sec. and 31.7sec. before she had to fend off $6.50 chance Zephyra, who had settled down in eighth position before Dylan Egerton-Green urged her forward with a fast three-wide move approaching the bell.
August Moon defied this serious challenge, and after a third quarter of 28.8sec. she fought on grimly to hold out the fiercely determined Zephyra to win by a head at a 1.59.6 rate over the 2130m journey.
Polemarker Cabsav, the $2.05 favourite, raced two back and then three back on the pegs before wilting to finish eighth. Reinsman Shannon Suvaljko explained her lack-lustre performance when he said that the filly appeared to be suffering form a virus.
August Moon, who was cost $38,000 at the 2021 APG Perth yearling sale, is raced by first-time owners Graham Michell and his sons Will and Lachie, Justin Schwarz, Ray Behan and a syndicate of about six stable clients.
The Captaintreacherous filly has now earned $40,399 from her win and four seconds from six starts. She has obviously inherited much of her ability from her dam My Samantha Jane, who raced 72 times for 15 wins, 21 placings and $166,426 in stakes.
“She is a brave filly, and that’s how she is at home,” said Edwards. “If you don’t work her first, she gets grumpy. She is a tough cookie who loves to work. Normally, a two-year-old can’t run that sort of lead time, and then kick on at the finish. But she has a great will to win, and in all her races she has come from behind and found the line.”
Wall’s purple patch
Bunbury trainer Sarah Wall continues to enjoy the long drive to Perth, and she has the distinction of having one starter at each of the past three Friday night Gloucester Park meetings — for three wins.
Her purple patch continued on Friday night when an aggressive drive by Nathan Turvey paved the way for Alta Rhett’s all-the-way victory in the 2536m WA Harness Racing Association Pace.
Alta Rhett led when a winner as a $3.30 favourite a fortnight earlier, and then the following Friday Wall’s promising three-year-old filly Dontbesillychilli was the $1.30 favourite when she set the pace and scored an easy victory.
Alta Rhett was overlooked by most punters on Friday night when he started from barrier No. 4 and was fourth favourite at $11.50, with most punters pinning their faith on either the polemarker Medieval Man ($1.85) or Boom Time ($2.40) from barrier two.
But Turvey seized the initiative and used Alta Rhett’s excellent gate speed by dashing the six-year-old straight to the front. Alta Rhett settled nicely in the lead and after quarters of 32.2sec., 31.6sec. and 30.4sec., he gave his rivals little chance by sprinting over the final 400m in 27.2sec. He won by a length and a half from Boom Time, with Medieval Man a half-length farther back in third place.
“We probably caught a few people by surprise by leading tonight,” said Wall. “After this win it probably is going to be a bit tougher for Alta Rhett because he now goes up to conditioned races.”
Alta Rhett and Dontbesillychilli are both out of former smart pacer Justlikechocolate, who raced 48 times for 13 wins, 19 placings and “188,937 in prizemoney. Alta Rhett’s win on Friday night boosted his earnings to $160,519 from 13 wins and 25 placings.
Justlikechocolate died last year, and Wall said that she and her husband Chris were fortunate to have an unraced two-year-old gelding (by Sweet Lou) out of Justlikechocolate.
Machs Gold ends losing run of 14
Experienced seven-year-old gelding Machs Gold celebrated the trip of several of his owners to Perth from Geraldton by ending a run of eleven unplaced efforts and a losing sequence of 14 with a solid all-the-way win in the Team Bond Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Karen Thompson-trained pacer was the $1.50 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier, and Dylan Egerton-Green made the most of this favourable draw by sending Machs Gold straight to the front and then ambling through the lead time in a slow 39.6sec. and opening quarters of 32.8sec. and 30.8sec. before running the final 800m in 57.4sec.
Machs Gold won at a modest 2.1.3 rate over the 2130m, beating the $6 second fancy Naval Aviator by a half-length after that pacer had enjoyed a perfect sit behind the leader all the way.
