11 July 2022 | Ken Casellas
Jumpingjackmac set for stardom
Feature events worth more than $1 million dollars in the coming summer months are on the agenda for rising star Jumpingjackmac, who gave another example of his class when he set the pace and won the 2130m Allwood Stud Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Not only is he revealing the potential to develop into a leading candidate for the $300,000 Fremantle Cup and the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup next January, but he is sure to be hard to beat in the $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship in November and the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic and the $200,000 Golden Nugget in December.
Jumpingjackmac, prepared by Gary Hall snr, was driven expertly by Gary Hall jnr., who got the $3.50 second favourite and the least experienced runner in the race away to a flying start from the No. 1 barrier.
After a moderate lead time of 37sec. and opening quarters of 30.1sec. and 29.8sec. Jumpingjackmac sped over the third 400m section of the final mile in 27.3sec. before he ran the final quarter in 28.2sec. as he held on to win by a head from his fast-finishing stablemate Chicago Bull ($10), with the $1.75 favourite Magnificent Storm a half-length farther back in third place. The winner rated 1.55.2.
Hall used similar tactics and caused an upset when he drove Balcatherine to victory over the odds-on favourite Magnificent Storm in the 2130m group 2 City of Perth Cup last December when Balcatherine led and dashed over the third quarter of the final mile in 27.4sec. on her way to winning at a 1.55.3 rate over Motu Premier and Magnificent Storm.
“When Balcatherine beat Magnificent Storm in that race I made him run down the back, and he didn’t seem to like it. When you make Magnificent Storm stretch his neck, he is vulnerable. It is all about getting him out of his comfort zone. But if he gets on top of you, he is just too good and too fast.
“Passing the 400m tonight I knew that if I maintained speed I was going to win. In the final moments I saw Chicago Bull flashing home, out wide.”
Chicago Bull, who raced in last position in the one-wide line in the field of six, finished with a powerful burst, and reinsman Callan Suvaljko declared that the nine-year-old champion was far from a spent force.
“He felt good, and things worked out nice for him,” said Suvaljko. “He just needed a few runs to perform like that. He is improving with every run, and he will keep improving.”
Hall said that Jumpingjackmac had improved since he was a hot favourite and set the pace before fading to fifth behind Magnificent Storm two starts before Friday night’s race.
“He overraced (and got his tongue over the bit), but tonight he was beautiful and relaxed,” he said. “It is hard in small fields when you have good horses sitting on you. If Magnificent Storm had opened me up more, Chicago Bull probably would have won.”
The New Zealand-bred Jumpingjackmac now has earned $237,054 from 14 wins and six seconds.
Lavra Joe ready to take the next step
Exciting four-year-old Lavra Joe did not turn a hair after sprinting home in a sizzling 26.5sec. over the final 400m on his way to beating Beat City by two lengths in the 2130m Fly Like An Eagle Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and owner-trainer Ray Jones declared: “The time has come.”
Jones was referring to the fact that Lavra Joe’s comfortable and stylish victory meant that the four-year-old was no longer eligible to contest conditioned events and now had to line up against the State’s best pacers in Free-For-All company.
“I think he will measure up to horses like Chicago Bull, Magnificent Storm and Jumpingjackmac,” said Jones, who is looking forward to the challenge facing Lavra Joe when he clashes with WA’s seasoned and more experienced campaigners in Free-For-Alls.
Chris Lewis gave Lavra Joe little more than a track workout as he allowed Lavra Joe to amble through the lead time in 39.3sec. and the opening quarters in 32.2sec. and 31sec. before giving the gelding more rein to dash over the final 400m sections in 29.6sec. and 26.5sec.
“At this stage I plan to nominate Lavra Joe for the Free-For-All next Friday night,” said Jones, who is delighted with the way the pacer has performed with two easy victories at his first two appearances after a 55-week absence as he recovered from a damaged nearside front suspensory ligament.
Lavra Joe’s record now stands at 36 starts for 22 wins, eight placings and stakes of $322,545.
