18 December 2023 | Ken Casellas
Tricky Miki in elite company
Tricky Miki moved into elite company at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he won the $200,000 Retravision Golden Nugget to become only the fourth pacer in the history of WA harness racing to complete the rare treble of winning the three major group 1 events as a two, three and four-year-old.
His magnificent frontrunning performance and effortless win followed his victories in the group 1 Golden Slipper in July 2021 and the group 1 WA Derby in November 2022.
The only other pacers to have won those three prestigious events are Salinger, Saab and Beaudiene Boaz.
Driven with supreme confidence and skill by Maddison Brown, Tricky Miki, an $8.30 chance, gave astute Boyanup horseman Justin Prentice his first success in the Golden Nugget as a trainer, eleven years after he drove the Michael Brennan-trained Im Victorious to victory over Bettor Reason.
Tricky Miki’s victory gave Brown a wonderful birthday present. She turns 28 on Wednesday after joining rare company in becoming the second female driver to win the Golden Nugget, following the footsteps of Victorian Anne Frawley (the elder sister of the late St Kilda football champion Danny Frawley) who was successful with Vanderport in 1986.
Brown also emulated the performance of her father Colin, who drove Minstrel to win the 2021 Nugget.
This was her fourth success in a group 1 feature event, following wins with Longreach Bay (Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings in June 2020), Xceptional Arma (Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies in September this year) and Skylou (WA Derby in November this year).
Prentice said that Brown had driven a perfect race after leaving the tactics up to her. Brown took the bold approach and got Tricky Miki away fast from the No. 3 barrier, and the gelding was able to hold out Lucca (barrier five) and Youre So Fine (barrier eight) to take up the running.
The $3 favourite My Ultimate Ronnie settled down in tenth position after starting from the outside of the back line. Cameron Hart sent him forward with a three-wide burst 650m after the start. But Hart failed in an attempt to move to the breeze and was then forced to restrain the horse back to the rear.
After opening quarters of 29.8sec. and 30.5sec. Tricky Miki dashed over the final 400m sections in 29.1sec. and 28.6sec. to win by four lengths from the $5.50 second fancy Wonderful To Fly, who gave a superb performance.
She was eleventh on the pegs at the bell and was still eleventh with 350m to travel before Shane Young took her four wide, and the mare charged home, out five wide. Soho Dow Jones ($11) fought on well to finish third after trailing the leader all the way.
Hoppys Way ($12) raced in sixth position, three back on the pegs, and was blocked for a clear run until very late, when he flashed home to finish fourth. “He was really unlucky,” said reinsman Shannon Suvaljko. “He couldn’t get a run until very late, and he was charging on the line.”
After tough runs, My Ultimate Ronnie (10TH) and Youre So Fine (11TH) faded, while Alcopony ($18) finished strongly from tenth at the bell to be fifth.
Prentice has had his concerns with Tricky Miki, saying: “I’ve had feet issues and ulcer problems with him. It has been hard to put condition on him because he wouldn’t eat, and he lost weight.
“With each preparation I’ve learnt more about him, and I have been able to sort things out. He’s now eating a lot better and looks a lot better.”
Prentice purchased Tricky Miki for $57,500 at the 2020 Perth APG yearling sale. The gelding, bred by Steve Johnson and owned by Prentice and several stable clients, has now earned $482,721 from eleven wins and nine placings from 25 starts.
He is by American sire Always B Miki and is out of the Modern Art mare Harriet Elisabeth, who raced 36 times for 11 wins, nine placings and $114,348. Her major success was in the Western Crown Classic for two-year-old fillies in March 2013.
Prentice has no set plans at the moment for Tricky Miki. But he is likely to be set for major races in the New Year, including the $50,000 Pinjarra Cup on March 4 and the $300,000 Fremantle Cup on April 26.
Steno set for Christmas Belles
A brilliant beginning from out wide at barrier six paved the way for Steno’s easy win in the 2536m Retravision Golden Nugget Consolation at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and trainer-driver Jocelyn Young is hoping she can repeat the dose when she contests the $50,000 Christmas Belles over 2130m next Friday night.
