19 June 2023 | Ken Casellas
Egerton-Green’s feature double
Dylan Egerton-Green continued his rise to prominence as a talented trainer when he won both the $30,000 Western Crown feature events at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He drove both two-year-olds to victory in the space of 30 minutes, with Cork Can Run scoring a comfortable all-the-way victory in the Western Crown for colts and geldings, and Nase Vira leading and holding on for a narrow win in the feature race for fillies.
The double took Egerton-Green’s training record this season to 25 wins and 34 placings from 106 starters and boosted his career record to 175 winners.
The double also illustrated the great skill breeder Rob Tomlison has of identifying broodmare talent.
Tomlinson, who races bother youngsters under the banner of his Oz-West Pacing and in partnership with several long-standing stable clients, purchased the dams of Cork Can Run and Nase Vira when they were promising four-year-olds.
He bought Millview Sienna in 2017 after she had raced 24 times in New Zealand for five wins and three placings. She then won another seven races in Australia, including the group 1 $125,000 Westral Mares Classic in December 2018 when she was a $90.90 outsider for trainer Ray Williams and reinsman Aldo Cortopassi, winning by a head from Eden Franco.
Millview Sienna was retired with 12 wins and $157,330 from 53 starts, and Cork Can Run is her only foal to date. Cork Can Run is by American stallion Sportswriter and he has raced three times for two wins, one second and stakes of $23,913.
Nase Vira is by former champion pacer Alta Christiano and is the second foal out of the Live Or Die mare Sovereign Faith, who raced 75 times for 15 wins, 14 placings and stakes of $132,719.
Sovereign Faith was bought by Tomlinson in 2013 after she had raced 20 times for four wins and five placings in New Zealand. She then won a further seven races in New South Wales before ending her career in WA with four wins and ten placings from 24 starts in 2015 and 2016 when trained by Williams and driven by Nathan Turvey.
Nase Vira is the second foal out of Sovereign Faith, with her first foal Champagne Everyone winning for Egerton-Green at Gloucester Park last Tuesday to improve her record to 25 starts for five wins, seven placings and $52,261 in prizemoney.
Cork Can Run was the $1.10 favourite from the No. 3 barrier on Friday night when he took the lead after 250m and set a solid pace before sprinting over the final quarters in 28.7sec. and 29sec. to win by a length from the $13 second fancy Brought To Life, who battled on gamely after racing in the breeze. Cork Can Run rated 1.56.5 over the 1730m.
“Cork Can Run raced very well, even though he didn’t perform as well as he should have,” said Egerton-Green. “He had 17 days between runs and got away from me a bit. He was a bit lazy.”
Nase Vira was the $2.60 favourite from barrier three when she set the pace and was three lengths clear of her closest rival 500m from home before holding on to win by a head from the $6 second fancy Miss Hepburn, who finished determinedly after racing in the one-out, one-back position. The winner rated 1.57.5 and took her record to one win from three starts for stakes of $18,564.
“Nase Vira got away really good and was able to hold out Princess Katie at the start. She switched off a bit in the late stages,” said Egerton-Green.
“Cork Can Run and Nase Vira will now go for a spell before being prepared for two-year-old feature events later in the year, including the $225,000 Westbred Classics in September.”
Tiny filly is all heart
Fly To Fame, described by her trainer Katja Warwick as a midget and the ultimate racehorse, maintained her consistent form when she relished her pacemaking role in the 2130m Beau Rivage For Buffet Dining Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Starting favourite at $2.60 from the No. 1 barrier, Fly To Fame gave champion reinsman Chris Lewis an armchair drive as she set a solid pace and sprinted over the final 400m in 28.6sec. to win by two lengths from $17 chance Seagrass, who trailed her throughout.
“She is tiny but has the heart of a 17-hand horse,” said Warwick. “She is super versatile and will do whatever you want her to do.”
Lewis also praised Fly To Fame, saying: “She is improving all the time. She is tiny, knee high to a grasshopper. But she is all heart and did it easily out in front.”
Fly To Fame, bred and owned by Bob Fowler, is by Follow The Stars and is the first foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Chevrons Champion, who was retired after racing 95 times for 15 wins, 25 placings and stakes of $171,957.
