01 March 2018 | Ken Casellas
Prominent owner and Gloucester Park Harness Racing vice-president Kevin Jeavons has no regrets about outlaying $46,000 for a Mach Three colt at the APG yearling sale in Perth 12 months ago.
The colt, whom he named Shockwave, was the only male Mach Three yearling at the sale which was held two months after Mach Three, at the age of 18, fractured a leg in a paddock accident in New Zealand and was euthanized.
Jeavons, who sold a share of the colt to long-standing WA Breeders Association official Howard King, has always been an admirer of Mach Three, who has produced more than 1300 offspring for total earnings of more than $100 million.
The appearance of Shockwave, the likely favourite, in the $100,000 Clipsal By Schneider Sales Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings will revive memories among veteran harness racing fans of talented mare Wickawack, who finished second in two heats of the 1962 Inter Dominion championship at Gloucester Park.
Shockwave is out of Rich And Spoilt mare, Here For The Money, whose breeding traces back in an unbroken line to Wickawack. Here For The Money was retired with earnings of $81,874 from seven wins and 18 placings from 79 starts. As a two-year-old in early 2011 Here For The Money finished second to Soho Cannes in the Group 1 Sales Classic and third behind Sensational Gabby in the Group 1 Diamond Classic.
Shockwave gave a powerful display to win a qualifying heat of the Sales Classic at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week. He started from the outside barrier in a field of seven, raced three wide early and then in the breeze until he gained a narrow lead in the final stages before winning by a short half-head from the pacemaker and 2/1 on favourite Sports Central.
Baskerville trainer-reinsman Ryan Bell was full of praise for the colt, who rated 1.57.6 over the 1730m. “He did all the work and was hampered by a horse who was racing erratically in the final stages,” he said. “He was going to win untouched until that and then he had to dig deep. He knuckled down and was pretty impressive.
“Our main aim on Friday night will be to lead. I can’t complain at drawing barrier three, with a couple of his main rivals Babyface Adda and Patrickthepiranha drawing out wide. Shockwave is not just a one-trick pony and it won’t be the end of the world if he doesn’t lead.”
Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri admits that barrier No. 8 will make it tough for Babyface Adda, who started from barrier two and set the pace before winning a qualifying heat at a 1.58.2 rate, beating the fast-finishing Its Rock And Roll by a head.
“I was anxious for a good draw, but in saying that, some of the dangers have drawn out wide,” said Babyface Adda’s driver Shannon Suvaljko. “I drove him on Ross’s track this morning (Tuesday) and he worked super well. He’s always been a gross horse, but he’s now close to peak fitness. He will have to be from barrier eight over 1730m.
Babyface Adda has got good gate speed, so you always have to go forward and have a look. Some two-year-olds might do things wrong, so you have to be ready to go forward. He can also be used as a sit-sprinter.”
The Colin Brown-trained and driven Its Rock And Roll will have admirers, even from barrier No. 7. The gelding was an all-the-way winner from barrier one on debut two starts ago and then he impressed in a qualifying heat on Tuesday of last week when he began from barrier seven, raced wide early and then one-out and one-back before finishing determinedly to be a head second to Babyface Adda.
Brown also prepares Patrickthepiranha, who was the fastest heat winner, rating 1.57 when he started from barrier seven, raced three wide for a lap and then in the breeze before taking the lead 250m from home and winning by more than two lengths from Johnnys Grange.
Johnnys Grange began speedily from the No. 5 barrier and raced in the breeze for a while and then was one-out and one-back before fighting on to finish second to Patrickthepiranha, who was driven confidently by Dylan Egerton-Green.
Ryan Warwick has opted to drive Johnnys Grange, who has sound each-way prospects from the No. 2 barrier. Stablemate Sports Central (trained by Skye Bond) will be driven by Chris Lewis. The colt is the only runner off the back line.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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