Steno, a $17 chance, ran her opening quarters of the final mile in 30.9sec. and 30.1sec. before giving her rivals little chance by sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 26.7sec. to win at a 1.58.3 rate, beating the $1.65 favourite Arma Xfactor by three lengths.
Arma Xfactor, from the No. 1 barrier, was beaten for early speed by Steno, and she then trailed the pacemaker all the way. She got clear on the home turn and fought on gamely.
“Gate speed is Steno’s biggest asset,” said Young. “I thought we could beat out Arma Xfactor (barrier one), but I wasn’t sure if we could beat out Mister Montblanc (barrier three). I thought Mister Montblanc could cause us a bit of grief. But there was no grief.
“I was trying to get away with as slow a lead time as I could, and after Steno fought me a bit she just bowled along.”
The New South Wales-bred Steno, a winner of one race in Victoria and nine in New South Wales, has had 13 starts in WA for four wins and two seconds, taking her overall record to 34 starts for 14 wins, ten placings and stakes of $255,378.
Lucky win for Hall
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr conceded that he was very lucky to drive $5.80 chance Raven Banner to victory over his stablemate Carana, the $2.10 favourite, in the 2503m Retravision For All The Electrical Stuff You Love Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The 20m starting strand failed to release, causing the starter to declare a false start. Carana, driven by Deni Roberts, had begun smoothly and was about to surge to the front as the false start was declared.
But when the race was re-started, Carana galloped and lost several lengths. He settled down in eighth place and was sixth in the one-wide line at the bell before finishing determinedly to be second.
“I was lucky,” said Hall. “Carana was going to lead easily at the first attempt when the 20-metre strand failed to release and was across my face.”
Raven Banner began smoothly from the 20m mark and settled down in fourth position in the one-wide line, without cover, before taking the lead after 600m.
“When I got away and Carana galloped and Otis ($4.40) wasn’t that fast, I thought I could get to the front,” said Hall. “I was thinking I was going to get beaten all the way around the home bend, but then on the line he was doing his best.”
Raven Banner, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, was having his first start for 15 weeks, and was driven for the first time by Hall, and this was his first win in a stand. A winner of six races in New Zealand, the Bettors Delight five-year-old has had 12 starts in WA for four wins and four placings, taking his record to 43 starts for ten wins, 15 placings and $128,516.
Water Lou set for another classic
Brilliant youngster Water Lou gave further proof that she has bright prospects of winning another classic event when she romped to an easy victory in the Retravision Online Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She led from barrier eight and won the Sales Classic for two-year-old fillies last March, and she looks extremely hard to beat in the $50,000 Sales Classic for three-year-old fillies on March 1 next year.
Once again, it was her sparkling gate speed which led to her win over Ubeen Thunderstruck and Ambitsiya in Friday night’s 2130m event.
She was the second fancy at $2.30 and she proved just too smart for her four rivals, dashing to the front after 100m and coasting to victory by a length over $11 chance Ubeen Thunderstruck, who finished solidly from third at the bell.
After a slow lead time of 38.7sec. and a dawdling opening quarter of 32.6sec., Water Lou sped over the final three 400m sections in 28.4sec., 28.3sec. and 28.6sec. and recorded a mile rate of 1.58.3.
Purchased by Jim Giumelli for $65,000 at the 2022 Perth APG yearling sale, Water Lou has won at eight of her eleven starts and has earned $175,367.
Ambitsiya, the $1.70 favourite, had every chance but lacked sparkle and was a well-beaten third. She is now likely to be sent for a spell.
Stormyskyes ends losing run of 15
Six-year-old mare Stormyskyes has been a consistent performer for trainer-reinsman Shane Steele, and she broke through for a well-deserved victory in the 2130m Buy Now Pay Later At Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was an $8.90 chance from barrier No. 2 and Steele was content to take the trail behind the $2.60 second fancy Sovrana, who defied an early challenge from the $2.45 favourite Rumour Has It and set a solid pace.
With Rumour Has It in the breeze, Stormyskyes was blocked for a run until Steele was finally able to ease the mare off the pegs and into the clear. Rumour Has It took a narrow lead 250m from home before Three Rumours ($9), who had enjoyed a perfect trail in the one-out, one-back position, got to the front 80m from the post.