“He got out of the gate, which was just what he needed to do,” said Egerton-Green. “And once he led, I thought he was a good thing.”
Machs Gold has been a handy performer, with his 93 starts producing 14 wins and 28 placings for stakes of $131,200.
He is the fourth out of the Armbro Operative mare Return To Gold, who had 31 starts for four wins, seven placings and $40,057. Machs Gold’s full-sister Generally Outspoken won the group 3 Gold Bracelet at Gloucester Park in July 2013, and his half-sister Spellbound has amassed $382,155 from 14 wins and 17 placings from 46 starts. Her most important success has been in the group 1 Ladyship Cup at Melton in February this year.
Age doesn’t weary Angel In White
Advancing years is not diminishing the will to win or dulling the enthusiasm of Angel In White, who is enjoying her best season as an eight-year-old.
Starting favourite at $1.90, Angel In White got straight to the front from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Aaron Bain Racing Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and after a slow lead time of 39.4sec. and opening quarters of 30.5sec. and 29.8sec., she sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 27.9sec. to hold on and win by a neck from the $2.60 second fancy Dominus Factum.
Dominus Factum started from barrier two and was restrained by Aiden de Campo to take the sit behind Angel In White. The four-year-old Dominus Factum maintained his excellent form by running home determinedly to just fail to overhaul the pacemaker.
Angel In White is owned and trained by Sane Tognolini, and this was her sixth win as an eight-year-old. She has now earned $179,943 from 15 wins and 19 placings from 79 starts. She is by American sire Santanna Blue Chip and is the fourth foal out of the Christian Cullen mare Whitewash, who was unplaced at her five starts before being retired.
It’s Blissfullabbey all the way
Seven-year-old mare Blissfullabbey defied a spirited early challenge for the lead from Pocket The Cash and went on to set the pace and score a fighting victory in the 2130m Michael Young Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Blissfullabbey is trained by Chris Willis, who owns the mare in partnership with his daughter Prue George.
Aiden de Campo took full advantage of the prized No. 1 barrier when he sent Blissfullabbey, the $2.80 favourite, to the front and then held Pocket The Cash at bay before she controlled the race with a lead time of 37.7sec. and opening quarters of 31.7sec. and 30.3sec. She then before dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 28.6sec.
She went on to win by 2m from $6.50 chance Rupert Of Lincoln, who fought on doggedly after racing in the breeze. Pocket The Cash, who enjoyed a comfortable sit in the one-out, one-back position, was third.
The Victorian-bred Blissfullabbey ended a losing sequence of ten and improved her record to 75 starts for ten wins, 16 placings and $118,185 in stakes.
By the American sire Blissfull Hall, Blissfullabbey is a daughter of Norwood Abbey, a winner of eight races in Victoria and two in Queensland.
The Kraken loves to lead
Coolup trainer Dan Costello was all smiles last Tuesday when The Kraken drew the prized No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Matty Joss Pace to be run at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The better performed Vespa, from barrier three, was the $1.95 favourite, with The Kraken the second fancy at $5.40. But this did not dent Costello’s confidence.
“We don’t look at the prices, and don’t care if there is an odds-on favourite,” he said. “When The Kraken drew one, I thought he could lead and win.”
Reinsman Mitch Miller shared Costello’s confidence, and he got The Kraken away smartly and the big Art Major gelding dashed over the lead time in 36.2sec. as he held out Vespa and Jaspervellabeach, each of whom began speedily in unsuccessful bids to take up the early running.
“Last week The Kraken drew out wide (barrier eight), so we took our medicine and went back and drove him soft,” said Costello. “Tonight, he ran a good time (rating 1.57.8) on a muddy track, and Mitch says that he keeps improving every week.”
Friday night’s win ended a losing sequence of 17 for The Kraken, whose previous victory was when he started from the No. 1 barrier and was seen in his favourite role as pacemaker in a 2130m event last November.
