13 February 2023 | Ken Casellas
Bettor Get It On set for feature events
Rich feature events for mares next month are on the agenda for Bettor Get It On, who gave a tough staying performance to win the 1730m Laurie Kennedy Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Outstanding trainer Justin Prentice said that he would be setting the New Zealand-bred six-year-old for the $50,000 Lombardo Pace over 2130m on March 10 and the $75,000 Empress Stakes over 2536m on March 31.
Bettor Get It On, who won the Empress Stakes last April when she defeated the brilliant Savvy Bromac, was surprisingly good value at $8.90 from barrier three in Friday night’s $50,000 group 3 event in which she was having her first start for seven weeks.
Prentice produced Bettor Get It On in fine fettle, and he was not particularly concerned when she failed in a bid for the early lead and was left in the breeze outside the noted frontrunner Vivere Damore ($3.50).
Bettor Get It On led by a half-length early but was unable to cross to the front. Emily Suvaljko rated Bettor Get It On perfectly in the breeze and she resisted the temptation to make a serious challenge for the lead approaching the home turn because such a move would have enabled $7 chance The Amber Hare (who was following Better Get It On) to get into the clear.
After a 27.8sec. third quarter, Bettor Get It On sprinted strongly in the home straight to overhaul Vivere Damore in the final 10m and win by a half-length, with The Amber Hare finishing fast to be a head away in third place.
Bettor Get It On rated 1.55.9 and improved her record to 49 starts for 11 wins, 13 seconds and five thirds for earnings of $186,495.
Bettor Get It On, who won at two of her 15 New Zealand starts, is by Bettors Delight and is the first foal out of the Art Major mare Its All On, who raced 12 times for two wins and two placings. She is raced by a syndicate of 12, mainly first-time owners who play cricket for the Marist Brothers team in Bunbury.
Nevermindthechaos, the $3 favourite on Friday night, started from the outside of the back line and had no luck. She settled at the rear before Gary Hall jnr sent her forward with a three-wide burst 1050m from home.
But she was racing in restricted room at the 600m when she was inconvenienced and paced roughly for a couple of strides, losing momentum and valuable ground before fighting on, three and four wide, to finish in sixth place. She struck herself at the 600m and received a cut to the inside of her fore cannon.
Glenledi Chief earns Pinjarra Cup start
New Zealand-bred six-year-old Glenledi Chief, a model of consistency, earned a start in the $50,000 Pinjarra Cup on March 6 when he scored a fighting victory in the 2536m Barbagallo Land Rover Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Glenledi Chief, trained by Greg and Skye Bond and the $3.60 second favourite, settled down in sixth position, and Gary Hall jnr had no hesitation in vacating the one-out, one-back position to move to the breeze in the first lap, with Hampton Banner setting a modest pace.
With Glenledi Chief in the breeze, the $2.50 favourite Sangue Reale was hemmed in behind the leader, with Handsandwheels ($5) following Sangue Reale.
After a swift 27.8sec. third 400m section, Glenledi Chief finished determinedly to get to a narrow lead in the final stages. He hung out, and Aiden de Campo was able to bring Handsandwheels home with a fast burst between horses to figure in an extremely close photo finish.
Glenledi Chief was declared the winner by a nose, rating 1.58.2 after a final quarter of 28.5sec. Hampton Banner was third, with Sangue Reale, hampered for room, finishing fourth.
“Glenledi Chief’s run a week earlier (when second to Patronus Star) was huge,” said Hall. “You have to time his finishing burst,” said Hall. “Once he puts his head in front he shuts off. I learnt my lesson last week. But the more you hold him back, the more he runs up the track.
“That created a gap, and I thought I just had to let him go and hope for the best. I thought I had been beaten, and when I saw my number go up, I was pleasantly surprised.”
Glenledi Chief, who is by American sire Well Said, is out of the Presidential Ball mare Its Forever Now, who raced 41 times for seven wins, 18 placings and $106,288. Glenledi Chief has earned $234,957 from 18 wins and 17 placings from 57 starts.
Know When To Run excels, first-up
Star trainer Justin Prentice was concerned late last year when Know When To Run lacked his normal enthusiasm and chalked up seven consecutive unplaced efforts.
“He was racing a bit flat,” explained Prentice. “His work was good at home, but he wasn’t racing the way I was hoping. So, I decided to freshen him up, and tonight at his first start for seven weeks, he appreciated a drop in grade and it was good to see him get the job done.”
Know When To Run was the $1.50 favourite from barrier three, and he was driven to perfection by Emily Suvaljko. The WA-bred seven-year-old raced in the breeze for the first 600m until Rock Me Over dashed forward to race outside the pacemaker Bettorstartdreaming ($8.50).
