11 March 2024 | Ken Casellas
Lavra Joe is Nullarbor bound
Brilliant WA-bred six-year-old Lavra Joe is looming as a major candidate for the $1,250,000 Nullarbor slot race on April 19, following his superb victory in the $31,000 Allwood Stud Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Starting at the generous odds of $3.50, Lavra Joe rated a smart 1.53.8 in beating the $3.30 favourite Swingband by a half-length and left his owner-trainer Ray Jones smiling contentedly.
Lavra Joe’s win came four days after he had raced fiercely at the rear of the field and finished a well-beaten tenth behind Minstrel in the 2692m Pinjarra Cup when having his first start for two months.
“He is on target for the Nullarbor,” said Jones. “He needed the Pinjarra run when he was a bit above himself, wouldn’t settle and pulled hard. He will now run in the Mount Eden Sprint (a $48,500 event over 1684m) at Pinjarra on Monday week (March 18).
“After that, depending on how he pulls up after that sprint race, he will contest the Bunbury Cup (a group 3 $50,000 event on March 30) before the Nullarbor.”
Lavra Joe began out wide at barrier seven on Friday night and Kyle Harper was content for the powerful gelding to race three wide for the first 550m before moving to the breeze, with $7.50 chance Hampton Banner overracing in front after a fast lead time of 35.9sec.
This gave Swingband an ideal trail in the one-out, one-back position. Lavra Joe forged to the front with 550m to travel, with Swingband giving chase.
A 28.3sec. second quarter of the final mile was followed by final 400m sections of 27.9sec. and 28.2sec.
Harper, who was driving Lavra Joe for the sixth time in a race, was full of praise for the gelding, saying: “It was the real Lavra Joe tonight. He was excellent and that was the first time he felt like the iron horse that he is.
“I expected him to be good enough tonight to sit in the breeze and win. The plugs were in, and he ran away from them. Swingband is a very nice horse to have sitting on your back, but I wasn’t worried at any stage. I haven’t had that feeling from him before.”
Lavra Joe now has earned $633,374 from 33 wins and 13 placings from 66 starts.
Nullarbor Navajo set for Empress Stakes
Victorian-bred seven-year-old Nullarbor Navajo proved far too speedy for her younger rivals in the $50,000 group 3 Lombardo Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when she showed that she will be a leading contender in the $75,000 Empress Stakes on April 19.
Nullarbor Navajo, the $2.60 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier, was driven with great confidence by Stuart McDonald, filling in for trainer Corey Peterson, who was on a holiday in Sydney.
Nullarbor Navajo had to muster plenty of early speed to defy a spirited challenge from the $2.90 second favourite Cyclone Charlotte, who began brilliantly from out wide at barrier eight and led by almost three-quarters of a length but was unable to cross to the front.
“Nullarbor Navajo was holding Cyclone Charlotte well enough, and once she couldn’t get in behind me, I was pretty confident,” said McDonald.
After opening quarters of 31.1sec. and 29.2sec. Nullarbor Navajo sprinted over the final 400m sections in 27.7sec. and 28.7sec. and defeated Cyclone Charlotte by three lengths, rating 1.58.9 over the 2536m — the distance of the Empress Stakes.
“After the early burn I did slow down a bit,” said McDonald. “Nullarbor Navajo was simply jogging when she ran that 27.7sec. down the back, and I knew that she still had plenty of petrol left in the tank.
“I pulled the plugs (approaching the home turn) and dashed away to make sure I got away from the breeze horse (Cyclone Charlotte).”
Nevermindthechaos ($7.50) trailed the pacemaker and fought on to be a well-beaten third. She lost her winning chance when from the No. 2 barrier she contacted the mobile barrier arm in the score-up, broke and was out of position at the start.
Nullarbor Navajo is owned by Cheyenne King-Davies and her father Ken Davies. She is by American stallion Betterthancheddar and is the fifth and last foal out of the Courage Under Fire mare Teen Dreams, who raced 34 times in Victoria for three wins, two placings and $15,525.
