01 February 2021 | Ken Casellas
Magnificent Storm reigns supreme
Rising superstar Magnificent Storm smashed the race record when he romped to victory in the $125,000 Simmonds Steel Four-Year-Old Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night and he is poised to extend his winning sequence to 13 when he contests the $200,000 Retravision Golden Nugget Championship next Friday week.
The comparatively inexperienced New Zealand-bred gelding treated his rivals with contempt as he stormed to victory by four and a half lengths from Minstrel, rating 1.53 for the 2130m and eclipsing the race record of 1.53.6 set by Sangue Reale when he won on protest from Shockwave in November 2019.
He is showing all the signs of developing into a champion pacer, along similar lines to many of the star performers who have won the Four-Year-Old Championship which was first run in 1977.
The list of champions who have won this event is mind boggling. It includes San Simeon, Classic Garry, Village Kid, Whitbys Miss Penny. Salinger, Saab, The Falcon Strike, Lombo La Fe Fe, Lombo Pocket Watch, Im Themightyquinn, Beaudiene Boaz, Chicago Bull and Ultimate Machete.
Trainer Ray Williams admitted that he was nervous before Magnificent Storm’s biggest test on Friday night, but said: “He’s a horse who really doesn’t make you feel nervous. He is so calm and laid-back.
“He will have Saturday and Sunday off, as usual, before some light work on Monday — and then we’ll head towards getting ready for the Golden Nugget. He will be my first Nugget contender.”
Magnificent Storm, favourite at $1.80 from the No. 2 barrier one the back line, began speedily and settled down in sixth position, with the polemarker Longreach Bay setting the pace, with the lead time a sparkling 34.3sec.
Patronus Star, the WA Derby winner last April and second fancy at $5.50, raced four wide early from barrier six and moved to third after 450m before he clipped a wheel of Henrik Larsson’s sulky and broke into a gallop, losing three lengths.
Magnificent Storm was racing on the inside of Patronus Star at the time and did not turn a hair when his rival was galloping. Magnificent Storm was then left in the breeze and Aldo Cortopassi urged him forward to burst to the front 700m after the start.
Minstrel, the $6.50 third favourite and a stablemate of Patronus Star, then was left in the breeze, and despite a flat sulky tyre, he fought on determinedly to finish second, with Longreach Bay ($31) finishing a most creditable third, ahead of Al Guerrero, Howard Hughes and Patronus Star.
Magnificent Storm now has had 13 starts for 12 consecutive wins and earnings of $164,934. Williams said that he and Cortopassi had no specific plans leading into Friday night’s race. “Aldo has been around for a long time,” said Williams. “He knows what to do, and I’m not the one to tell drivers how to drive a horse.”
Williams said that Magnificent Storm would not travel to Sydney for the rich Chariots of Fire at Menangle next month.
“After the Nugget he will go for a break,” he said. “He will have a god spell before coming back and getting ready for the summer carnival. If he’s that good, he’ll go to Melbourne for some feature events next year.”
Gardys Legacy earns a Nugget start
Smart WA-bred gelding Gardys Legacy earned a start in the $200,000 Retravision Golden Nugget Championship next Friday week with an impressive all-the-way victory in the Simmonds Steel Architectural Steel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Favourite at $1.20, Gardys Legacy, driven confidently by Gary Hall jnr, sped over the final quarters in 28.2sec. and 27.8sec. to score by 5m from $9 second fancy See Ya Write, who fought on doggedly after racing wide early and then without cover.
This was Gardys Legacy’s ninth win from 20 starts and boosted his earnings to $106,516. It was his first appearance for 36 days — since he led and finished fourth behind Magnificent Storm in a 2130m event on December 24 when the winner rated 1.54 after final quarters of 27.8sec., 28sec., 28.2sec. and 29.7sec. in a race run in searing heat at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
“I didn’t nominate Gardys Legacy for tonight’s Four-Year-Old Championship,” said trainer Justin Prentice. “He didn’t recover from that race in the heat. So, he has had a bit of a freshen up and has taken a bit longer to get back.