This gave Know When To Run a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position. Suvaljko dashed Know When To Run to the front 250m from home and the Roll With Joe gelding raced away to win by four lengths from Rock Me Over, rating 1.59.4 over the 2536m journey.
Know When To Run is proving a bargain for Trotsynd’s No. 11 syndicate. He was purchased for $13,000 at the 2017 APG Perth yearling sale, and now boasts a record of 37 starts for 11 wins, 14 placings and stakes of $139,940.
He has been restricted to 37 starts because he suffered a hairline fracture during his second preparation and then damaged a tendon when he finished fifth behind Shockwave in the Golden Nugget in December 2019, an injury which kept him out of action for 20 months.
Pradason is a great earner
“He’s awesome and keeps on earning for us,” said a beaming trainer Aiden de Campo after driving Pradason to victory in the 2130m Barbagallo Leaders In Motoring Excellence Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Pradason, the $2.50 favourite, produced another splendid frontrunning performance to beat James Butt ($2.65) and Theo Aviator ($10) to boost his earnings to $181,104 from 18 wins and 24 placings from 75 starts.
“Once he got away with the lead time (a slow 38sec.) as I thought he would, I was happy with what we were running (opening quarters of 30.6sec. and 30.5sec.).
“I was worried about Theo Aviator getting off my back, and I needed to hold him in, with James Butt in the breeze. I always thought he would be able to hold on and win.”
The Victorian-bred Pradason, by American stallion Shadow Play, is out of Stylish Jasper, who raced 125 times for 15 wins and 33 placings for stakes of $118,491.
Pradason is not purely a frontrunner, with only five of his 13 WA wins coming after setting the pace.
Four in a row for Valentines Brook
Prominent owner Albert Walmsley has no regrets about spending $52,000 at the 2018 APG yearling sale in Melbourne for a son of American sire Rock N Roll Heaven.
He named him Valentines Brook, who is racing in magnificent style for Ravenswood trainer Jocelyn Young and 21-year-old reinsman Kyle Symington.
Valentines Brook boosted his record to 66 starts for 15 wins and 24 placings for stakes of $163,275 when Symington drove him to a runaway victory in the 1730m Barbagallo Lamborghini Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
In a remarkable patch of form Valentines Brook’s past nine starts have produced five second placings followed by four wins in a row.
He was the $2.20 second favourite from barrier No. 2 in Friday night’s event in which the polemarker Ima Fivestar General was the $1.60 favourite.
Fivestar General set the pace, but was put under plenty of pressure from $34 outsider Make It Happen, who overraced badly in the breeze. The opening quarters whizzed by in 28sec. and 28.2sec. and with 500m to travel Symington was able to ease Valentines Brook off the pegs.
Valentines Brook then burst to the front at the 300m and raced away to win by three and a half lengths from Ima Fivestar General, rating a smart 1.53.3, with final 400m sections of 29.2sec. and 28.4sec.
Symington, who has driven Valentines Brook only eight times for four wins and four seconds, said: “Jocelyn has Valentines Brook flying. All his recent runs have been impressive, especially the past four, and he would be out of place in major races like the Pinjarra Cup.
“One of his ear plugs was dislodged just after release point tonight, and I didn’t pull the other one. And he won easily.”
Valentines Brook is the fifth foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Cyclone Betty, who had 63 starts for nine wins, 18 placings and stakes of $68,186. Cyclone Betty has proved to be a wonderful brood mare, having produced the brilliant Our Waikiki Beach (171 starts for 41 wins, 46 placings and $1,079,661) and Bechers Brook (121 starts for 25 wins, 43 placings and $376,549).
Ifeel Sikdarl holds on
WA-bred five-year-old Ifeel Sikdarl was all the rage as the $1.60 favourite in the 2130m Barbagallo Art Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he gave his supporters some anxious moments before holding on to defeat the $7 chance Sunshine Swift by a head.
Sunshine Swift led from the No. 1 barrier before Maddison Brown sent Ifeel Sikdarl to the front after 450m. Athabascan ($41) moved to the breeze in the first circuit, leaving Sunshine Swift blocked in behind the pacemaker.
When Athabascan began to wilt in the last lap Kyle Harper was able to get Sunshine Swift off the pegs, and the six-year-old ran home strongly and just failed to overhaul the favourite, with the final 400m being covered in 28.7sec.
“I had to work a bit more than I had hoped to get to the front,” said Brown. “And then I was happy to get the first quarter a bit easier (31.2sec.). Ifeel Sikdarl doesn’t have a lot of zip, but he will fight on. I was worried about the horse on my back (Sunshine Swift) because he is very fast, and I didn’t want to let him out too early.”
