08 November 2021 | Ken Casellas
Savvy Bromac warms up in style
Exciting mare Savvy Bromac warmed up in fine style for the $50,000 Norms Daughter Classic next Friday night and the $125,000 Westral Mares Classic a fortnight later when she unwound a typical brilliant finishing burst to win the $22,000 Nova 93.7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I’m looking forward to the two big races for mares,” said trainer Nathan Turvey. “And I think she’s heading in the right direction.”
Savvy Bromac, a small, plain-looking Mach Three four-year-old, was a $2.70 chance from the awkward barrier of No. 7, and she further enhanced her claims of winning the rich feature events by defeating the highly regarded $1.55 favourite Alta Cinderella.
Alta Cinderella had to work hard to get past the polemarker All The Bells ($20) before gaining the lead 300m after the start. After a solid lead time of 36.9sec. Alta Cinderella covered the opening quarters of the final mile in 31.3sec. and 29.6sec. before the speed went on and the final 400m sections whizzed by in 28.6sec. and 28.2sec.
Savvy Bromac settled down in seventh position, and Emily Suvaljko soon gained the ideal position, one-out and one-back, following the $23 chance Delightfull. She waited until the final 350m before switching Savvy Bromac three wide — and the mare relished the challenge as she sprinted fast and burst past Alta Cinderella 50m from the post. She scored by a half-neck, rating 1.56.8 over the 2130m journey. All The Bells fought on to finish third.
“She won comfortably,” said Turvey. “Emily said that she thought Savvy Bromac was going to win by a couple of lengths, but when she hits the front, she puts her ears forward and is happy to stay about one metre in front.”
Savvy Bromac was purchased by Broome businessman Karl Deiley in New Zealand where she had four starts for a win and two placings. She has been most impressive in Western Australia, with her 23 starts in the State producing nine wins, eight seconds and one third. Her win on Friday night took her record to 27 starts for ten wins, 11 placings and $124,011 in prizemoney.
She is the tenth and final foal out of the Victorian-bred mare Zante Beach, who earned $124,447 from 16 wins and 27 placings from 84 starts. Savvy Bromac has inherited much of the ability of Zante Beach and Zante Beach’s dam Gemfire, who raced 107 times for 13 wins, 35 placings and $109,916. Gemfire’s most notable victory was in the $68,000 Edgar Tatlow Memorial for two-year-old fillies at Moonee Valley in July 1994 when she beat Lombo La Paree by a neck.
Youre So Fine is a WA Derby prospect
Champion trainer Gary Hall snr was thrilled at Youre So Fine’s dazzling first-up victory in the Team Bond Pace for two-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and he predicted that the New Zealand-bred colt would prove hard to beat in the rich WA Derby next May.
“He’s strong and a top-class horse, and is a very big chance in the Derby,” he said. “He will have a couple more starts and then have a spell before being prepared for the Derby and other feature events for three-year-olds next year.”
Youre So Fine won once from three starts in New Zealand early this year before he finished third at his West Australian debut, behind Tricky Miki in the group 1 Golden Slipper in July. He was then sent for a spell.
“He came back into work after a spell and looked terrific,” said Hall. “But he then lost a lot of condition when he had a growth spurt. He has now filled out and we’re happy with him.”
Youre So Fine, driven by Gary Hall jnr, was the $1.20 favourite on Friday night when $10 chance The Wildcard dashed to an early lead. Hall sent Youre So Fine forward, three wide, 530m after the start. The colt raced in the breeze before charging to the front 550m from home. He careered away from his rivals and won by seven lengths from the talented Always B Miki colt Paul Edward, a $16 chance who finished strongly from sixth at the bell.
Youre So Fine rated a smart 1.54.9 over the 1730m, with the quarters of the final mile being covered in 29.2sec., 28.8sec., 28.4sec. and 29.4sec. He has earned $53,381 from his two wins and two placings from five starts.