“He was coming off a let-up and I didn’t want to give him a gut buster against the good four-year-olds. I now want to run him in the Nugget, for sure. I think he has earned a start. He set the pace when fourth to Magnificent Storm at his previous start, and he also finished second to Magnificent Storm in early June when he ran the final 800m in 55sec.
“Tonight, he did just what he has to do when he is in front.”
Im Full Of Excuses set for Pinjarra Cup
Cups specialist Im Full Of Excuses will be set for the Pinjarra Cup on March 1 after he returned to form with a stirring victory in the 2536m Simmonds Steel Decorative Screens Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Th sprightly New Zealand-bred nine-year-old, sixth fancy at $8.10, was seventh in the middle stages and fifth in the one-wide line at the bell before he sprinted to take the lead with 250m to travel on his way to a one and a half length victory over Simba Bromac.
He rated 1.55.5 in an up-tempo event with the final three 400m sections whizzing by in 28.5sec., 28.4sec. and 28sec.
Talktomeurmattjesty ($5.50) dashed to the front after 500m before wilting in the final stages to finish last in the field of nine. Simba Bromac looks a coming winner after his strong effort to finish solidly from seventh at the bell.
Im Full Of Excuses, who ended a losing sequence of nine, has won six country up events — the Kalgoorlie, York and Northam Cups in 2016, the Pinjarra Cup and Harvey Cup in 2017 and the Narrogin Cup in 2020. He also finished second in the 2017 Narrogin Cup, third in the 2019 Narrogin Cup and second to Vampiro in the 2020 Pinjarra Cup. He was a dominant winner of the 2017 Pinjarra Cup when he beat Our Jimmy Johnstone by five lengths.
“He doesn’t know he’s old,” said trainer Ross Olivieri. “His previous run (when third to Chicago Bull and Our Jimmy Johnstone) indicated that he was getting back to form. Judged by his heart rate tonight, he’s got further improvement.
“The plan with him is to race him with his runs a fortnight apart, and that’s when he does his best.”
If the Governor’s Cup at Gloucester Park on February 19 fits in with Olivieri’s scheduled for the pacer, he will contest that $50,000 event before running in the Pinjarra Cup.
Im Full Of Excuses, owned by Merv Butterworth, won seven times in New Zealand before his 74 starts in WA for Olivieri produced 15 wins and 13 placings to boost his earnings to $368,419.
Black Jack Baby tunes up for classic
Speedy filly Black Jack Baby overcame a wide barrier (No. 7) to score an effortless victory in the 2130m Etch Coating Industrial Spray Painting Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It was an excellent trial for the $50,000 Daintys Daughter Classic for three-year-old fillies next Friday night.
Black Jack Baby, having her fourth start after a spell for breeder-owner-trainer Shane Quadrio, was driven with supreme confidence by Chris Voak. She rated 1.57.5 after sparkling final quarters of 28.5sec. and 27.4sec.
She raced three wide early, but when she was unable to slot into the one-wide line, Voak had no hesitation in restraining her back to the rear while the polemarker and $2.20 favourite Royal Essence was setting a solid pace from $2.80 second fancy Rumour Has It (breeze), $9 chance Joelene (behind the leader) and $21 chance Simply Shaz in the one-out, one-back position.
Black Jack Baby was eighth in the field of nine 450m from home before she sprouted wings and won by three and a half lengths from Royal Essence, with Joelene third and Simply Shaz in fourth place.
“At Pinjarra at her previous start she ran home in 54.4sec. when second to Savvy Bromac,” said Voak. “How many three-year-old fillies can run that time, and she did it three and four wide. She has run 55.2sec. tonight and I think she will improve. She has the speed to get herself out of a jam and is getting fitter with racing.”