Ifeel Sikdarl has done a fine job for Jandabup trainer Graham Cummins, who has given the Sportswriter gelding 26 starts for seven wins, 11 placings and $53,992 in stakes, taking his career record to 43 starts for ten wins, 16 placings and $74,330.
He is out of the Bettors Delight mare Millwood Kansas, who earned $52,877 from seven wins and eight placings from 19 starts.
Aussie Scooter loves the stands
West Australian-bred pacer Aussie Scooter won nine times from his first 36 starts — all in mobiles, and recently he has flourished in standing-start events.
His dominant victory in the 2503m Barbagallo Ferrari Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night improved his record in his past 12 appearances (all in stands) to four wins, four seconds, two thirds, one fourth and one fifth.
Aussie Scooter’s victory completed a treble for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who had been successful earlier in the night with Street Hawk and Glenledi Chief.
Dylan Egerton-Green got Aussie Scooter, the $6.70 third favourite, away speedily from the inside of the 10m line, and the gelding took up the running after 350m. He dashed over the final 800m in 56.8sec. and won by almost 5m from the $61 outsider Call To Arms, who led early and then trailed the pacemaker.
Aussie Scooter, a Mach Three gelding, has been a good moneyspinner, with his 48 starts producing 13 wins, 14 placings and $135,180.
His stablemate Raven Banner, the $1.85 favourite at his Australian debut, finished third. He was inconvenienced at the start when Seven No Trumps ($3.50) broke into a gallop. Racen Banner then raced in the breeze for much of the way and fought on gamely.
August Moon resumes in style
Promising three-year-old filly August Moon looks set for a profitable campaign when she romped to victory in the 1730m Barbagallo Watch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Making her first appearance for Gnangara trainer Luke Edwards for 21 weeks, August Moon was a hot $1.60 favourite when Gary Hall jnr dashed her straight to the front from the No. 3 barrier.
August Moon coasted through the opening quarters in 31.3sec. and 31sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 27.7sec. and 28.1sec. to win by three lengths from the $5 second fancy Fly To Fame, who raced without cover all the way. August Moon rated 1.57.1.
“She had seven starts for one win and four seconds as a two-year-old,” said Edwards. “It was just her tractability that prevented her from a better record as a two-year-old. She would’ve needed the run tonight, and now I’ll be getting her ready for the $50,000 Sales Classic next Friday week.”
Hall has a high opinion of August Moon, who is by American sire Captaintreacherous, and is the second foal out of former smart New Zealand-bred mare My Samantha Jane, who raced 72 times for 15 wins, 21 placings and $166,426 in prizemoney.
“She is a nice filly who still has a few little fine-tuning things to improve on,” he said. “She has a really good motor and has good speed when you wake her up. We know she can stay, as well. She looks to me that she has doubled in size, so she’ll probably get better and stronger.”
Street Hawk set for stardom
Rich plums are on the agenda for Street Hawk, who reappeared after a 14-week absence with a most impressive effortless victory in the 2130m Barbagallo Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His immediate aims are sure to be the $50,000 group 3 Chandon Classic on March 3 and the group Preux Chevalier Classic on March 24, and already he looks one of the main hopes for the rich events for four-year-olds late in the year — the $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship (November 17), the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic (December 1) and the $200,000 Golden Nugget (December 15).
Deni Roberts, handling Street Hawk for the first time for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, had an armchair drive behind the $1.20 favourite, who was untroubled to lead from the No. 2 barrier.
The lead time was a modest 37.3sec., followed by opening quarters of 31.4sec. and 29.7sec. He then sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 28.2sec. and was not extended in winning by 7m from $23 chance Simply Shaz, who was tenth at the 550m before sustaining a powerful three-wide burst.
“Street Hawk felt like he was doing it in second gear,” said Roberts. “He is a very nice horse. His work at home has been good, and to come here and to do that is pretty exciting. I’m very much looking forward to this campaign. He’s special and has got that brilliant turn of foot which is going to take him a long way.”
The New Zealand-bred Street Hawk is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the fourth foal out of the Falcon Seelster mare Racketeers Girl, who raced 54 times in WA for eight wins, 14 placings and stakes of $86,545. She finished fourth behind Artemis Belle in the 2011 WA Oaks.
Street Hawk raced six times in New Zealand for two wins and one placing. His nine WA starts have produced six wins and one third placing. He is closely related to Bettor Dreams (a half-sister to Racketeers Girl) who had 45 starts for 14 wins, 14 placings and $186,952. Bettor Dreams finished second to Eagle Rox in the group 1 Diamond Classic in June 2012 and was second to the brilliant Frith in the WA Oaks in May 2013.
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