The Kraken has been a handy performer, and he now boasts a record of 89 starts for 13 wins, 28 placings and $141,373 in prizemoney. He is the fifth foal out of the Safely Kept mare Before Night Falls, who won at her first seven starts, as a two-year-old in the 200-7-08 season when her most important success was in the group 1 Diamond Classic in which she led and defeated her stablemate La Joconde. She was retired to stud with a record of 38 starts for 12 wins, eight placings and stakes of $169,279.
Moonlite Drive warms up for the Higgins
Smart New Zealand-bred five-year-old Moonlite Drive warmed up for the $30,000 John Higgins Memorial next Friday night with an effortless victory in the 2536m Jim’s Test And Tag Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Moonlite Drive, the $1.20 favourite from barrier one, led early as he held out $13 chance Vulcan Star, who began brilliantly from the No. 7 barrier and led by a length but was unable to cross to the front.
However, Moonlite Drive then was surprisingly overtaken 600m after the start by his stablemate and $17 chance Armed Reactor, who was overracing badly. Gary Hall jnr then urged Moonlite Drive forward to regain the lead 200m later.
Moonlite Drive then travelled strongly in front and after a final quarter of 28.3sec. he won by just over two lengths from $13 chance Sound Wave, who fought on gamely after racing in the breeze.
“It wasn’t how we expected the race to be run, but Moonlite Drive got the job done,” said trainer Michael Young. “After the Higgins next week, I’ll probably give Moonlite Drive a break. He’s done a good job.”
Moonlite Drive, owned by New Zealander Shane Kiran, raced four times in New Zealand for one win and two placings before having 31 starts in Victoria for four wins. His form for Young in WA has been outstanding, with his 12 starts in the State producing five wins and five seconds which have taken his career record to 47 starts for ten wins, 14 placings and stakes of $94,006.
Hoppys Way is a Derby hope
Art Major colt Hoppys Way revealed dazzling early speed to burst straight to the front from the No. 8 barrier on his way to an impressive victory in the 2536m Summit Bloodstock Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred Hoppys Way is capable of developing into a candidate for the $200,000 WA Derby on November 4, with reinsman Shannon Suvaljko saying that the Mike Reed-trained colt was capable of winning a big feature event.
“He could be a Derby hope, and he will run a strong 2500 metres,” said Suvaljko. “He also has blistering gate speed. It’s something you can’t use all the time because if three or four horses drawn inside of him come out (fast) then it would be hard for him to cross to the front.
“Tonight, I considered that there was only one horse, Maungatahi, from barrier one, was going to come out, so I thought I’d have a crack for the front. If we went back at the start, we would be last. So, things worked out well for Hoppys Way tonight.”
Maungatahi, who was resuming after a spell, was the $1.95 favourite, with Hoppys Way the fifth favourite at $14.50. Speedwagon ($14) went forward at the start from barrier three, but like Maungatahi, he was unable to hold out the flying Hoppys Way.
Maungatahi enjoyed an ideal [passage behind the pacemaker before he fought on gamely to finish third, with Speedwagon fading to ninth after racing in the breeze. Goodfellaz ($3.40) raced in fifth position, three back on the pegs, before finishing strongly to be second, and Noted ($23) also finished solidly into fourth place after racing on the pegs in seventh place.
Hoppys Way has earned $55,909 from seven wins and four placings from 19 starts. He is out of the Bettors Delight mare Joannes A Delight, who won a group 1 Sires Stakes Championship for two-year-old fillies at Alexandra Park in May 2014. She was retired to stud after racing 21 times for five wins, eight placings and stakes of $198,146.
Joannes A Delight’s younger full-brother Jacks Legend has amassed $851,042 from 31 wins and 30 placings from 86 starts. He won nine times in New Zealand, once from two Australian starts as a two-year-old in 2017 and then won another 21 times in America.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