Nullarbor Navajo has inherited much of her ability from her maternal great granddam Larrakeyah Lady, who had 57 starts for eleven wins, 13 placings and $78,131. Larrakeyah Lady produced nine winners of 183 races, including Safe And Sound (84 starts for 33 wins, 30 placings and $995,606), Gold Rocket (122 starts for 36 wins, 37 placings and $393,387), Massarua (216 starts for 42 wins, 59 placings and $282,692) and The Good Times (60 starts for 17 wins, 15 placings and $201,024).
Luck favours Jett Star
“You don’t get much more luck than that,” said Deni Roberts after driving outsider Jett Star to victory in the $23,000 Trotsynd Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred Jett Star is a quality pacer prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, but from out wide at barrier No. 7 and racing first-up after a three-and-a-half-month absence, he was not expected to be a winning chance.
However, when the $6.50 second fancy Rolling Fire suffered an atrial fibrillation about 900m from home it completely changed the complexion of the race.
The $1.10 favourite Franco Ecuador was setting the pace after a slow lead time of 39.4sec. and Jett Star was racing in the one-out, one-back position.
Rolling Fire, who was trailing Franco Ecuador, began to drop back approaching the bell and was retired from the event soon afterwards by Gary Hall jnr.
With Rolling Fire out of the race, Roberts was able to ease Jett Star across to the pegs to sit behind Franco Ecuador. The third 400m section was covered in a swift 27.9sec. and was followed by a final quarter of 27.5sec.
Roberts eased Jett Star off the pegs 110m from home and the six-year-old sprinted fast to get up and win by a half-neck from Franco Ecuador. It was a major upset, with Jett Star being a $46.50 outsider who was a $71 chance on the fixed market.
“I knew that Rolling Fire was in trouble coming into the bell when he was struggling to keep up,” said Roberts. “And I was happy to go to the fence.
“Jett Star is a quality horse and we have been happy with his work at home. But from the wide draw we weren’t confident tonight. I wanted to give Jett Star a soft run, first-up, and I planned to go to the fence. But when El Chema went to the breeze, I was happy to stay in the one-wide line.”
Jett Star won at his first five outings as a two-year-old in May and June 2020, with his victories including the group 1 Pearl Classic in which he defeated Lavra Joe. He now has raced 41 times for 19 wins, eight placings and $228,832 in prizemoney.
Showpony excites Young
Pinjarra trainer David Young declared that the best is yet to come from lightly-raced five-year-old Showpony after the WA-bred gelding had scored an easy victory in the 2130m Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“That was only his 29TH start, and I’m really excited for him to have a spell and come back when I think he is capable of taking another step,” said Young.
“We will keep going until he tells me that he has had enough, and I am excited to see what he does after a good break.
“Kyle (Harper) said that this was the best he has felt. Showpony has had trouble by hanging in his races, and he races with a pole and a one-eyed blinker — and he is getting better.”
Showpony, a gelding by Sweet Lou, has had 29 starts for ten wins, ten placings and stakes of $75,371.
He was the $1.10 favourite from the No. 2 barrier and was beaten for early speed by $34 chance Cooper, who began with great alacrity from the No. 8 barrier and burst straight to the front. Harper then dashed Showpony into the lead 350m after the start, and after the final three sections of 29.3sec., 28.9sec. and 28.4sec. he was not extended in winning by just over a length from Cooper, rating 1.56.5.
The Miki Taker gets clear in time
WA-bred five-year-old The Miki Taker revealed admirable toughness to race without cover before winning the previous week, and he was seen in the role of a sit-sprinter when he was successful in the 2130m Perth Now Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Capel trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo decided that The Miki Taker’s best winning chance from the inside of the back line would be to remain on the pegs and trail the polemarker and $1.20 favourite Solesseo Matuca — and rely on luck.
The Miki Taker, great value at $8.50 after his win a week earlier, travelled well behind the frontrunning Solesseo Matuca, who looked the winner when he dashed away to be two lengths in front of The Miki Taker with just 100m to travel.