After winning twice from 31 starts in New Zealand Chevrons Champion had 64 starts in WA for trainer-reinsman Nathan Turvey. Lewis drove her three times for a win and two seconds, which included a loss by a head to Dodolicious in the Daintys Daughter Classic at Gloucester Park in February 2016.
Two-year-old colt Allwoods Chevron, a half-brother to Fly To Fame and trained by Warwick, made his debut at Kellerberrin on Sunday when he was the $1.45 favourite in the opening event and finished second to Ubeen Thundastruck.
Blitzembye survives a protest
Trainer Kevin Keys and reinsman Shannon Suvaljko had some anxious moments at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Blitzembye, a $12.40 chance, gained the verdict by a half-head in a desperately close photo finish to the 1730m Beau Rivage For Xmas in July Pace and then survived a protest.
Blitzembye began speedily from barrier seven but was unable to get to an early lead from the polemarker and $2.90 second fancy Moonlite Drive, who was overtaken by the $1.95 favourite Floewriter 250m after the start.
This left Blitzembye in the breeze, and he and Moonlite Drive finished with admirable determination to cross the line locked together. Reinsman Gary Hall then lodged a protest, alleging interference from Blitzembye entering the home straight and in the final stages.
Hall contended that interference Moonlite Drive had received cost the gelding at least a neck to a half-length, while Suvaljko maintained that he had maintained a straight line with Blitzembye all the way up the home straight.
The stewards dismissed the protest, saying that Blitzembye had not inconvenienced Moonlite Drive soon after entering the straight, and then that Moonlite Drive had hung inwards slightly near the 50m when both runners locked wheels for a short distance.
This was a welcome change of luck for Blitzembye, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old who ended a losing sequence of eight and took his record to 40 starts for 14 wins, nine placings and $139,676.
Faster Than Dad set for Classic
Smart Alta Christiano pacer Faster Than Dad continues to race with great heart for Coolup trainer Michael George, who said that the gelding would be set for the $30,000 Four and Five-Year-Old Westbred Classic after Stuart McDonald had driven him to an impressive victory in the 21309m Xmas In July Book Now Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Stuey drove him perfectly and gave him a great trip,” said George. “Faster Than Dad has got a good engine, following horses. He will race through the winter, and hopefully run in the Winter Cup. He has shown signs that he can handle that grade (free-For-All company) and be a good earner. He will show me whether he can take on the bigger boys consistently.”
Faster Than Dad was the $3.60 favourite in Friday night’s event when he started from the No. 6 barrier. The Code Breaker ($4.20) took the lead after 100m, with Eldaytona ($4) in the breeze and Faster Than Dad quickly slotting into the perfect one-out, one-back position.
After The Code Breaker ran the third 400m section in 28.3sec. McDonald bided his time before he switched Faster Than Dad three wide and hit the front in the home straight before winning by a length from Eldaytona, with The Code Breaker a wilting third, just ahead of the fast-finishing Beat City.
The lightly-raced five-year-old Faster Than Dad has earned $91,642 from eleven wins and eight placings from 37 starts.
Ardens Horizon overcomes bad start
New Zealand-bred four-year-old Ardens Horizon galloped and lost three lengths in the standing-start Steelos Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night before he overcame this misdemeanour and scored an easy win.
He was the $2.90 second favourite from the inside of the 10-metre line for Byford trainer Callan Suvaljko, who quickly got him back into his stride and dashed him forward to hit the front after 550m.
He was then joined by the $2 favourite Otis, and Suvaljko made life tough for him by dashing through the third quarter in 28.5sec. Ardens Horizon then coasted over the final 400m in 30.2sec. and beat Otis by just over a length.
Ardens Horizon, a winner at one of his ten New Zealand starts (at Alexandra Park as a two-year-old), has flourished under Suvaljko’s care, with his 23 West Australian starts producing eleven wins and eight placings.
He has shone after resuming from a spell, and his five starts in his four-year-old campaign have resulted in three wins and two seconds. He is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the first foal out of the unraced mare Arden’s Rose. His 33 starts have produced 12 wins, nine placings and $112,220 in stakes.
