Catch Me If You Can says Reed

16 August 2018 | Ken Casellas
Logo

Ace reinsman Mark Reed drove the speedy Pazam to six victories at the turn of the century and he is confident of continuing the family tradition by winning races with promising two-year-old filly Countess Grace.

Trained by Reed’s father Mike, Countess Grace is closely related to Pazam, who won 19 races in Western Australia in a splendid 41-start career of 22 wins and six placings for stakes of $136,113.

Mark Reed was in the sulky when the New Zealand-bred Pazam won for the final time, at Gloucester Park in February 2004 when he beat The Die Is Cast and Sand Pebbles in a 2140m Free-For-All. He also drove Pazam when he finished sixth behind Lombo Rapida and Shakamaker in the 2000 Chariots of Fire at Harold Park.

Countess Grace emerged as a strong winning prospect in the Glenroy Chaff Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night when she unwound a spirited finishing burst to be an eye-catching third behind Fake News and Major Artist over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.

Countess Grace was restrained from barrier eight at the start and settled down in 11th position. She was seventh at the bell, three back on the pegs, before sprouting wings in the home straight, with the final 400m being covered in a slick 28.1sec.

Countess Grace has drawn the prized No. 1 barrier in Friday night’s $18,000 event and Mark Reed said: “She will give them something to chase. She has good gate speed, the aim will be to lead and I consider her to have excellent winning prospects.

“She was unlucky at her previous start when third behind Majorpride and Fake News. She raced behind the pacemaker Cosmic Horizons and was shuffled back when that filly weakened and dropped back in the final stages.”

Majorpride, Fake News and Countess Grace should dominate Friday night’s race in which Countess Grace has a significant advantage over the other two fillies, who will start out wide, with Fake News at barrier seven and Majorpride on the outside in the field of eight.

Fake News, trained by Gary Hall Snr, was impressive on Tuesday evening when she enjoyed the perfect trail behind the pacemaker Major Artist before running home fast to snatch victory for star reinsman Gary Hall Jnr.

However, Hall Jnr has decided to drive the Justin Prentice-trained Majorpride in preference to Fake News. “There’s not much between them, but Majorpride is probably a bit more of a racehorse at the moment,” he said. Majorpride has raced ten times for three wins, three seconds and two thirds.

Mark Reed will fly out of Perth early on Saturday morning to drive star filly Our Angel of Harlem in the second semi-final of the Breeders Crown for three-year-old fillies at Bendigo on Saturday night.

Our Angel of Harlem, trained by Mike Reed, has drawn poorly and will start from the outside (barrier three) on the back line. However, she is in top form and should have little difficulty in qualifying for the final the following week.

Western Australia will also be represented in semi-finals of the Breeders Crown on Saturday night by the Michael Brennan-trained The Embezzler and the David Thompson-trained Mandy Joan.

Michael Grantham will drive The Embezzler from the outside (No. 7) on the front line in the first semi-final for two-year-old colts and geldings. A winner at four of his eight starts and a strong fourth behind Franco Edward in the Pearl Classic, The Embezzler has won at Pinjarra at his past two starts. He possesses wonderful gate speed and is sure to make his presence felt.

Mandy Joan also has drawn barrier seven in the second semi-final for two-year-old fillies in which she will be handled by champion Victorian reinsman Gavin Lang. She has won twice from seven starts and is working strongly enough to qualify for the final.

 

Related News

29 March 2024
Gibson family honoured in more ways than one at Bathurst Carnival
SINCE the inception of the Bathurst Gold Crown in 1987, the Gibson family and their Success Stud have positively contributed to shaping the hugely-successful juvenile carnival. Originally based in Queensland before relocating to the idyllic Young region, the late John Gibson initially operated Success...
29 March 2024
Group 1 mares add star power to Riverina Championships
Four Group 1 winning mares - including two currently considered to be among the nation’s best - will clash in an intriguing battle at the Riverina Championships finals program at Wagga on Sunday. The meeting features two $100,000 finals for four and five year-old pacers - one each for the boys...
29 March 2024
Ford looking for Gold on Good Friday
The combined harness and greyhound meeting on Good Friday night in Hobart is fast becoming a Tassie racing tradition, and it’s back again with eight greyhound races and six harness events making up this year’s 14-race program. Driver Dylan Ford will be out to continue his excellent start...
28 March 2024
New HRV chair Adam Kilgour on challenges, opportunities
Newly appointed Harness Racing Victoria chair Adam Kilgour says his passion for a challenge and the people in racing drives his desire to strengthen the industry. Kilgour was yesterday announced to replace Dale Monteith as the head of the board, on which he has served since 2018, and said he was eager...
28 March 2024
La sun of a gun emerges as Blackbook zeros in on breeding line
La Machane won 20 of her 61 starts and more than $330,000 for connections in Ross and Greg Sugars' care and the mare's making just as big an impression in the breeding barn. Having given us La Puddie ($137,179) and La Captain ($182,020), the Bettors Delight mare has another nice type in Benbullan, who...
Click for more