28 December 2023 | Ken Casellas
Machs Legacy ready to strike
New South Wales-bred mare Machs Legacy’s most recent success was 484 days ago, but she is ready to end a losing sequence of 19 by taking full advantage of the prized No. 1 barrier by setting the pace and winning the $30,000 Sky Racing Listen Live Coulson Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The five-year-old, trained and driven by Jocelyn Young, reappeared after a five-month absence when she was the solitary runner on the back line in a 2185m event at Pinjarra on Monday of last week.
She raced without cover for much of the first lap and was sixth at the bell before fighting on determinedly to finish third behind Artistic Scribe and Sporting Grace.
Machs Legacy showed her liking for leading at her West Australian debut early in April this year when she set the pace from the No. 3 barrier and finished second to Miss Boudica, who rated a smart 1.55 over 2130m.
Her most recent success was when she led from barrier three and beat In Shoobees Shoes by seven and a half lengths, rating 1.54.1 over 1720m at Penrith on September 1, 2022. She has been a most consistent performer, having raced 51 times for seven wins, 18 seconds and four thirds. She has started from No. 1 four times but has yet to win from the inside barrier.
Talented sit-sprinter Mighthavtime looms large as a strong contender on Friday night. The Greg and Skye Bond-trained four-year-old will be driven by Deni Roberts from the No. 3 barrier and should settle in a favourable forward position.
Mighthavtime impressed with a stylish four-length victory over the fast-finishing Alta Queen over 2130m last Friday night when she rated 1.57.3. She raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before running home powerfully.
Alta Queen, trained by Chris King, was eighth at the bell and her strong finish was a firm indication that she should be prominent in Friday night’s event in which she has drawn out wide at barrier seven.
Queeninthecorner (barrier four) and Sovrana (five) possess excellent gate speed and are likely to come out with all guns blazing.
The Mike Howie-trained Artistic Scribe maintained her excellent form when she raced without cover before wining from Sporting Grace and Machs Legacy over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday of last week when she rated 1.56.6.
Artistic Scribe also raced in the breeze when a winner over Patrikiar at Gloucester Park two starts before that. However, she will be tested on Friday night when she starts from the outside of the back line.
Halle Hunter faces acid test
Inexperienced filly Halle Hunter is unbeaten in three trials and two race starts — and has not been extended in those five appearances. And at Gloucester Park on Friday night, she faces an acid test in the opening event, the 2130m Goodbye 2023 Pace, in which she will clash with several promising three-year-old fillies, including Zephyra, Unlucky, Sporting Grace, Pocketful Of Opals and Hunt the Magic.
Halle Hunter is trained by Colin Brown and will be driven by his daughter Maddison, who handled the filly when she made an auspicious debut at Gloucester Park last Saturday week when she raced wide early and took the lead in the middle stages on her way to winning by two lengths from Chaco Eagle, rating 1.59.7 over 2130m.
Then, at Northam last Saturday night Dylan Egerton-Green drove Halle Hunter, who began from the inside of the back line and quickly took up the running before coasting to a six-length victory over Ekara Navajo, rating 1.59.1 over 2190m.
Egerton-Green has high hopes of winning Friday night’s event with Zephyra, a filly he trains and has driven in all of her 16 starts for eight wins and five placings.
Zephyra began from the outside of the back line over 2130m at Gloucester Park last Friday week when she settled in eleventh position before sustaining a three-wide burst to the breeze at the 1200m and finishing with great determination to win by a head from the pacemaker Sister Cherie, with Unlucky a nose away in third place.
Zephyra and Unlucky should prove to be the toughest for Halle Hunter to beat. Zephyra is certainly capable of overcoming her wide draw on the outside of the front line, while the Lindsay Harper-trained and driven Unlucky will have many admirers.
Unlucky possesses good gate speed and is likely to go forward from the No. 4 barrier. She also started from barrier four last Friday week when she led early and then trailed Sister Cherie. She was badly blocked for a run in the back straight in the final lap before getting clear approaching the home turn and then finishing fast into third place.
Hunt The Magic, to be driven by Chris Lewis for Byford trainer Ian Gossage, will start from the coveted No. 1 barrier for the first time in her 26-start career. The only time she has set the pace was on debut when she began from barrier five and won by a head from Our Lililou at Bunbury on June 29, 2022.
