Egerton-Green in elite company
Sports Package, making only her third appearance at Gloucester Park, maintained breeder-owner-trainer Terry Ferguson’s happy knack of scoring upset wins in close finishes with outsiders when Dylan Egerton-Green drove Sports Package to victory in the $120,000 WA Oaks on Friday night.
Ferguson’s previous group 1 success was with $27.70 roughie Cimorene (a full-sister to Sports Package) who beat the $1.10 favourite Miss Sangrial by a shorty half-head in the $100,000 Diamond Classic in June 2017.
Sports Package, an $18.40 chance from the prized No. 1 barrier, finished fast to snatch victory by a half-neck from the $1.50 favourite Double Expresso to elevate Egerton-Green into elite company.
A month earlier Egerton-Green brought $7.50 chance Patronus Star home with a well-timed burst to win the WA Derby, and now he becomes just the fourth reinsman in the 53-year history of the Oaks to win the Derby-Oaks double in the same year.
The feat has also been achieved by Rod Chambers with Whitbys Miss Penny winning both feature events for three-year-olds in 1991, Chris Lewis scoring with In The Force (Derby) and Sheer Royalty (Oaks) in 2009 and Gary Hall jnr winning with Beaudiene Boaz (Derby) and Major Reality (Oaks) in 2015.
Sports Package went into Friday night’s classic with excellent credentials. At her previous outing she had run on to snatch a short half-head victory over Blue Chip Adda in the WA Country Oaks at Bunbury, and four starts before that she had scored at $81, beating My Sweet Deal by a short half-head at Gloucester Park.
My Sweet Deal was smartest into stride from the No. 2 barrier on Friday night and got a half-length in front of Sports Package but was unable to cross to the front. Double Expresso began speedily from barrier three before Chris Lewis was able to move her into the one-out, one-back position.
About 300m after the start, Lewis took Double Expresso three wide, but Stuart McDonald kicked up in the breeze with My Sweet Deal, forcing Lewis to restrain and, fortunately, was able to regain the one-out, one-back position.
Turning into the home straight after a lap Lewis dashed Double Expresso forward again, three wide, to wrest the lead from Sports Package at the winning post. Tiffany Rose then surged forward from eighth to assume the breeze position.
Egerton-Green remained cool and calm when he was under lock and key down the back straight in the final circuit. Then he was able to ease off the pegs about 230m from home when Tiffany Rose began to wilt. Sports Package sprinted strongly and took the lead in the final couple of strides to win at a 1.56.9 rate to equal the race record recorded by Maczaffair in 2017. The final quarters were run in 28.4sec. and 28.9sec.
Intheskyrocket, who raced in seventh position on the pegs, finished fast along the inside to just deprive Star Fromthepalace third place. My Sweet Deal faded badly to finish a distant last.
Sports Package, by American sire Sportswriter, now has earned $125,407 from seven wins and four placings from 15 starts. She was bred by the 70-year-old Ferguson from his Northern Luck mare Ultimate Package, who raced 45 times for five wins (three at Albany and one each at Kalgoorlie and Gloucester Park) for stakes of $29,216.
Ultimate Package’s first foal Cimorene earned $117,191 from four wins and 11 placings from 38 starts, and her second foal Bettor Pack It (who set the pace and finished third behind Semiramide in the Race For Roses on Friday night, has had 53 starts for eight wins, 13 placings and $64,337 in prizemoney.
Ultimate Package is out of Saabrina, a winner of six races, whose dam Soky’s Number produced 11 winners, including Saab (63 starts for 21 wins, 18 placings and $577,197), Talladega (18 wins and $411,680) and Saabella (17 wins and $205,745).
Semiramide ends losing run of 23
New Zealand-bred mare Semiramide celebrated her first appearance in a stand by scoring a narrow victory in the $24,000 Laurie Kennedy Race For Roses over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Her last-stride triumph by a short half-head over Delightfulreaction ended a 12-month drought and a losing sequence of 23.
Driven patiently by Gary Hall jnr three back on the pegs in third place, Semiramide, an outsider at $23.20, finished fast to deprive the Aiden de Campo trained and driven Delightfulreaction ($6.50) of victory by a short half-head.
Delightfulreaction, also having her first start in a stand, raced in fifth place on the pegs in an Indian file first half of the field before de Campo got the four-year-old off the pegs 750m from home. This gave Miss Sangrial, the 40m backmarker, an ideal trail. But Miss Sangrial failed to respond to the challenge and finished a disappointing tenth.
Bettor Pack It ($14) set the pace and held on to finish third, with Delightfull an excellent fourth after galloping at the start and coming from ninth at the bell.
Semiramide, named after an opera by Gioachino Rossini, was prepared by Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen in New Zealand for nine starts for one win and three placings before being purchased by Peter Ensel. The mare is the second foal out of the Victorian-bred mare La Fenice, who was unplaced at four Victorian country starts as a two and three-year-old in 2008 and 2009 before being retired.