American interest in Alta Blues
West Australian-bred four-year-old Alta Blues maintained his splendid form with an impressive victory in the 2130m Simmonds Steel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and he looks destined to race in the United States.
“He is a good horse and there’s American interest in him,” said champion trainer Gary Hall snr. “Other horse from the stable who are on offer to American buyers are My Carbon Copy, Ideal Liner and Alta Intrigue.
“Originally, I thought that Alta Blues might be able to win the WA Pacing Cup, but now I don’t think he’s got quite the class or the speed. However, he’s got the strength.”
Alta Blues, by former star pacer Alta Christiano, is out of the Canadian mare Child From The Sea, who won seven minor races from 36 starts in northern America. He has earned $137,457 from 13 wins and six seconds from 29 starts.
He was awkwardly drawn at barrier seven in Friday night’s event and was a $6.30 chance. After racing wide early and moving into the breeze outside the pacemaker and $3.10 favourite As Happy As Larry, he enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position after Aiden de Campo had dashed Alta Engen ($3.40) forward to the breeze in the first lap.
Alta Engen worked his way to the front 400m from home but was immediately under pressure. Gary Hall jnr started a three-wide move with 250m to travel and Alta Blues stormed to the front at the 150m mark and won by just over a length from $6 chance Golden State, who finished strongly, four wide, after trailing the pacemaker. Im Soxy ran on for third, with Alta Engen wilting to fifth. Alta Blues rated 1.56.9.
Hall’s golden run continues
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr continued in dazzling form on Friday night when, for the second week in a row, he landed five winners at a Gloucester Park meeting.
And for the second consecutive week Gary Hall snr chalked up four winners as a trainer.
Hall junior’s fifth winner on Friday night’s ten-event program came up in race nine, the 2130m Westral Pace, when exciting three-year-old Finvarra outclassed his rivals after the American Ideal colt had settled down about 50 metres from the early leaders The Ideal Touch and Know When To Run, who were involved in a titanic struggle for the lead.
The lead time was a particularly fast 34.6sec. and when Cody Wallrodt was able to get to the front with the $8.50 chance Know When To Run after 450m there was a ten-length gap to the third horse Anvil Rollover and with Finvarra, the $1.50 favourite, in seventh and last position about 50m from the pacemaker.
The pace slackened and with slow opening quarters of the final mile in 32.2sec. and 31.3sec. Hall was able to drive Finvarra forward to be third (without cover) at the bell. Finvarra got on terms with Know When To Run 550m from home and then led clearly at the 250m mark before coasting to victory, two and a half lengths ahead of The Ideal Touch, rating 1.56.5 after final 400m sections of 28.6sec. and 27.5sec.
This boosted Finvarra’s record to nine starts for six wins and two placings for stakes of $105,010. The sky certainly appears the limit for the brilliant three-year-old, who is prepared by Hall snr.
Just Wing It loves the stand
Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred six-year-old Just Wing It is developing into a standing-start specialist for Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri and star reinsman Chris Lewis.
The Art Major gelding got away safely but slowly from the 10m mark before finishing strongly to win the 2503m Retravision Handicap by a half-length from the $2 favourite Glenledi Chief. He was the $3.80 second fancy, who four days earlier had charged home from eighth at the bell to finish an eye-catching third behind Glenledi Chief in a 2631m stand at Pinjarra.
Just Wing It settled down in sixth position, several lengths behind the pacemaker Gee Smith, while Glenledi Chief was left racing without cover. Lewis then enjoyed a perfect trip, racing in the one-out, one-back position on the back of Glenledi Chief, who took the lead about 220m from home.
Glenledi Chief was unable to hold out the strong-finishing Just Wing It, who hit the front 60m from the post. This was Just Wing It’s third win in a stand in WA.
“He loves the stand, and I thought it was a niche for him,” said Olivieri. “He is a nice strong horse, who would be a Free-For-Aller if he didn’t hit his knees. He still touches his knees a bit, depending on the circumstances.