But Stormyskyes finished fast to snatch victory by a neck from Three Rumours. The final quarters were run in 29.1sec. and 28.4sec., and the winner rated 1.57.4.
Stormyskyes now has earned $149,512 from 12 wins and 28 placings from 106 starts.
Zephyra does it tough
Classy filly Zephyra ended a losing sequence of six and showed that she is on target for a highly successful campaign when she revealed admirable strength with a fighting victory in the 2130m Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She started from the outside of the back line as the $4.40 third favourite and was driven in positive fashion be her trainer Dylan Egerton-Green.
Zephyra settled down in eleventh position, with the $3.80 second fancy Sister Cherie, aiming for her fifth win from five starts in Western Australia, bursting straight to the front from out wide at barrier eight.
“I had to weigh it up,” said Egerton-Green as he explained his decision to send Zephyra forward with a three-wide burst, following Bella Ragazza, in the first lap.
Zephyra got to the breeze with 1200m to travel, and Egerton-Green was content to keep her in that position until she took a narrow lead on the home turn. Sister Cherie fought back to regain the lead in the straight before Zephyra gained the ascendency in the last couple of strides.
“Sister Cherie switches on and off, and I just had to make sure that I was in front at the right time,” said Egerton-Green. “It was a ding-dong go all the way up the straight.”
Unlucky, the $3.40 favourite, trailed the pacemaker all the way before finishing strongly, out wide, to finish a close third in a three-way photo finish. The final quarters were run in 28.8sec. and 28.6sec. and the winner rated 1.57.8.
Zephyra is by American sire Sweet Lou and is out of former outstanding mare Tricky Styx, who raced 79 times for 22 wins, 16 placings and $460,548 in prizemoney. Zephyra has earned $243,991 from eight wins and five placings from 16 starts.
Bettor Move Along’s first city win
WA-bred five-year-old Bettor Move Along broke through for his first city win at his eleventh appearance at Gloucester Park when he ran home with a powerful burst from 11TH at the bell to beat Torpedo Rock and Mighthavtime in the2130m Retravision Ellenbrook Pace on Friday night.
The win gave veteran Allanson trainer Brian Wheeler his first city win since his chestnut mare Once Bitten was successful on August 1, 2017 — two years after Once Bitten had won the group 1 Westbred Classic for three-year-old fillies.
Bettor Move Along was driven for the first time by Ryan Warwick, who replaced the gelding’s regular driver Trent Wheeler, son of the trainer who opted to drive at the Albany meeting on Friday night where he landed four seconds and one third placing.
Warwick drove Bettor Move Along, a $23.50 chance, patiently, restraining the gelding from the No. 5 barrier to settle down at the rear while Street Appeal, a $41 outsider from the No. 1 barrier, was setting the pace.
Bettor Move Along was in 11TH position 650m from home before starting a three-wide move 200m later. Bettor Move Along was fifth, out five wide, on the home turn, and he charged home to win by 2m from $12 chance Torpedo Rock, who finished strongly from seventh at the bell.
Bettor Move Along, who has won twice at Collie, Wagin and Narrogin and once at Kellerberrin, Pinjarra and Bunbury, has raced 66 times for ten wins, 23 placings and $80,723.
He is raced on lease by Brian Wheeler, his wife Sue and their daughter Hayley. “He has been extremely consistent,” said Wheeler. “He is a good sit-sprinter. But when we first got him, he used to lead, but we have tried to make him a bit tougher and sit him in and let him run on. And that seems to be working.”
Bettor Move Along is by Bettors Delight and is out of the unraced mare Rocknroll Royalty, a daughter of the brilliant Amongst Royalty, who amassed $570,820 from 23 wins and 27 placings from 86 starts. Amongst Royalty is also the dame of Lady Willoughby (53 starts for 16 wins, 14 placings and $167,293) and Lord Willoughby (227 starts for 42 wins, 73 placings and $402,355).