The Miki Taker was hopelessly hemmed in during the final circuit, but De Campo was able to ease him off ther pegs and into the clear 120m from home when the breeze horse Soho Santorini began to wilt and drop back. The Miki Taker got to the front in the final couple of strides and won by a half-length from Solesseo Matuca.
The Miki Taker is racing with commendable enthusiasm and is sure to improve on his splendid record of 31 starts for eleven wins, 12 placings and $186,819.
Duty Bound just hangs on
Seasoned campaigner Duty Bound, the $2.80 second fancy, was suited by a modest early pace in the 2130m HTA Reaching For The Top Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he gave a solid frontrunning performance to hang on and win by a half-head from the fast-finishing $15 chance Eye Better, who sat behind the leader all the way.
Duty Bound, trained by Jemma Hayman, completed a double for Chis Voak, who had been successful with Highview Heidi in the previous event.
After a slow lead time of 37.9sec. by the polemarker Duty Bound and opening quarters of 30.6sec. and 30.5sec. the New Zealand-bred eight-year-old dashed over the third quarter in 28.5sec. and just held on to win, with a final 400m of 29sec.
This was his second start after a spell, and followed his first-up fifth behind Franco Encore the previous week when he wilted after setting the pace.
Duty Bound is by Mach Three and is the third foal (and only winner) out of the Washington VC mare Well Hereshoping, who raced 37 times for four country wins and eight placings in Victoria.
Duty Bound has had 55 starts for eight wins, 23 placings and $68,557. His five New Zealand starts produced two seconds, he raced 31 times in Victoria for five wins and 14 placings, and he has had 19 WA starts for three wins and seven placings.
Xceptional Arma looking for more gold
Quality young pacer Xceptional Arma is on target to contest upcoming $50,000 feature events for three-year-old fillies after impressing with an easy victory in the 1730m The Nullarbor The Road To Riches Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Colin Brown-trained Xceptional Arma won the Gold Bullion for two-year-old fillies in April 2023, and she will be hard to beat in the Gold Bullion for three-year-olds on April 5. She is also expected to contest the Diamond Classic on May 17 — and is sure to be one of the main fancies for the WA Oaks later in the year.
Xceptional Arma was the $2.40 favourite when she began from the outside barrier in the field of seven in Friday night’s event in which she was driven with great confidence by Maddison Brown, who was happy to race in the breeze, with $13 chance Princess Katie setting a solid pace.
Brown sent Xceptional Arma to the front 300m from home and the filly won by more than two lengths from the $3.20 second fancy Lenora Jane, who finished solidly from fifth at the bell.
Xceptional Arma (by American Ideal) has already amassed $278,358 from eleven wins and five placings from 20 starts.
Galaxy Warrior breaks through
Six-year-old gelding Galaxy Warrior broke through for his first metro-class win when he caused a minor upset by finishing fast to beat Sound Wave and Post Game in the $21,000 Westside Auto Wholesale Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The win gave Simon Lowings, a 59-year-old baker by trade and hobby trainer, his first metropolitan-class winner since he drove Mister de Vere to victory at Gloucester Park on November 2, 1995, after the gelding had won a city event the previous month. Lowings also prepared and drove city winners Desert Patrol and Captain Howdy in the 1990s.
Galaxy Warrior, owned by Lowings and his wife Quyen, is now the most successful pacer trained by Lowings, who has given the gelding 22 starts for seven wins, eight placings and $56,418 in prizemoney.
Galaxy Warrior is by Follow The Stars and is the first foal out of the unraced mare Sparkling Desire. Galaxy Warrior was purchased for just $5500 at the 2019 Perth APG yearling sale.
Sound Wave, the $4.20 third favourite in Friday night’s 2130m event, was also sold at the 2019 sale — for $32,500, and he now has earned $90,013 from eight wins and 19 placings from 57 starts.
Sound Wave, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, was smartest to begin from the No. 1 barrier and he set a solid pace, with final three 400m sections being run in 29.5sec., 27.8sec. and 28.7sec. He led by two lengths with 100 metres to travel, and was overhauled on the line by Galaxy Warrior, a $19.80 chance who raced in fifth position, three back on the pegs, before charging home, out wide.
