Mister Smartee’s record run
An elated Stuart McDonald declared the sky was the limit for inexperienced four-year-old Mister Smartee after driving him to a superb victory in the $50,000 Westside Auto Wholesale Four and Five-Year-Old Championship at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mister Smartee, the $1.50 favourite, smashed the race record when he rated 1.54.3 over the 2130m and beat five-year-old and $26 chance Alcopony.
His time lowered the race record rate of 1.54.6 set by superstar pacer Chicago Bull when, as a five-year-old, he won this event from Maxentius in 2018.
Mister Smartee, who now boasts a record of nine wins from eleven starts for earnings of $138,380, gave champion trainer Gary Hall snr a record seventh win in the Four and Five-Year-Old Championship, following his successes with Love Of Glory (1990), Zakara (1991), Make The Rules (1999), Northview Punter (2014), Chicago Bull (2018) and Texas Tiger (2021).
Hall will now be looking forward to preparing Mister Smartee for rich feature events later this year, including the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on November 8, the $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship (November 15), the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic (November 22) and the $200,000 Golden Nugget (December 13).
Mister Smartee began from the No. 6 barrier on Friday night, and he raced three wide early to move to the breeze after 500m, with the polemarker Skylord ($4.40) setting a solid pace.
McDonald then was content to rate Mister Smartee in the breeze after a lead time of 36.8sec. and opening quarter of 29.6sec. The second and third 400m sections were covered in 28sec. and 27.5sec. and Mister Smartee forged to the front on the home turn and won by just over a half-length from Alcopony, who ran home solidly from sixth at the bell. Hale Saint Louie ($61) impressed in finishing strongly after racing three back on the pegs.
“Mister Smartee was super; he is everything I thought he was,” said McDonald. “It’s not that often that I’m so confident, and he backed up my confidence. They don’t get much more impressive than that.
“It was a massive run on a night that they were not running fast times. He faced the breeze, put the pressure on, did the chasing, and in the end he did it easily.
“He was cruising going into the bell when I was putting the pressure on. They then went for a bit of a sprint, and he dropped the bit, and I had to make sure he got going again. He always felt he was going to beat the leader. He just kept going; there’s no bottom to him.
“He is still very raw, talent wise. He used to be a horse who got over keen, and now he is getting a bit too relaxed. We’ve got to find the happy medium with him, and when we do, we will have one hell of a racehorse.”
Senior knows best
Young reinsman Stuart McDonald had to revise his plans with star pacer Jumpingjackmac in the 2536m Budget Stockfeeds In Oakford Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr instructed him to delay his challenge to the hot favourite Steel The Show.
It proved to be sound advice from the master, with McDonald obeying instructions to drive Jumpingjackmac, the $3.20 second fancy, to a decisive victory over the frontrunning Steel The Show, the $1.32 favourite.
“Jumpingjackmac (barrier two) has good gate speed, but I thought there was no chance of challenging Steel The Show (barrier one) and getting to the front,” said McDonald.
“I was planning to sit behind Steel the Show before getting off the pegs 1200 metres from home. But Senior didn’t want me to be the first to go at the 1200m.
“So, I was happy to take the sit and delay my challenge. The only worry was that I could be held up and unable to get into the clear.”
When Lindsay Harper dashed forward from the rear at the 1200m with $34 chance While They Pray to move to the breeze Jumpingjackmac was then in a pocket behind the leader.
Jumpingjackmac was badly blocked for a run until While They Pray began to wilt with 220m to travel. McDonald then was able to ease Jumpingjackmac off the pegs and the six-year-old sprinted fast to burst to the front 70m from the post and went on to beat Steel the Show by just under a length, rating 1.58.7 over the 2536m, with the final 400m sections being run in 28.6sec. and 27.4sec.
“Jumpingjackmac is in the zone and the way he is going I don’t think there was any way he wouldn’t win was unless I over-drove him,” said McDonald. “Once he saw daylight he took off and sprinted fast. I pulled the plugs half-way down the home straight, just to make sure, but I didn’t need to.”
Jumpingjackmac now has amassed $868,792 in prizemoney from 19 wins and 21 placings from 63 starts.
A breeze for Aardiebytheseaside
“She has a big motor and is pretty special,” enthused Deni Roberts after driving Aardiebytheseaside to an effortless victory in the $50,000 WASBA Breeders Stakes over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“She is just a machine, and we’re going to have some fun with her.”
