17 March 2022 | Ken Casellas
Papinik is set to sizzle
Star reinsman Chris Voak is bubbling with confidence that the brilliant, lightly-raced Papinik will carry too many guns for his rivals in the $50,000 Mondo Doro Governor’s Cup over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“After drawing barrier one, Papinik should lead his rivals on a merry dance,” said Voak. “Definitely, the plan is to lead, which he should do easily, with a leg in the air.
“The last time he led over this distance was five starts ago when he rated 1.55 (and won by a length and a half from Golden State, with final quarters of 27.9sec. and 27.1sec.).” He also set the pace over 2130m and rated 1.54.5 when he won by seven and a half lengths from Valentines Brook 13 months ago.
Papinik warmed up for Friday night’s group 2 Cup with an impressive second to Diego in the 2692m Pinjarra Cup on Monday of last week. He raced in eighth position in the one-wide line before starting a three-wide move at the 400m mark and, showing explosive speed, burst to the front on the home turn before being overhauled by Diego in the final 20m.
That was Papinik’s first run for 17 days. “He was probably a half run short in the Pinjarra Cup,” said Voak. “Now I expect him to be at his peak for Friday’s assignment. This field doesn’t look any stronger than the Pinjarra Cup field.”
Papinik, a WA-bred six-year-old, has had only 22 starts for 13 wins and seven placings. He is trained by Ross Olivieri, who is seeking his second victory in the Governor’s Cup, following his success in February 2016 with Chief Thundercloud, who started from the No. 1 barrier, was driven by Stuart McDonald and defeated Dredlock Rockstar and Cyamach.
Adding considerable interest to Friday night’s Cup will be the reappearance of exciting New Zealand-bred five-year-old Texas Tiger, who will be having his first start since finishing a disappointing first-up eighth behind Perfect Major in the Stratton Cup on October 1 last year. That followed a sequence of eight consecutive wins at his first eight starts in WA, including an all-the-way victory in the group 2 Four and Five-Year-Old Championship 12 months ago.
Texas Tiger is prepared by champion trainer Gary Hall snr, who has won the Governor’s Cup with Chicago Bull (2018) and Wildwest (2021). Gary Hall jnr, who will be in the sulky behind Texas Tiger, was associated with the wins of Chicago Bull and Wildwest, and also was successful with the Justin Prentice-trained Rocknroll Lincoln in 2019.
Texas Tiger, who possesses sparkling gate speed, will begin from barrier five and is capable of a bold first-up showing. Among other strong contenders on Friday night are To Fast To Serious, Double Up, Miracle Moose and Classic Choice.
Aldo Cortopassi has driven To Fast To Serious at all of his 32 starts for 16 wins and six placings. The six-year-old returned to top form last Friday night, when at his third outing after a spell, he was untroubled to set the pace and sprint over the final 800m in 55.2sec. on his way to victory over Space Junk and Heez Our Perseus.
To Fast To Serious is trained at Mt Helena by Ray Williams, who prepared Pacific Warrior for his wins in the 2014 and 2015 Governor’s Cup. Williams also trained 50/1 outsider Cyclone Banner when Cortopassi brought him home with a strong burst to finish third behind Wildwest and Miracle Moose in last year’s Governor’s Cup.
The Nathan Turvey-trained Miracle Moose (to be driven by Emily Suvaljko) set the pace and held on to win from Diego and To Fast To Serious two starts ago. He faces a stern test this week from out wide at barrier No. 8.
Double Up, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond and to be driven by Ryan Warwick from barrier three, and will have admirers after finishing third behind Diego and Papinik in the Pinjarra Cup. Warwick and the Bonds combined to win the Governor’s Cup with Our Jimmy Johnstone in 2017.
The Barry Howlett-trained Classic Choice (barrier four) faces a steep rise in class but has impressed this year with a runaway victory in the Albany Cup and a tough win in the Manea Classic at Bunbury after racing without cover. He will be driven by Chris Lewis, who won the Governor’s Cup with Has The Answers in 2010.
Son Of A Whiz out to repeat the dose
Five-year-old Son Of A Whiz, the youngest and least experienced runner in the field, has bright prospects of setting the pace and winning the group 2 $30,000 Mondo Doro Smallgoods Trotters Sprint at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Busselton trainer Barry Howlett and champion reinsman Chris Lewis will be anxious for Son Of A Whiz to be on his best behaviour, and from the favourable No. 2 barrier, the speedy square gaiter should take plenty of catching if he performs as well as he did when he led from barrier one and won the 1684m Trotters Sprint at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
An opening quarter of 28.2sec. left his rivals well and truly in his wake, and he went on to win at a 1.58.7 rate, beating Majestic Courtney by more than two lengths. As a three-year-old he revealed early promise as a sprinter when he set the pace and won a 1650m trot at Bendigo in February 2020, rating 1.58.8.
Tricky Ric and Beefour Bacardi were the two most favoured runners in the recent Pinjarra event, but both trotters broke into a gallop soon after the start and finished at the rear. Their previous form was excellent.