A cakewalk for Prince Of Pleasure
Lightly-raced six-year-old Prince Of Pleasure simply had a walk in the park when he strolled to victory in the $23,750 Bridge Bar Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Prince Of Pleasure, trained by Gary Hall snr and driven by Gary Hall jnr, was the hot $1.10 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier in a field of five, and he was able to amble through the lead time in an extremely slow 38.9sec. and the opening quarters in 31.8sec. and 30.2sec.
He then dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.3sec. and 27sec. to win by 2m from stablemate and $4.40 second favourite Finvarra, who raced in fourth position in the Indian file affair before Stuart McDonald moved him to the breeze approaching the bell.
“We took advantage of gate one,” said Hall jnr. “It was a five-horse field, and I thought that whichever horse led would win.”
Prince Of Pleasure, a gelding by Bettors Delight, is the second foal out of the Christian Cullen mare Holly Madison, who had 17 starts in New Zealand for five wins, five placings and $43,101.
His eight New Zealand starts produced one win and one placing, and his ten wins and three placings in WA have boosted his earnings to $116,824.
Acharne Girl gets her chance
Acharne Girl is unbeaten at her five starts after a seven-month absence, and she earned a start in next Friday night’s $50,000 Kerry Clarke Pace for mares when she raced without cover for much of the 2130m journey and held on to defeat $14 chance Rock On Top by a half-head in the Im Themightyquinn Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was the $4 second favourite from barrier four, and after racing three wide early, Gary Hall jnr angled her into the one-wide line in sixth position before sending her forward soon after to race in the breeze outside the $1.90 favourite Rockmyster.
Rockmyster began to wilt in the back straight in the final circuit before Hall sent Acharne Girl to the front about 250m from home. She then held on grimly to beat Rock On Top, who had enjoyed a perfect passage behind Acharne Girl in the one-out, one-back position.
The final quarters were run in 28.5sec. and 29.7sec. and Acharne Girl rated 1.57.7.
Acharne Girl, prepared by champion trainer Gary Hall snr, has earned $86,677 from six wins and four placings from 16 starts and Hall jnr is looking forward to next Friday night’s feature event for mares in which Wonderful To Fly is sure to prove extremely hard to beat.
“I’d love to lead and keep Wonderful To Fly outside of me and see how Acharne Girl can go,” said Hall jnr. “Acharne Girl is tough, but she lacks a yard in speed. Wonderful To Fly can put two 27sec. quarters together certainly looks very hard to beat.
“Tonight, I dropped into the one-wide line before coming out to go to the breeze. I wanted to get to the breeze but when they were going that hard early, I decided to drop in for a bit.
“Acharne Girl good a good job because I put too much emphasis on trying to beat the leader, and when the leader stopped this left Acharne Girl in front a bit too early, mainly because she shuts off — and Aiden (de Campo) had a beautiful run with Rock On Top, and when he came at me I thought he would get me. But Acharne Girl lifted off the canvas and found a bit more, and on the line was holding Rock On Top.”
Century for Roberts
Outstanding young driver Deni Roberts achieved a long-held ambition to drive a hundred winners in a season when she gave a typical skilful exhibition in the sulky to score a smart victory with Mighthavtime in the 2130m TABtouch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mighthavtime, a $6.50 chance trained by Greg and Skye Bond, was patiently driven by the 27-year-old Roberts, who had the New Zealand-bred six-year-old in eighth position in the one-wide line at the bell before she sent her forward at the 700m with a three-wide burst which took her to the front on the home turn and on to a 2m win over the pacemaker and $26 chance Vintage Blu.
“This is pretty cool,” she said. “It’s been a goal of mine for the past few years, so I’m rapt to get the hundred winners in a season.”
The win also brought up another notable milestone for Roberts; it was her 450TH winner, achieved in her ninth season as a driver.
“I was happy with the way Mighthavtime got around,” said Roberts. “She hung down badly, hit a knee and broke at her previous start (when fifth behind Illawong Mustang at Gloucester Park three weeks earlier).
“We made quite a few gear adjustments and she paced really well.” Among the gear changes were the use of a one-legged off-side spreader, a Hidez hood and a nearside lugging pole, as well as removing the deafeners.