“Tonight, he turned his 10m handicap into about 25m. And that suggests he could win off 20m. He begins safely but slowly and is likely to have a few more runs in stands.”
Five-year-old Wildwest, a temperamental pacer with a habit of hanging in his races, reappeared after an eight-month absence. He started off the back mark of 40m and was seventh at the bell before finishing strongly, out five wide, to be a close-up and encouraging fifth.
Gear changes help Diego
Trainer Gary Hall senior’s decision to make several gear changes has enabled the smart five-year-old Diego to bounce back to form, following a dismal first-up failure.
Diego, the $1.20 favourite, was on his best behaviour when he scored a decisive victory in the 2130m The Running Camel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
A fortnight earlier Diego broke into a gallop 150m after the start and dropped back to last before he dashed forward into the breeze with 1150m to travel, and then faded over the final 400m to finish a distant tenth behind Bettorstartdreaming.
Hall added blinkers, a nearside Murphy blind, a nearside pole and a fixed headcheck for Diego’s run on Friday night.
“He had all that gear on him before he went for a spell,” said Hall. “He had been working well at home without all that gear, so that’s why I removed it all for his first-up run, and that’s why he went badly.”
Diego started from barrier three on Friday night when Gary Hall jnr sent him to the front 380m after the start. He then relished his pacemaking role and sprinted over the final 800m in 56.2sec. as he went on to win by two and a half lengths from Rock Me Over. This improved his record to 13 wins and ten placings for stakes of $140,186 from 44 starts.
Al Guerrero is a noted frontrunner
West Australian-bred four-year-old Al Guerrero enhanced his reputation as one of the State’s best frontrunning pacers when he bowled along in front and was untroubled to win the 2130m Channel 7 Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trained at Pinjarra by Kyle Anderson and driven with supreme confidence by Kyle Harper, Al Guerrero, favourite at $1.40, ended a losing sequence of nine when he dashed to the front 60m after the start and after a slow lead time and a moderate opening 800m of the final mile in 61.9sec. he defeated $17 chance Allwoods Rocknroll by 5m, with Mirragon ($5) a head away in third place.
Al Guerrero, who rated 1.58.7, has earned $135,175 from 13 wins and 12 placings. Remarkably, all his 13 wins have been when he has set the pace.
Harper celebrated the win by driving a double at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park on Saturday night. He was successful with the Bob Mellsop-trained Like It I Love It ($1.70) and Mark Lee’s Pattitude ($2.90).
Burning Rubber is a good buy at $12,000
When Robin Zec was planning an overseas holiday in 2019, he advertised Burning Rubber for sale — and Middle Swan trainer-reinsman Brett Smith has no regrets that he outlaid $12,000 to purchase the New Zealand-bred Mach Three gelding.
Burning Rubber, who is raced by Smith in partnership with his mother Jenny and Alan Lawler, a plumbing business proprietor, has certainly proved to be an excellent buy. He has had 73 starts for the Smith stable for eight wins, 11 placings and $72,218 in prizemoney.
Burning Rubber went into the 2130m Choices Flooring Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, having been unplaced at his previous seven starts. But Burning Rubber, a splendid frontrunner, was perfectly drawn at the No. 2 barrier and was a popular $2.40 favourite.
Noted fast beginner Dominate The Dojo began with his usual alacrity and vied strongly for the early lead. However, champion reinsman Chris Lewis drove Burning Rubber hard to stave off Dominate The Dojo’s spirited challenge.
After slow opening quarters of the final mile of 32.2sec. and 31.1sec., Burning Rubber had plenty in reserve for the final lap. He dashed over the final 400m sections in 29.5sec. and 29sec. to win by a half-neck from $3.20 second favourite Pierre Whitby, who finished resolutely from sixth at the bell. Dominate The Dojo, who managed to take the trail behind Burning Rubber after his unsuccessful bid for the early lead, fought on solidly to be a close third.