Semiramide’s great granddam Tuapeka Star produced champion millionaire pacer Iraklis, who won at 22 of his 51 starts. Semiramide has had four trainers in WA for her six wins and 13 places from 47 starts in the State. On Friday night she was having her fifth start for Hopeland trainer Giles Inwood, who welcomed her into his stables just five weeks ago.
Iceenothink’s WA links
South Australian-bred gelding Iceenothink, who caused a major upset at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he beat champion Chicago Bull in the Better Your Club With TABtouch Pace, has strong links with Western Australia.
By champion sire Mach Three, Iceenothink’s dam Decethree Lombo was bred in WA and had her first two starts for unplaced efforts as a two-year-old at Gloucester Park early in 1996 before moving to Victoria where she had five starts before being retired. She won at her final two appearances in minor $3000 events in Albury.
Iceenothink is the 14TH foal out of Decethree Lombo and has earned $206,323 from 17 wins and 17 placings from 56 starts. He won at nine of 18 starts in Victoria, was unplaced at one start in Queensland and now has raced 37 times for trainer Ross Olivieri in WA for eight wins and 11 placings.
Decethree Lombo has excelled as a broodmare and has produced 11 winners of 136 races, including her first foal, Lombo Skyrider, who had a remarkable 321 starts for 63 wins, 84 placings and $841,611 in stakes. Decethree Lombo is out of Misty Maiden, who had 37 starts for 12 wins, 11 placings and $245,449 as a two and three-year-old in 1990 and 1991-92.
She was retired after winning the Australian Derby at Albion Park in July 1992 when she beat New Zealand colt Bonamax by a nose. Two starts before that Misty Maiden won the $250,000 El Dorado at Moonee Valley. She inherited much of her ability from her dam Smooth Gale, who won at 14 of her 45 starts.
Iceenothink was a $10 chance from the No. 1 barrier on Friday night and, driven by Mitch Miller, she enjoyed a perfect passage behind the pacemaker Im Soxy.
Chicago Bull, the $1.32 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of nine, was restrained to last before Gary Hall jnr sent him forward, three wide after about 550m to move outside the pacemaker Im Soxy 1200m from home. He took a narrow lead on the home turn but failed to withstand Iceenothink’s powerful finishing burst which took him to the front in the final couple of strides.
The winning margin was a half-length and Iceenothink rated 1.55.7 after the final three quarters were run in 28.6sec., 28.4sec. and 27.8sec.
Double to Cortopassi
In-form reinsman Aldo Cortopassi drove with supreme confidence to land Pradas Ideal Dahling an effortless winner in the 2130m TABtouch Giddy Up Premium Form Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This completed a double for Cortopassi, who had won the previous event, the Download The TABtouch App Today Pace, with the speedy Marquisard for West Swan trainer Craig Abercromby.
Pradas Ideal Dahling, a seven-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, trained in Collie by Wayne Justins, was a $4.60 chance from barrier six. Cortopassi sent the gelding forward from the start and was quite content to allow him to travel comfortably in the breeze while the $3.60 chance Folsom Prison set the pace with the $2.45 favourite Our Rhythm N Blues in the box seat, one-out and one-back.
Pradas Ideal Dahling coasted to the front 260m from home and held on stoutly to beat Our Rhythm N Blues by just under a length at a 1.57 rate, with final quarters of 28.9sec. and 27.9sec. This was Pradas Ideal Dahling’s third run after a spell and he looks set for a profitable campaign.
Marquisard was an $8.50 chance from barrier three in the previous event in which Cortopassi was able to get to the early lead, despite a spirited four-wide early effort from Sightseeing Anvil from the No. 4 barrier. Marquisard, a five-year-old gelding by Mach Three, carried too many guns for his rivals when he sprinted the final 800m in 56.8sec. and defeated the $3.30 favourite Brookies Jet by just over two lengths at a 1.56.7 rate.
This ended a losing sequence of 14 by Marquisard, who now has raced 90 times for 15 wins and 13 placings.
Raksjameson makes it two from two
Recent arrival Raksjameson, who arrived in WA from New Zealand just over a month ago, showed a touch of class when he notched his second win from two appearances in the State with a convincing all-the-way victory in the 2130m Off The Track WA Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
From barrier two, Raksjameson, the $2.40 favourite, was beaten for early pace by $9 chance Bee Jays Boy. But Gary Hall jnr was able to withstand the strong early challenge from Bee Jays Boy, who got three-quarters of a length in front but was unable to cross to the lead.
Hall then was able to get Raksjameson to relax with a leisurely lead time of 38.1sec. and casual opening quarters of 32.6sec. and 31.6sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 27sec. to win by 2m from stablemate Copy N Pace, who dashed forward in the first lap to work in the breeze.