The Good Life set for the Higgins
Ace Capel trainer Aiden de Campo is setting up-and-coming four-year-old The Good Life for the $30,000 John Higgins Memorial Pace on July 29 after the Mach Three gelding had scored an easy victory in the group 3 $30,000 Kerry Clarke Westbred Classic for four and five-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
De Campo had an armchair drive behind the $1.40 favourite who was untroubled to set the pace from the prized No. 1 barrier. After a slow lead time of 38.1sec. and modest opening quarters of 30.8sec. and 30.2sec. The Good Life sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 28sec. and won by more than two lengths from $10 chance Al Guerrero, who trailed the pacemaker throughout.
Arma Einstein ($16) impressed in finishing fast, out wide, from ninth at the bell to be third.
“He got away with a good lead time and won quite easily,” said de Campo. “I have always had a lot of time for him. He’ll have a few more starts and will run in a qualifying heat for the Higgins and, hopefully, qualify for the final.
“After that, he might have a bit of a let-up before coming back to be prepared for the feature events for four-year-olds in November and December. There are a lot of good four-year-olds going around, horses like Jumpingjackmac, Mighty Ronaldo and Lavra Joe, but there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge yet.”
The Good Life, a $57,5000 yearling, now has earned $75,908 from nine wins and nine placings from 29 starts.
Daughter is an able substitute
When ace trainer-reinsman Colin Brown was confined to barracks and isolated at home under COVID-19 protocols he had no hesitation in asking his daughter Maddison to drive Arma Xfactor in the $20,250 Allwood Stud Pace for three-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night — and she proved a perfect substitute.
Arma Xfactor, a $21.60 chance from barrier three, was driven aggressively to cause an upset by working hard in the breeze all the way before finishing determinedly to take the lead in the final 50m and win by a neck from the fast-finishing $16 chance Been Scootin.
Polemarker Whos The Dad, the $1.75 favourite, looked set to win after a slow lead time of 38.9sec. and modest opening quarters of 30.8sec. and 30.2sec.
But after a 28.3sec. third quarter Whos The Dad began to wilt and he dropped back to finish a close third, with the final 400m being covered in a similar 28.3sec.
Arma Xfactor is by American Ideal and is out of Arma Xpress, who won the Golden Slipper in July 2012 before being retired with a record of 18 starts for 12 wins and one placings for earnings of $279,890.
Maddison Brown drove Arma Xpress once, at her final appearance when she finished fifth behind Heez On Fire at Gloucester Park on October 27, 2014. Arma Xfactor is a full-brother to American Arma, who raced 21 times for nine wins, eight placings and $105,216 in prizemoney.
First city double for Symington
Talented young reinsman Kyle Symington completed his first metropolitan-class double when he drove speedy four-year-old Dominus Factum to a convincing victory in the Owners Appreciation Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The 20-year-old Symington was successful earlier with Hillview Bondi in the opening event.
Dominus Factum, the $2.40 favourite from the No. 1 barrier, was not fully extended in setting the pace and winning by a length from the $3.40 second fancy Caveman, who fought on doggedly after racing in the breeze all the way.
Dominus Factum, who enjoyed a very comfortable 38sec. lead time, gave his rivals little chance by dashing over the final 800m in 56.9sec. He rated 1.56.8 over the 2130m journey.
Trainer Aiden de Campo engaged Symington to drive Dominus Factum for the first time and to make use of his claim as a junior driver, and this enabled the American Ideal gelding to be eligible to contest this event.
“Dominus Factum now goes up in grade, and he might struggle from bad barriers at the higher level,” said de Campo. “So, I’ll have to teach him other ways to win races from back in the field (apart from leading).”
The Victorian-bred Dominus Factum, purchased for $20,000 at the 2019 APG Melbourne yearling sale, has earned $106,202 from 14 wins and ten placings from 40 starts. His seven starts as a four-year-old have resulted in four wins.
Fast start aids Alta Rhett
A fast start from barrier three and the ability to withstand a strong early challenge from Pradason paved the way for Alta Rhett’s narrow victory in the 2536m Fly Like An Eagle Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Alta Rhett, the $3.30 favourite, was well rated by Nathan Turvey and he won by a half-neck from the $3.50 second fancy Fanci A Dance, with $19 chance Pocket The Cash running home strongly from tenth at the bell to be a half-head away in third place.
Alta Rhett is trained in Bunbury by Sarah Wall, whose husband Chris races the six-year-old in partnership with the gelding’s breeder David Stringer.