Major Martini’s triumphant return
Relief was the major reaction of trainer and part-owner Justin Prentice after Major Martini was an effortless winner of the group 3 $30,000 Better Your Bet With TABtouch RWWA Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Prentice and his big team of co-owners had endured 19 months of apprehension and concern about the young pacer’s future after he had sustained a mystery injury when a neck second to Patronus Star in the WA Derby early in April of last year.
“Major Martini pulled up a bit scratchy after his Derby run, and it took us a long time to work out what was wrong with him,” said Prentice. “Finally, an MRI scan revealed that he had a bruised pedal bone in his nearside front leg.
“He had special shoes fitted to help the injury heal. We tried to bring him back for the Westbred Classic, but he wasn’t quite right, and he also missed the Golden Nugget.”
Prentice has brought Major Martini along slowly in his current preparation, and the Art Major four-year-old was a warm $1.40 favourite for Friday nighty’s event — his first appearance for 19 months.
Gary Hall jnr jumped Major Martini straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier, and after modest sections of 32.3sec. and 30.1sec. for the opening quarters of the final mile, Major Martini sprinted over the final 400m sections in 27.4sec. and 28.1sec.
He was not extended in beating $9 chance Euphoria by just under two lengths, rating 2.0.7. Otis ($9) who raced three back on the pegs, fought on to finish third.
Major Martini now has had 15 starts for seven wins, seven placings and stakes of $285,353.
“Hopefully, he will be racing at his best at Christmas time,” said Prentice. “There is still a long time to go, and we’ll worry about it (his program) when we get there. I think he has the ability to be a Cups horse.
“He hasn’t had a lot of racing and has had a long time off. So, we will just take our time to get him back to race fitness and let him tell us when he’s ready. He has pulled up well after this win, he was not blowing too much, and his heart rate was good.”
Galactic Star has that star quality
Pint-sized pacer Galactic Star has always basked in the limelight with his brilliance, consistency and versatility, and now the rising nine-year-old is firmly on target to have another crack at the rich Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups in January.
Prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, Galactic Star ($2.80) notched his 32ND victory at his 99TH start when he led for the first 450m and then sat behind the pacemaker and $1.90 favourite Mighty Conqueror before sprinting home strongly to beat that star pacer by just under a length at a 1.56.7 rate over 2536m in the $25,000 The West Australian Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The evergreen Bettors Delight gelding now has amassed $706,427 from his 32 wins and 31 placings.
He is no newcomer to the big stage, having competed in the final of the Interdominion championship twice and being prominent in the Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups in recent years.
Galactic Star won a 2100m Interdominion heat at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park in December 2017 before finishing fifth in the final at Gloucester Park, won by Lazarus.
Then, in December 2018 Galactic Star contested the Interdominion championship series in Victoria, winning a 2242m heat at Melton, finishing third in a 1710m heat at Ballarat and second in a 2555m heat at Cranbourne before finishing a most unlucky sixth behind Tiger Tara in the 2760m final at Melton.
He was contesting the early lead in the final when he met with severe interference, broke into a gallop and dropped back to last before running home powerfully, out wide, to finish in sixth place.
Galactic Star has finished second in the past two Fremantle Cups (behind My Field Marshal in January 2019 and behind Chicago Bull last December). He also performed strongly when fourth behind Vultan Tin, Chicago Bull and Mighty Conqueror in the WA Pacing Cup last December.
In the previous WA Pacing Cup in January 2020, Galactic Star finished fifth in a race in which his stablemates Mighty Conqueror, Vampiro and Our Jimmy Johnstone filled the first three placings.
Mighty Conqueror is also being set for the big Cups in January. A winner at 20 of his 44 starts, he performed soundly when second to Galactic Star on Friday night when having his first start for eleven weeks.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