Quadrio has moved from his Henley Brook training establishment to stables in Byford recently purchased by his son Dylan. This was Shane Quadrio’s first winner from the new stables.
Black Jack Baby, a winner at eight of her 11 starts as a two-year-old, now has earned $122,926 from nine wins and two seconds from 14 starts.
“She suffered a bit of a virus and we treated her and have been bringing her back slowly,” said her trainer. “She put in a mighty run at Pinjarra last week. We intended to sit her back tonight and let her sprint home. She should be pretty well spot on for next week’s classic.”
A winning combination
Deni Roberts maintained her perfect record in the sulky behind Divinia Bellezza when she brought the New Zealand-bred mare home with a strong last-to-first burst to record an easy victory over Queen Shenandoah and Sheza Bromac in the 2130m Etch Coatings Mobile Sandblasting Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Roberts has now driven Divinia Bellezza three times for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond for three wins — at odds of $25.60 on Friday night after previous wins at $34 and $9.
Divinia Bellezza started from the outside in the field of six in which her stablemate Wainui Creek was the $1.50 favourite from the No. 2 barrier.
Wainui Creek began speedily but was unable to cross the polemarker and $2.65 second favourite Queen Shenandoah, who went on to set a reasonably modest pace, with Wainui Creek in the breeze.
Divinia Bellezza was still last 300m from home when Roberts sent her forward, three wide. The mare switched four wide on the home turn and flew out four wide to win by a length and a half from Queen Shenandoah, with Wainui Creek fading to fifth.
Divinia Bellezza, a winner of five races in New Zealand, has had 16 starts for the Bond stable for four wins and five placings. This was her second win in the space of four days — following her last-stride victory over the $1.50 favourite and pacemaker Our Mista Kalle over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday afternoon after she had worked hard in the breeze.
First-up win for Our Rhythm N Blues
Our Rhythm N Blues, described by trainer Gary Hall snr as “a bit of a non-trier,” made a successful return to racing when he unwound a powerful late burst to snatch a last-stride victory in the 2130m Simmonds Steel Balustrade And Handrails Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Racing first-up after an absence of five months, the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old was a $10.60 chance from the inside of the back line.
Stuart McDonald was content to trail the pacemaker and $2 favourite Carrera Mach before getting Our Rhythm N Blues off the pegs approaching the home turn. Carrera Mach had then shrugged off a spirited challenge from the breeze horse Diego, but he was unable to hold out the fast-finishing Our Rhythm N Blues, who was making his first appearance since he dead-heated for first with Our Perkins at Gloucester Park last August.
A winner of five races in New Zealand, Our Rhythm N Blues has now won at seven of his 39 WA starts for a career record of 77 starts for 12 wins, 27 placings and $160,547 in stakes.
“He is not a bad horse but is a bit of a non-trier,” said Hall. “However, he has been working well and I thought he was a good winning chance.”
De Campo seizes his opportunity
Star Capel reinsman Aiden de Campo made the most of a chance drive when he guided $39.70 outsider Caruba to victory in the 2130m Simmonds Steel Precision Laser Cutting Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
De Campo was offered the drive after Caruba’s trainer Peter Tilbrook decided to drive at the Northam meeting and regular reinsman Shannon Suvaljko opted to handle the polemarker Mattjestic Star, the $3.20 favourite.
Suvaljko drove Caruba, the $1.30 favourite, to an easy all-the-way victory over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday afternoon, but punters overlooked the mare’s claims four nights later when she started from the No. 3 barrier in stronger company.
De Campo, who had driven Caruba only once before, 24 starts ago when she finished a well-beaten third behind McArdles Gem at Gloucester Park last August, settled Caruba in the one-out, three-back position while Mattjestic Star was setting a fast pace.
Caruba, a noted frontrunner who had set the pace at ten of her 12 wins before Friday night’s event, revealed a different side of her normal racing pattern when she finished with a spirited burst to hit the front 25m from the post before winning in good style from Twentynine Twelve and Mattjestic Star.