Turvey has formed an excellent association with Alta Rhett, having driven him to eight of his 12 victories. The son of Alta Christiano has also been placed 25 times from his 82 starts, and Friday night’s win boosted his earnings to $148,202. Now he looks well and truly on track to emulate the performance of his dam Justlikechocolate, who raced 48 times for 13 wins and 19 placings for stakes of $188,937.
“Alta Rhett is not just a frontrunner,” said Mrs Wall. “He can run it both ways, and he can certainly sit and sprint. He is a very honest horse, and he was tired a long way out tonight, but he just keeps trying.”
Enjoying his first visit to Gloucester Park was Chris and Sarah Wall’s four-year-old son Rory, who is looking forward to further trips to the city to watch Alta Rhett in action.
Four in a row for Beefour Bacardi
Victorian-bred six-year-old Beefour Bacardi enhanced his reputation as one of WA’s best trotters when he coasted to an impressive victory in the $20,250 Follow The Stars Trot at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven patiently by Gary Hall jnr, Beefour Bacardi, the $2.30 second favourite, chalked up his fourth win in a row when he trailed the pacemaker Son Of A Whiz ($9) before getting off the pegs 270m from home, hitting the front on the home turn and beating Son Of A Whiz by just under a length.
Beefour Bacardi began speedily from the No. 5 barrier and with the polemarker and $1.70 favourite Patched galloping at the start, Hall urged Beefour Bacardi forward to lead by a half-length in the early stages before Son Of A Whiz held him out and Hall wisely opted to restrain the gelding and take the sit behind the leader.
Patched, attempting his fourth win in a row, settled down a conspicuous last before he impressed in making up a lot of lost ground to finish fourth.
Trainer Michael Young has done a remarkable job with Beefour Bacardi, who now has had 14 starts in WA for ten wins and two placings.
Young revealed that Beefour Bacardi had overcome a problem to win at his previous start to sit behind the frontrunning Son Of A Whiz before finishing gamely to beat that trotter narrowly over 2692m at Pinjarra 11 days before Friday night’s event.
“He had a bit of an infection in a back leg and wasn’t quite right at Pinjarra,” said Young. “I think that this knocked him around a bit, and he only just got over Son Of A Whiz. We have got that problem patched up and tonight he was as sharp as a tack.”
Hillview Bondi keeps improving
A couple of years ago Baskerville trainer Ryan Bell was quite pessimistic about the prospects of Hillview Bondi developing into a racing proposition, but now the four-year-old gelding is competing with considerable zest.
Hillview Bondi chalked up his ninth win from 36 starts when he scored a runaway victory in the 1730m Allwood Stud Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“About 18 months ago I didn’t think he was going to make it,” said Bell after Kyle Symington had driven Hillview Bondi, the $1.40 favourite, to a three-length win over $41 outsider Adda Tarantella, rating a smart 1.54.1.
“He is getting better with every preparation. He is tough and running his own races seems to be his go. He is easy to gear up; he has no head check, no boots, nothing, just hopples and a bridle.
“However, I put a hood on him tonight because he is immature. This was the third time he has started from barrier one. Each time before from barrier one he got lost, so that is why we put the blinkers on him to smarten him up behind the gate.
“I wasn’t surprised that he was crossed at the start (by $1 chance Sheza Bromac) because he begins better from out wide when he can concentrate with horses around him.”
Symington gave Hillview Bondi a chance to become settled before he dashed him forward to take the lead about 600m after the start. Hillview then bowled along freely in front and won very easily.
Hillview Bondi is owned by several members of the Bendotti family, well known potato farmers from Pemberton who have enjoyed plenty of success in the past with Hillview Lightning (55 starts for 19 wins, 13 placings and $106,890) and Hillview Storm (114 starts for 14 wins, 23 placings and $88,325).
Hillview Bondi is by the American stallion Somebeachsomewhere and is out of the Safely Kept mare Maid For Life, the dam of seven winners, including Dredlock Rockstar, who was retired as a 12-year-old with a record of 171 starts for 22 wins, 50 placings and $283,502 in stakes. His most important victory was in the Parliamentarians Cup in November 2013, a week after he had finished third behind Bettors Fire and Im Victorious in the group 2 Mount Eden Sprint.