Raksjameson, who won easily at Pinjarra four days earlier, appears to have the ability to develop into a handy candidate for the rich four-year-old classics next season under the care of champion trainer Gary Hall snr.
By American stallion Hes Watching, Raksjameson raced six times in New Zealand as a three-year-old for two seconds and one third placing.
Bee Seventeen shines for fifth trainer
Baldivis trainer Cliff Woodworth is enjoying his experience of preparing five-year-old gelding Bee Seventeen, who produced a typical strong finishing burst to win the 2536m Better Your Industry With TABtouch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Woodworth is the fifth trainer to prepare the Mr Aviator pacer, who entered his stables mid last November and now has raced 19 times for him for three wins and four placings.
From the No. 1 barrier on Friday night Bee Seventeen was second favourite at $3.60 who led early before Chris Voak opted to take the sit behind Valbonne after 120m.
Valbonne bowled along in front, with the $3.20 favourite Eloquent Mach in the breeze. Bee Seventeen burst to the front with 55m to travel and won by a length from Valbonne, rating a smart 1.56.3, with Jack William fighting on to be a well-beaten third.
Eloquent Mach, a star three-year-old last season, faded badly to finish ninth, more than ten lengths behind the winner.
Bee Seventeen, whose dam Perform Some Magic was bred in WA, did all her racing in Victoria for eight wins and 22 placings for earnings of $36,708. Be Seventeen is related to smart WA mare Boobiana, who won many races in the 1970s. Bee Seventeen now has had 94 starts for 13 wins (eight at Gloucester Park) and 19 placings for earnings of $113,758.
The Buckeye Bullet overcomes problem
Smart four-year-old The Buckeye Bullet overcame a gear malfunction before winning The Better Your Bet With TABtouch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The deafeners failed to release, but this did not prove to be a setback as the New Zealand-bred gelding coasted to a comfortable 5m victory over Balcatherine after sprinting the final 800m of the 2536mn event in 55.3sec.
The Buckeye Bullet, driven by leading reinsman Ryan Warwick for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, was hot favourite at $1.30 who gave his backers no worries as he straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier and dictated the terms of the race.
By American stallion Well Said, The Buckeye Bullet is the 14TH foal out of New Zealand-bred mare Titan Bloss, who won at five of her 21 starts. The Buckeye Bullet is a half-brother to Toulouse Lautrec, who won 20 races in Victoria and eight in South Australia in a career of 218 starts for 29 wins, 62 placings and $257,126 in stakes.
The Buckeye Bullet won once (at Addington) from two starts in New Zealand and he now boats an imposing record in WA of 17 starts for nine wins and five placings.
Hall’s splendid record
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr is forging quite an impressive association with the Justin Prentice-trained four-year-old Always An Honour.
Hall set the pace with Always An Honour, the $2.70 favourite for the Community TAB Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when the gelding held on to win from the fast-finishing Talkerup and Bletchley Park at a 1.57.8 rate over 2130m.
This took Hall’s record behind Always An Honour to 14 drives for nine wins and one third placing. It also took the mare’s record for the Solid Gold Standardbreds, managed by John Lohman, to 25 starts for 12 wins and four placings for earnings of $95,485.
Always An Honour is the seventh foal out of the unraced Village Jasper mare She Annie, who also has produced Alleluia, who has had 187 starts for 35 wins, 61 placings and $582,082 in stakes. Alleluia, who finished seventh behind Gatecrasher at Menangle last Saturday, finished second to Bling It On in the Queensland Derby at Albion Park in July 2014 and was third behind Let It Ride in the group 1 Blacks A Fake Championship in July 2018.
Soldier Of Fortune, a full-brother to Alleluia and Always An Honour, notched his 17TH victory when he beat Blue Moon Rising in a Free-For-All at Albion Park on April 17 this year. A half-brother Kingsman had ten WA starts in 2018 for two Gloucester Park wins in $7000 events.
Bettor Be Oscar hat-trick
Capel trainer-reinsman Aiden de Campo has four-year-old Bettor Be Oscar firing in fine style and the WA-bred gelding completed a winning hat-trick when he scored a convincing victory over the fast-finishing pair of Machlani and Parisian Partygirl in the 2536m TABtouch Replays Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bettor Be Oscar ($3.40) began speedily from barrier six and burst to the front after 300m before bowling along in front and giving his rivals little chance when he sped over the third quarter of the final mile in 27.8sec.
Sir Galahad ($3.60) raced wide early and then in the breeze before fighting on to finish fourth. Taroona Bromac (also a well-fancied $3.60 chance) finished fifth. From out wide at barrier eight Taroona Bromac raced in eighth place before starting a three-wide move at the bell which took him to third at the 500m mark. But he faded to finish fifth.