Mighthavtime, a four-year-old mare by American sire Betterthancheddar, is the fourth foal out of Christian Cullen mare One Christian, who managed one win from seven New Zealand starts. Mighthavtime has now won once from three starts in WA and has a record of 25 starts for five wins, seven placings and stakes of $45,000.
Young lauds Wonderful To Fly
Pinjarra trainer-reinsman Shane Young’s assertion that brilliant four-year-old pacer Wonderful To Fly was now bigger, better and stronger than ever before came as a chilling message to the connections of the other mares who will clash with her in next Friday night’s $50,000 Kerry Clarke Free-For-All.
“She is a quality mare who has improved,” said Young after he had driven Wonderful To Fly to a superb victory in the $26,000 Beau Rivage Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Wonderful To Fly, the $1.40 favourite, simply outclassed her rivals when she was driven quietly before taking the lead after 400m and then setting the pace and winning by three lengths from the $2.45 second favourite Steno, who led from barrier one in the early stages when the lead time on a muddy track was a swift 35.2sec.
Wonderful To Fly was not extended as she sped over the final three quarters in 28.6sec., 28.3sec. and 28.2sec. to record a terrific rate of 1.54.3.
“I didn’t go out there to run time,” said Young. “She runs time without any worries. The track was not quick, and we didn’t go hard early.”
Wonderful To Fly has already amassed $512,915 in prizemoney as well as many more thousands of dollars in bonuses from her 26 wins and nine placing from 42 starts. She is certainly one of the best, if not the outright best mare in Australia.
Young, who heads the ownership group of nine, said that no decisions had been reached regarding contesting rich events in Brisbane and Sydney later this year.
There are options aplenty for Wonderful To Fly. “She has received an invitation to run in the $350,000 Rising Sun (2138m) at Albion Park on July 8, and a week after that there is the $150,000 Golden Girl event over 1660m,” said Young.
“If she goes well next week maybe one of the slot holders will have a look at her for the $1.2 million Eureka at Menangle on September 2.”
Everything is up in the air at the moment, with Young well aware of the rich events Wonderful To Fly is eligible to contest at Gloucester Park this year. They include the $50,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 10, the $150,000 Mares Classic (November 24), the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic (December 1) and the $200,000 Golden Nugget (December 15).
Tense moments after Shockwave’s narrow win
There was an eerie sense of deja vu at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Aiden de Campo drove the brilliant Shockwave to a half-head victory over Mighty Conqueror in the $30,000 Follow @Gloucester Park On Twitter Pace.
Deni Roberts, the driver of Mighty Conqueror lodged a protest against Shockwave, alleging interference in the final stages of the 2536m event.
This revived vivid memories of the group 1 $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic at Gloucester Park in November 2019 when de Campo finished first, with Shockwave beating the $71 outsider Sangue Reale by a short half-head. A protest was lodged by the connections of Sangue Reale, alleging interference in the home straight. It was upheld and Shockwave was demoted to second.
However, history did not repeat itself. Friday night’s protest was unsuccessful, and Shockwave celebrated his 50TH start with a desperately close victory which boosted his earnings to $567,002 from 22 wins and 17 placings.
Roberts argued that Shockwave, the $1.04 favourite, had checked the pacemaking Mighty Conqueror, a $6 chance in the field of three runners, in the home straight. The sulky wheels of the two pacers became locked, with Roberts saying that cost Mighty Conqueror valuable ground.
“His wheel stopped my wheel from coming through,” said Roberts. “Otherwise, I felt we would have won.”
de Campo retaliated by saying that Shockwave had maintained a straight line all the way up the home straight, and that Mighty Conqueror had moved up the track.
The stewards dismissed the protest, saying that Mighty Conqueror had shifted out slightly and that Roberts was able to drive the gelding out.
Shockwave has now won at each of his three comebacks appearances after an injury-enforced absence of 22 months. Trainer Ryan Bell said that Shockwave had pulled up a bit big in condition.
“This was his first run for three weeks, and I thought I had done enough at home,” he said. “However, he is such a good horse who can overcome fitness issues.
“We were planning to race Shockwave until the $50,000 Winter Cup on July 28 to be his final run before going for a spell. But with the change in the program and with the WA Pacing Cup to be run on November 10, we might be better off going for a let-up now.”
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