Caliente is poised to sizzle
Caliente is Spanish for hot — and the inexperienced five-year-old by the name of Caliente is a hot tip to send punters home in a happy mood by winning the final event, the 2130m Hello 2024 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Caliente is favourably drawn at barrier two and his trainer Chris Voak will be anxious to take an early lead and dictate the terms of the race.
Drawn on his inside at barrier No. 1 is Illawong Mustang, who began from barrier six and dashed to the front after 220m last Friday night before quickly surrendering the lead to the favourite Adda Spoilt Major.
Illawong Mustang battled on to finish a well-beaten fifth behind Mighthavtime. He is trained by Dylan Egerton-Green, who has chosen to drive stablemate Bellezza Nera (barrier six). Illawong Mustang, a veteran of 92 starts (for ten wins) will be driven for the first time by Gary Hall jnr. Egerton-Green drove Bellezza Nera to victory six starts ago.
Caliente has raced only twelve times for four wins and six placings. His eight rivals have had a total of 732 starts (for 71 wins), an average of 91 starts.
Caliente warmed up for Friday night’s assignment with a smart win in a 2116m stand at Pinjarra on Monday of last week when he was checked and broke for a few strides at the start. He then led briefly before sitting behind the pacemaker Skippys Delight for the next 450m and then regaining the lead and sprinting over the final 400m sections in 27.5se. and 29.8sec. and winning by a half-length from Franco Mecca.
Voak will also have many admirers when he drives Taking The Miki for trainer Jemma Hayman in the SEFS Pace over 2130m on Friday night.
Taking the Miki is a talented four-year-old mare who will start from the inside of the back line and should be storming home at the business end of the race. She is overdue for another win after being unlucky when blocked for a run in several recent outings.
Taking the Miki’s toughest rival appears certain to be the Katja Warwick-trained All Is Well, a winner at nine of his 30 starts who will be having his third start after a spell.
All Is Well will be driven by Chris Lewis from barrier two. He caught the eye last Friday night when he was last in the field of twelve with a lap to travel before finishing strongly to be third behind Crowd Control and Rock Artist.
Watching Our Coin resumes
Tough New Zealand-bred stayer Watching Our Coin will resume racing after a spell when he is the solitary backmarker off 20 metres in the 2503m Tricky Miki Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Michael Young-trained Watching Our Coin will be driven by Gary Hall jnr, and he has impressed with his first 16 starts in Western Australia producing eight wins and five placings.
He has had four starts in stands in WA for a win, two seconds and a fifth placing.
Watching Our Coin’s chief rivals appear to be Yankee Lincoln, Carana, American Bullitt and Extraordinary Mary, the four runners who comprise the 10-metre line.
Eight-year-old Yankee Lincoln has struck top form for trainer-reinsman Peter Tilbrook, with his past two starts producing a second from 30m to Mikipelo in the 2670m Collie Cup and a splendid third behind Minstrel and Ardens Horizon over 2503m at Gloucester Park on December 8.
Carana, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, is a standing-start specialist whose first twelve starts in Western Australia have been in stands for seven wins, three seconds and two fourths. Then in the 2130m mobile Christmas Gift last Friday night he disappointed when he enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before wilting to finish tenth behind Alcopony. However, he cannot be underestimated in Friday night’s stand.
One of the highlights on Friday night will be the $31,000 www.gloucesterpark.com.au Free-For-All in which star pacer Lavra Joe will clash with smart in-form rivals in Arma Einstein, Blitzembye, Machnificent, Galactic Star and Vultan Tin.
Lavra Joe will need to be close to peak form to overcome the task of starting out wide at barrier seven in the field of eight.
He resumed after an eight-month absence with a dashing all-the-way victory over 1730m, rating 1.52.9 when easily beating Ima Fivestar General and Arma Einstein last Friday week. Lavra Joe then began from the outside in a field of five last Friday night when he was restrained to last before moving off the pegs 1000m from home and fighting on to finish a well-beaten third behind Minstrel and Arma Einstein in a 2130m Free-For-All.
Blitzembye will start from the No. 2 barrier, and Shannon Suvaljko is sure to use the gelding’s sparking gate speed in a bid to set the pace and go on and win. In that case, the polemarker Arma Einstein should enjoy a perfect trail behind Blitzembye.
Machnificent is in superb form, with three excellent victories from his past four starts. He will begin from the outside barrier at No. 8, and Chris Lewis looks set to opt out of an early speed battle and rely on Machnificent’s wonderful sit-sprint ability.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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