At his previous outing Tricky Ric made most of the running and won comfortably from Beefour Bacardi in a 2116m stand at Pinjarra. Beefour Bacardi was an impressive winner at his two previous outings, beating Tricky Ric in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park and defeating Rolling Secret in a 2185m mobile event at Pinjarra.
Tricky Ric, trained by Gary Hall snr and to be driven by Gary Hall jnr, is favourably drawn at barrier three on the front line, while Beefour Bacardi, trained by Michael Young and to be driven by Maddison Brown, is handily drawn at barrier two on the back line, immediately behind Son Of A Whiz.
Even though Beefour Bacardi finished eighth, twelve lengths behind Son Of A Whiz, in the sprint at Pinjarra last Monday week, Young was delighted with the six-year-old’s performance.
“His run was phenomenal; he ran the final thousand metres in 1min. 11.6sec. which is unheard of for a trotter,” he said.
The Karen Bennett-trained Majestic Dream is racing in grand form for reinsman Kyle Harper, and cannot be left out of calculations, even from his wide draw at barrier seven. He won three races in a row in January, and he has performed soundly at his past two starts at Pinjarra, finishing third behind Beefour Bacardi, and third behind Son Of A Whiz.
Trial points to Eighteen Carat
A sparkling trial by five-year-old Eighteen Carat at Byford on Sunday morning was a firm indication that the New Zealand-bred mare has the ability to make a successful Australian debut when she starts from barrier four in the 2130m Bringing Home The Bacon Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Eighteen Carat, trained by Michael Young, was driven with supreme confidence in the 2150m trial by Gary Hall jnr. From the No. 2 barrier she set the pace and was not extended in coasting to a six-length victory over Texas Tara, rating 1.57.4 after final 400m sections in 29.6sec. and 27.6sec.
“It was a good trial, and she is a pretty nice horse,” said an admiring Young. “We’re still trying to figure her out. She is a bit of a nervy type, but she seems to have a fair share of ability. She has been here for about six or seven weeks. She was a relatively expensive purchase, and I expect her to win.”
The Greg and Skye Bond-trained Booraa will start from the outside of the back line, with Ryan Warwick in the sulky. Her two runs since resuming from a spell (third to Vulcan Star at Pinjarra and fourth behind Master Yossi at Gloucester Park) have been encouraging, and she is expected to be one of the hardest for Eighteen Carat to beat.
The Bonds and Warwick have excellent prospects of landing a double with Lawrence and Dont Bother Me None.
Lawrence will start from barrier one in the 2130m Coppa Kabana Pace, and the seven-year-old possesses excellent gate speed which should enable him to set the pace. A winner of five races in New Zealand, Lawrence has raced 21 times in Western Australia for eight wins, six seconds and a third. He has scored all-the-way wins at Narrogin (2242m) and at Gloucester Park over 2130m and 2536m.
Dont Bother Me None is a New Zealand-bred four-year-old who is favourably drawn at barrier two in the 2536m The Mondo Streaky Bacon Pace. He is a strong stayer who is ready to show his best at his fifth start after resuming from a spell. He has won at ten of his 19 starts.
Manning should appreciate a class drop
Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice readily admits that he was extremely disappointed at Manning’s performance when a well-beaten last in a field of six behind his talented stablemate Mighty Ronaldo last Friday night, but he is full of hope that the five-year-old will relish a drop in class and return to the winning list in the 2536m Mondo Doro Family Business Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Manning will start from barrier four with Maddison Brown in the sulky, and Prentice said that the gelding would be driven aggressively.
Last week Manning raced in fourth position in an Indian file affair before Brown eased him off the pegs 1050m from home and dashed him forward to race without cover as Mighty Ronaldo set the pace. Manning was still in second place approaching the home turn before he faded and dropped back to finish last, six lengths behind Mighty Ronaldo, who sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 27.1sec.
“He was terrible,” said Prentice. “But he has been working in super style, and this week he will be going forward hard and trying to work his way to the front. If he can’t get to the front, he will sit in the breeze.”
Manning, who has won 13 races, is sure to appreciate a significant drop in class and prove very hard to beat. His toughest rivals are likely to be Valentines Brook and Alta Rhett.
Valentines Brook, a consistent five-year-old trained and driven by Jocelyn Young, will start from the No. 2 barrier on the back line. He caught the eye last Friday night when he raced in seventh position on the pegs and was eased off the inside 750m from home.
But he was badly hampered for room when he moved into the one-wide line, and he was forced back to last in the field of ten with 220m to travel. Young then was able to get him into the clear and he was six wide on the home turn before sprinting strongly to finish third behind Doc Holliday and Mister Ardee.
On the surface it was an excellent performance by Valentines Brook. But maybe his dashing late burst might have caused a false impression. He was timed to cover his final 800m in 57.6sec. and the last 400m in 28.6sec. whereas Manning, against tougher opposition, covered his final 800m in 56.5sec. and his last 400m in 28.3sec.
Therefore, comparing those sectionals, it is not difficult to suggest that Manning should prove the master of Valentines Brook.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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