13 July 2023 | Ken Casellas
Hall seeks sixth BOTRA Cup victory
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr is in devastating form in the sulky with ten winners in the past week and he has bright prospects of guiding Watching Our Coin to victory in the $30,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound BOTRA Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Hall holds the record of five winners — Strike A Blow (2002), Spirit Of Shard (2008), Classic American (2015), Naughty Maravu (2016) and The Bucket List (2018) — in the 43-year history of the BOTRA Cup, one of the few remaining standing-start feature events on the WA pacing calendar.
Watching Our Coin, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old, has made a big impression in Western Australia, with his first nine starts in the State producing six wins (the past four in succession) and three placings — all in mobile events.
However, contesting a stand (from the 10m mark) should not be a problem for Watching Our Coin, who raced in twelve stands in New Zealand for one win (on a badly rain-affected track over 2600m at Addington in February 2022) and four placings.
A win by Watching Our Coin would come as a small compensation for the sadness suffered by the gelding’s trainer Michael Young, who lost his stable star Eighteen Carat on Tuesday when she fractured a leg when being driven by Young in a track workout at Byford.
Sadly, the brilliant six-year-old Eighteen Carat could not be saved. She had been a dominant force in feature events for mares in WA where her 19 starts produced ten wins and four placings to boost her career record to 15 wins and ten placings from 57 starts for earnings of $314,726. Her victories included the group 1 Norms Daughter Classic last November, two at group 2 level and two in group 3 races.
“Watching Our Coin is a big chance on Friday night,” said Hall. “With a safe beginning and normal luck, I can’t see him being out of the top three.”
Watching Our Coin’s main rivals appear to be Street Hawk, Chal Patch and Carabao.
Four-year-old Street Hawk will give champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond a great opportunity to win the BOTRA Cup for the third time, following the wins of Fizzing in 2019 and Minstrel in 2021.
Street Hawk, a lightly-raced New Zealand-bred four-year-old, has been set the task of winning first-up after a three-month absence. He will be driven by Deni Roberts from the No. 4 barrier on the 10m line.
Street Hawk, a winner at nine of his 21 starts, gave a sample of his class two starts ago when he galloped at the start and settled down in ninth position before surging forward with a three-wide burst after a lap to race in the breeze and finish second to the frontrunning Hector in the standing-start 2503m Easter Cup on April 7.
Chal Patch, to be driven by Aiden de Campo for Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey, has impressed at his three starts (in mobiles) in WA for a first-up second to Mister Ridgewell followed by frontrunning victories by 16.7m at Gloucester Park and 25.2m at Narrogin in modest company.
“Chal Patch goes up in class and I don’t know how he will go,” said Turvey. “He gives the impression that he deserves a chance in this company, and I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes. He has led at his two wins, but I think he is also quite versatile.”
While Chal Patch is an unknown quality in stands in WA, he is an experienced campaigner in stands in New Zealand with 14 standing-starts producing four wins, a second, three thirds and two fourths. He won at four of his first five appearances in stands (three of them on grass tracks).
Carabao, trained and driven by Chris Voak, is ideally drawn on the inside of the front line, and he will have many admirers after his splendid performance last Friday week when he gave a bold frontrunning performance in a 2503m stand to win easily from Verano and Ardens Horizon after dashing over the final 400m sections in 27.6sec. and 28sec.
“I think he is a good chance,” said Voak. “His times were good last start when he won unextended. He usually gets away smoothly, and he is a good frontrunner in good form. He should set an honest tempo, and hopefully he’s there at the pointy end.”
Beat The Bank is racing keenly for Oakford trainer Phil Duggan and will have admirers after wins from back marks in stands in weaker company at Pinjarra and Bunbury at his past two outings.
A veteran of 19 stands, Beat The Bank began off the 70m mark in a field of six over 2503m at Bunbury on Wednesday afternoon when he made up ground quickly on his rivals and raced in the breeze in the final circuit before easily beating Extraordinary Mary with fast final quarters of 27.6sec. and 28.7sec.
Beat The Bank was driven by Roberts at his latest two runs, but with Roberts committed to handling the brilliant Street Hawk, Mitch Miller was engaged to drive the WA-bred Bettors Delight gelding.
The Amber Hare is back in action
Quality mare The Amber Hare has recovered from hoof problems and will reappear after a four-month absence when she contests the $26,000 Your One Stop Shop Is At Garrard’s Horse And Hound Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Amber Hare will be having her first start since she began speedily from barrier three, set the pace and won convincingly from Misstiano and Nevermindthechaos, rating 1.57.7 over 2536m in the $50,000 group 3 Lombardo Pace on March 10.
She will start from the No. 4 barrier, with trainer-driver Jocelyn Young saying: “We had trouble with her feet, so we gave her a spell, and she had about five weeks off. Now, everything seems to be on track, and she has been working well.
“This looks a suitable race, and she is good enough to fight out the finish. She has won her races in front, in the breeze and when coming three deep. She has a good turn of foot, but she needs races to be run at a genuine speed. I’m not sure where she is going to get to in this small field of six.”
Young also prepares Sahara Storm, who will be driven by Chris Lewis from the outside barrier. “Sahara Storm is racing really well, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she popped up,” she said.