Galaxy Warrior gave outstanding young reinsman Kyle Symington the second leg of a driving double, following Showpony’s win in the opening event.
Ira Poole, the $3 favourite, disappointed, finishing last in the field of eight after racing in sixth position in the one-wide line. He began a three-wide move 400m from home, allowing Galaxy Warrior to get off the pegs. But he was affected by hanging and did not threaten danger.
Easter Cup plans for Lucca
The group 3 $50,000 Easter Cup on March 29 is the target for Lucca, who maintained his excellent form with a strong win in the 2503m standing-start Private Functions Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Bill Hayes has given Lucca an excellent diet of standing-start racing to prepare the New Zealand-bred five-year-old for the Easter Cup, a stand over 2503m. Lucca’s past five starts have all been from a stand, and the American Ideal gelding got away smoothly from the inside of the 10m line on Friday night.
Lucca, the $2.30 favourite, settled down in seventh position, with Navy Street, a $12 chance, beginning speedily from the 10m mark, setting the pace and defying an early challenge from $14 chance and last-start winner Burghley Shard.
Hayes started a three-wide move approaching the bell and Lucca surged to the front with 450m to travel and went on to win convincingly by 4m from the $12 chance Fly To Fame, who ran home strongly after trailing the pacemaker all the way. The final 400m was covered in 28.6sec.
Lucca, owned by Dan Walsh and his sister May Leitch, has earned $102,735 from ten wins and eleven placings from 29 starts.
Husband and wife share quinella
Bunbury trainers Paul and Simone Strachan enjoyed their biggest highlight in harness racing when their fillies Highview Heidi and Shoobees Double fought out the finish of the $21,000 Vili’s Family Bakery Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Shoobees Double, a $7.50 chance trained by Mrs Strachan, burst to the front 220m from home before Highview Heidi, the $2.70 favourite trained by her husband Paul, finished powerfully to hit the front at the 90m mark and beat Shoobees Double by 5m.
The quinella result vindicated their decision to purchase the fillies at the 2023 Perth APG yearling sale twelve months ago. They race them in partnership.
Highview Heidi cost $9000 and Shoobees Double was bought for $8000. Highview Heidi has now earned $15,163 from a win and a second placing from three starts, while Shoobees Double has had three starts for a second and a third placing, for stakes of $5021.
Highview Heidi’s win gave Paul Strachan, a 46-year-old operator at the Collie alumina mine, his first metropolitan-class winner as a trainer. As a part-time trainer he has prepared 31 winners, with his only previous win at Gloucester Park being with Atomic Luke, a Saab gelding who was a $16.20 chance when he beat Billionaire Bob by a half-length in a CO event on March 8, 2010 — with Friday night’s meeting also being held on March 8.
Simone Strachan, a daughter of experienced Bunbury trainer Brian Clemens, has trained 43 winners, including Donovan Bromac, Tresor and Im All Black at Gloucester Park, as well as Miss Narla and Bettor Be Artful on country tracks.
Paul Strachan bought Highview Heidi because he was an admirer of American sire Rock N Roll World and a fan of the filly’s dam Highview Jackie, who raced 100 times for 12 wins, 20 placings and $81,057.
The New Zealand-bred Highview Jackie was by former champion pacer Christian Cullen, and after one New Zealand victory she won four country races in Victoria and six races in Western Australia.
“I spoke to Highview Jackie’s WA trainer Peter Anderson, who said she was a nice mare and capable of producing good winners,” said Strachan. “The filly was well presented by the Allwood Stud, and she was affordable, so I bought her.”
It was a different story which led to Simone Strachan selecting Shoobees Double, a massive filly by American stallion Shoobees Place. The night before the 2023 yearling sale on March 5, Shoobees Place sired the winner (Better Be The Best) of the $200,000 New South Wales Derby at Menangle.
“This aroused Simone’s interest in the progeny of Shoobees Place and she took a gamble in buying Shoobees Double,” explained Strachan.
The gamble is paying dividends, and Shoobees Double and Highview Heidi should be worthy contenders in the $50,000 group 3 Gold Bracelet on May 17.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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