Vultan Tin ends 16-month drought
Evergeen pacer Vultan Tin will continue racing as a 12-year-old next year, said his breeder and owner Phil Costello after the gelding ended a 16-month drought with his impressive win in the $25,000 Retravision Lowest Price Guarantee Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Vultan Tin, a $7 chance from barrier three, was driven aggressively by Chris Voak and dashed past the $2.50 favourite The Mustang to take up the running 550m after the start.
After a smart lead time of 35.3sec. Vultan Tin relished his pacemaking role and reeled off quarters of 30.1sec., 29.2sec., 28.5sec. and 29.9sec. on his way to winning by three and a half lengths from $4.60 chance Doc Holliday, who finished strongly after being shuffled back in the middle stages to fifth, three back on the pegs.
Vultan Tin, who was having his second start after an absence of six and a half months, rated 1.55.6 over the 2130m and improved his record to 223 starts for 33 wins, 32 seconds and 22 thirds for stakes of $1,073,999.
He has been a wonderful campaigner, whose wins include the Narrogin Cup in 2017, 2021 and 2022, the 2019 City Of Perth Cup, the 2020 WA Pacing Cup, the 2021 Pinjarra Cup and the 2022 Governor’s Cup.
Costello, who was standing in as trainer on Friday night for his son Dan, who had work commitments with Harvey Beef, said that there was no special secret to Vultan Tin’s longevity.
“It’s probably just care and looking after him,” he said. “We have never had any problems with him. He is an old horse, and old horses take a while to come up.
“He was in work during the winter, but we couldn’t get his body right. We kept working him until we felt he was right to go.”
Vultan Tin will keep racing, and if his form is good, he will be given a chance in the Pinjarra Cup in March and the Fremantle Cup in April.
Lavra Joe resumes in grand style
Exciting pacer Lavra Joe resumed after a ten-month absence in magnificent style with a dashing victory in the 1730m Vale Tony Stampalia Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He has overcome setbacks during his time away from the track and looks set for a highly successful campaign, which includes the Pinjarra and Bunbury Cups in March and the $1,250,000 Nullarbor slot race and the $300,000 Fremantle Cup in April.
Kyle Harper, having his first race drive behind the Ray Jones-trained Lavra Joe, stole a march on his rivals by getting the five-year-old away with a lightning start from out wide at barrier seven.
Lavra Joe, the $3.50 second fancy, dashed over the opening quarters in 29.1sec. and 29.2sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.1sec. and 27.6sec. to win by two and a half lengths from $16 chance Ima Fivestar General, rating 1.52.9.
“After his unplaced run in the Nullarbor last March he had three months off and then went back into work,” said Jones. “But then he went sore in the nearside back leg. It was like he had broken a leg; we couldn’t get him out of the paddock; that’s how sore he was.
“The vet couldn’t find the problem, and maybe it was just a stone bruise. It was about five weeks before the WA Pacing Cup which he had to miss. He then had a bit of a break and had a trial at Bunbury (on October 27) when he fibrillated and finished a long last in a field of three.
“So, he then had another break and impressed with a trial win at Bunbury (on December 8).”
Harper, who replaced champion reinsman Chris Lewis, who had driven Lavra Joe at his previous 54 starts, said that Lewis congratulated him after the win. “He is an idol of mine and is a real gentleman,” said Harper.
Harper said that he was keen to use Lavra Joe’s excellent gate speed but was not particularly confident of crossing straight to the front.
“There was a bit of a kerfuffle at the start, and we got to the front easily, and the race was pretty much over after the first 50 metres,” he said. “Lavra Joe is a very impressive horse, and he raced straighter than he did in his recent trial.”
The main reason why Lavra Joe got straight to the front was that Blitzembye, the $2.50 favourite from barrier five, was badly checked at the start when $14 chance Goodfellaz, from barrier four, galloped.
“We should’ve been in front,” said Blitzembye’s driver Shannon Suvaljko. “At the start Goodfellaz galloped and ran out and flipped me up on one wheel for the first 20 metres. So, I couldn’t come out of the gate, and nearly fell.”
Blitzembye settled down in fifth place and then obtained an ideal sit in the one-out and one-back position before finishing a well-beaten sixth.
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