Our Lililou aiming for Diamond Classic
The $100,000 Diamond Classic on August 19 and the $225,000 Westbred Classic for fillies on September 16 are on the agenda for promising two-year-old filly Our Lililou if she continues to improve.
Our Lililou, trained and driven by Kim Prentice, broke through for her maiden win when she gave a splendid frontrunning performance to beat the $2.65 favourite August Moon by a length in the 1730m The Trots WAS Lucy Webb Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night. After setting a moderate pace, Our Lililou sprinted over the final 400m in 27.1sec.
“She is developing and learning all the time,” said Prentice. “This was the first time she had drawn a barrier (favourable), and on what she had been doing at home I thought that if she led (from the No. 1 barrier) she would be very hard to beat. She can take a bit of pressure, but that didn’t come.
“She was unlucky in the Sales final (when seventh behind Cabsav in February) when she was back on the fence and never got a crack at them. She is quick and will be a nice filly.”
Our Lililou was purchased at the 2021 APG Perth yearling sale for $20,000 by Corey Peterson, who races her in partnership with a syndicate of owners.
She is by the American stallion Sweet Lou and is the fifth foal out of former smart Courage Under Fire mare Kotare Ash, a winner of six races in New Zealand and four in Western Australia before being retired with earnings of $94,897 from her ten wins and 11 placings from 56 starts.
It’s now for the Country Oaks
Outstanding filly Wonderful To Fly will be set for the $30,000 Country Oaks at Bunbury on August 24 before her part-owner, trainer and driver Shane Young prepares her for rich feature events, the $100,000 Westbred Classic for fillies on September 9 and the $150,000 WA Oaks on October 14.
Wonderful To Fly notched her eighth win in a row when Young drove her to a runaway victory in the $25,000 Westsired Pace, a listed classic for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Free-For-All horses don’t run home any quicker,” said a delighted Young after Wonderful To Fly had sprinted home over the final 800m in 55sec., with splits of 27.6sec. and 27.4sec. She was not extended in setting the pace and rating 1.56.7 in beating Acharne Girl by four lengths over 2130m.
This was a highly impressive performance at her first appearance for seven weeks, and it improved her record to 28 starts for 18 wins, six placings and $322,039 in prizemoney.
“She did what she is capable of, and leading made it easier for her,” said Young. “There is a race for fillies next Friday night, and after that it will be onwards for the Country Oaks, a feature event won by Young when he drove Sports Package to a short half-head victory over Blue Chip Adda at Bunbury in April 2020.
Infinite Sign looms as a WA Derby hope
Infinite Sign is an imposing and handsome pacer who is giving every indication of developing into a leading candidate for the $200,000 WA Derby on November 4.
The big, strong gelding, who is prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, gave a sample of his class with a brilliant victory in the $25,000 Westsired Pace, a listed classic for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven confidently by star reinsman Ryan Warwick, Infinite Sign, a $3.60 chance, dashed forward from the outside barrier on the back line and raced in the breeze with $7.50 chance Flying Rumour setting a brisk pace.
Warwick was able to angle Infinite Sign to the pegs behind Flying Rumour during the final lap before he surged to the front on the home turn and raced away to win by four lengths from Flying Rumour, rating 1.56.8 over the 21230m journey.
“We had to be positive and go forward tonight because he is a bit struggly off the track (out wide) and we wanted to be in a position where we could let him dominate, and if he was good enough, to win,” said Warwick.
“Taking a sit behind the leader in the last lap was a good opportunity to catch a bit of a breather. He is quite strong, and I was confident he could wear down the leader.
“Now he’s got the Westbred Classic (a $100,000 event on September 9), and then he should be a good WA Derby horse. He certainly wouldn’t be out of place in the Derby.”
Infinite Sign is by Indomitable Saab and is out of Never Waver Lombo, who earned $109,662 from 11 wins and 20 placings from 79 starts. He now has raced 13 times for five wins, two placings and stakes of $45,407.
His full-brother Infinite Symbol has had 81 starts for 19 wins, 25 placings and $223,758. He was driven by Warwick at ten of his 14 WA wins, including two group 3 events at Gloucester Park in 2019, before being sent to America in February 2020 where he has won another five times.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