Sahara Storm performed very well from the outside barrier (No. 9) over 1730m last Friday night when she settled down in twelfth and last position before sustaining a spirited three-wide burst from the rear at the bell to finish fourth behind Peligroso.
Most of the mares in the race have excellent gate speed, and there is likely to be a keen tussle for the early lead. My Prayer was an all-the-way winner three starts ago, while Banjup trainer Colin Brown’s runners Fifty Five Reborn and American Arma are smart beginners and capable frontrunners.
Brown will handle Fifty Five Reborn, a winner at 15 of her 64 starts, while his daughter Maddison will drive American Arma, who trailed the pacemaker Steno before finishing a sound second to that mare over 2130m last Friday night.
Bell leans towards Franco Encore
Astute Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell holds a strong hand in the Garrard’s Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night with speedy two-year-old geldings Franco Encore and Heez A Vibe — and he has given punters a good lead by declaring that Franco Encore appeals as the better of the two at this early stage of their careers.
Franco Encore will be driven by the stable’s No. 1 driver Kyle Symington, while Gary Hall jnr has been engaged to handle Heez A Vibe.
Fraco Encore will start from the No. 2 barrier, with Heez A Vibe at barrier four. Rival trainer Aiden de Campo also has two runners, Menemsha (barrier three) and Copy Cat Queen, who will start from the outside in the field of five.
de Campo will drive Menemsha, and Chris Lewis will handle Copy Cat Queen, with both youngsters reappearing after spells.
Franco Encore and Heez A Vibe last appeared when they clashed over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week. Franco Encore led for the first 100m before Heez A Vibe (who began from the outside barrier in the field of seven) dashed to the front and set a fast pace before Franco Encore sprinted to the front 100m from the post and beat Heez A Vibe by five metres, rating 1.57.9.
“I was extremely happy with Heez A Vibe’s first-up run,” said Bell. “He tugged on a bit, and he fought out the distance, which was good. He is one of those horses who races keenly first-up and then gets better manners, the fitter he gets.
“Heez A Vibe is a handy horse who is always going to put himself in a good spot because of his gate speed. I think Franco Encore is showing signs of becoming a decent horse, and at this stage I’d say he’s not far behind Waverider (a stablemate unbeaten at two starts, including the $100,000 Sales Classic in March).
“On Friday night Franco Encore will nearly lead, with only Heez A Vibe capable of crossing him. I would like to take Heez A Vibe back off the arm, but he’s got a fair bit of little man’s syndrome. So, you’ve just got to go with him a bit.
“It’s not going to be a walk in the park for my two runners. Menemsha was checked and his run in the Sales Classic final was good.”
Roberts opts for Steel The Show
All-conquering trainers Greg and Skye Bond hold the whip hand in the $30,000 Call Garrard’s Horse And Hound For All Your Equine Needs Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night with four of the eight runners — Steel the Show, Patronus Star, Minstrel and Galactic Star.
And the stable’s No. 1 driver Deni Roberts has given punters a perfect lead by choosing to drive Steel the Show, who will start from the prized No. 1 barrier at his first appearance since finishing an excellent fourth behind Betterzippit in the $1 million Nullabor Slot race three months ago.
Steel The Show has impressed in winning at four of his six West Australian starts, and Roberts is expected to take advantage of the New Zealand-bred six-year-old’s excellent gate speed in a bid for an all-the-way victory.
Dylan Egerton-Green will drive Patronus Star (a winner at 15 of his 52 starts) from barrier two, Colin Brown will handle Minstrel, a winner at 17 of his 47 starts, from the No. 4 barrier, while Brown’s daughter Maddison will be in the sulky behind ten-year-old veteran Galactic Star, a winner at 33 of his 130 starts.
Leading reinsman Gary Hall jnr has decided to drive August Moon in the Garrard’s Rio Cobra Sulky Pace for three-year-old fillies in preference to last-start winner Sporting Grace.
Both August Moon and Sporting Grace, along with Purest Copper and Hunt the Magic, will be seeking to end the winning run of the Katja Warwick-trained Fly To Fame.
Fly To Fame, an extremely smart and versatile filly, is handily drawn at the No. 3 barrier, with August Moon at barrier four and Sporting Grace at No. 5.
August Moon, trained by Luke Edwards, is resuming after a spell, following a highly successful campaign early in the year when she won three races in succession at Gloucester Park, with the first two of those victories notable in that she defeated Fly To Fame.
Hall said that Edwards was “pretty happy with August Moon’s work” and that the filly was likely to prove one of his better drives on the program. “She has had the wood on Fly To Fame in the past,” he said.
Henley Brook trainer Kevin Keys and star reinsman Shannon Suvaljko will be looking for an early double with Hoppys Way and Blitzembye drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier in the first two events on the program.
Both pacers have excellent gate speed and are capable frontrunners.
Trainer Nathan Turvey has high hopes that Mea Culpa will bounce back to top form when he starts from the No. 2 barrier in the Garrard’s Horse And Hound Australia and New Zealand Wide Pace.
Mea Culpa was the $1.55 favourite in a 2130m event last Friday night when he was crossed at the start by Kimble, and even though he got off the pegs 850m from home he was hampered for room in the final lap and was an unlucky fourth behind Kimble.
“He should go well, and I’m hoping he gets out quicker than he did last week,” said Turvey. “I have put a hood on him this week.”
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