By Caribbean Blaster, Caruba is the sixth (and last) foal out of the Safely kept mare Spirit Away, who raced 64 times for nine wins, 19 placings and $71,250 in stakes. Caruba is related to Magic Flute, winner of the Easter Cup at Gloucester Park in 1957 and 1958, the South Australian pacer Modulation, who was unplaced in the final of the Interdominion championship in Perth in 1957, and Bellagena and Papagena, quality mares in Perth in the 1960s.
Antero exceeds expectations
Champion trainer Gary Hall snr is pleasantly surprised at the wonderful form of Antero since the Auckland Reactor six-year-old entered his stables a few months ago.
Antero rated 1.55.2 when he set the pace and won easily from Bettor Be Oscar in the 2130m Simmonds Steel Fencing And Gates Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Favourite at $1.30 from barrier one, Antero zipped over the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 27.5sec. to take his record for Hall (the fifth person to train the gelding) to four wins and two seconds from eight starts.
He now boasts a record of 64 starts for ten wins, 23 placings and $94,546 in stakes.
“I took over the training as a favour and now Antero has exceeded expectations,” said Hall.
Antero, owned by Jodie Gray, is out of Adda My Way, who earned $32,968 from seven wins and ten placings from 47 starts. Adda My Way is related to former top-flight pacer Rich And Spoilt, who had 42 starts for 20 wins and 14 placings.
Rich And Spoilt, a successful stallion, won the Pearl Classic in March 1999, was second to Talladega in the WA Derby in April 2000, second to Seelster Sam in the Australian Derby at Gloucester Park and a nose second to Seelster Sam in the Golden Nugget in December 2000.
Miracle Moose excites with flying finishes
Miracle Moose, a cheap purchase from New Zealand where he won at two of his 15 starts, is providing great enjoyment for his band of 13 owners.
Trained at Ravenswood by Nathan Turvey and driven by Emily Suvaljko, Miracle Moose is an excitement machine who delights his owners and his fans with his dazzling finishing bursts.
He started from the outside in a field of seven in the 2130m Etch Coatings Sandblasting Specialists Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night and was still in last place 500m from home.
He was then following Walsh’s three-wide burst before being switched four wide at the 300m and taking the lead on the home turn and winning by just over two lengths from Major Stare, who fought on gamely after racing in the breeze outside the pacemaker Ideal Investment.
This followed his fast-finishing, last to second behind Babyface Adda the previous Friday night. Miracle Moose, a five-year-old by Mach Three, has now had 20 starts in Western Australia for eight wins and eight placings.
He is out of the Bettors Delight mare Minnie Moose, who had 55 starts for eight wins, 21 placings and $140,958 in prizemoney. Minnie Moose also produced Funatthebeach, who earned $156,995 from 12 wins and ten placings from 44 starts.
Kiwi Bloke is a stand specialist
New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Kiwi Bloke made an excellent return to racing when he began brilliantly, set a fast pace and scored an easy victory in the Etch Coatings Professional Powder Coating Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was produced in splendid condition by trainer Ross Olivieri for his first start for 18 weeks and was second favourite at $4.50, behind his stablemate Run For Mercy, a $2.70 chance from the inside barrier off the front in the 2503m standing-start event.
Chris Lewis got Kiwi Bloke away like a flash from barrier four and the Courage Under Fire gelding peeled off final quarters of 29.7sec., 28.9sec., 28.7sec. and 28.2sec. to win by two lengths from $10 chance Manoftthepeople, who trailed the pacemaker throughout.
“Standing starts are his go,” said Olivieri. “Tonight, he ran terrific sections, and I’ll keep his runs spaced and concentrate on stands.”
Kiwi Bloke, who had 22 starts in New Zealand for two wins — in stands over 2600m and 2700m — has raced 19 times in WA for six wins and seven placings. Five of those wins were in stands.
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