Aardiebytheseaside, a lightly-raced New Zealand-bred four-year-old mare, has now scored very easily in group events at her first two appearances in Western Australia for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
She has been so impressive that she already looms as a major player in the feature events for four-year-olds late in the year, including the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic and the $150,000 Mares Classic in November.
Aardiebytheseaside could also be set to take on the male pacers in the $200,000 Golden Nugget over 2536m on December 13.
Aardiebytheseaside, the $1.04 favourite, began well from the No. 5 barrier, strolled to the front after 300m, and then relaxed over the opening quarters of the final mile in 30.6sec. and 29.8sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.4sec. and 27.8sec.
She was not extended in beating the $12 second fancy Acharne Girl by two lengths, with Nullarbor Navajo ($20) almost three lengths farther back in third place after working hard in the breeze for much of the way.
Aardiebytheseaside rated 1.56.1 over the 2130m and took her record to 23 starts for ten wins, eight placings and $292,451 in prizemoney.
Suvaljko makes the right choice
Twenty-one-year-old Joey Suvaljko had the choice of driving any one of his mother Sarah’s three runners --- Isaidboo, Peter Romeo and Classnsmart --- in the 1730m Larkhill Vets Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
But he made the right decision when he chose to handle Beyond Bling for Northam owner-trainer Lang Inwood.
Beyond Bling was a $9.70 chance from the No. 5 barrier, and Suvaljko drove a perfect race to land the New South Wales-bred gelding a narrow winner over the $3.60 second favourite Eve Crocker.
Beyond Bling settled down in sixth position after Classnsmart, a $17 chance driven by Suvaljko’s uncle Shannon Suvaljko, had charged straight to the front from the outside barrier in the field of nine.
When Corey Peterson moved Eve Crocker forward into the one-out, one-back position Joey Suvaljko eased Beyond Bling off the pegs to take a favourable trail behind that mare.
Eve Crocker burst to the front with 380m to travel and looked the winner when she held a two-length lead 220m from home. But Beyond Bling finished with a determined burst to snatch victory by a neck, rating 1.56.1. The victory gave the young Suvaljko his 39TH success in the sulky.
“Joey made the right choice ahead of his mother’s runners,” said Inwood, who purchased beyond Bling for $14,000 last December. The five-year-old now has had 21 starts for Inwood for two wins, five placings and $18,906 in stakes, taking the gelding’s career record to 60 starts for nine wins, 17 placings and $73,511.
Beyond Bling is by former star pacer Bling It On, who earned $1,882,957 from 49 wins and 24 placings from 100 starts, with his victories including the 2014 Queensland Derby and the 2017 Hunter Cup and 2019 Victoria Cup at Melton.
Beyond Bling’s dam Abovenbeyond raced 70 times for 16 wins, 20 placings and $55,840.
Happy Duty Bound succeeds
Veteran pacer Duty Bound is appreciating the tender care of his trainer Jemma Hayman, and he maintained his recent burst of good form with an all-the-way success in the 2130m Give It Your Best Shot With Ultimate Sniper Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He had a reputation over east of being cranky and had the tendency to put the boots in,” said Hayman. “But keeping him sound and happy has cured him of that, and I’m happy that he’s happy. He has had some feet issues, like a lot of Mach Three pacers. Other than that, he has been good.”
Duty Bound was the $2.10 favourite from the No. 2 barrier, and Chris Voak got him away smartly to take up the running from the polemarker and $3.30 second fancy Wall Street Girl, with Tux And Tails beginning speedily from barrier six to race in the breeze.
Duty Bound ran the final quarters in 29sec. and 28.9sec. and beat Mega Mach by a half-length after that pacer had made an unsuccessful early bid for the lead and then dropped back to race in the one-out, two-back position.
The New Zealand-bred Duty Bound is an eight-year-old who has earned $78,165 from nine wins and 25 placings from 61 starts. He is the third foal out of the Washington VC mare Well Hereshoping, who failed to win from 27 New Zealand starts before winning four times on country tracks from ten Victorian starts.
Carana is a stand specialist
No pacer deserves to be recognised as a standing-start specialist ahead of the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Carana, who maintained his splendid form with a comfortable victory in the Go First Class With Ramsay’s Horse Transport Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Carana, prepared by Forrestdale trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has raced 26 times for eleven wins, six seconds and two thirds. All those starts, with the exception of one in New Zealand and one in Western Australia, have been in stands.
His mobile appearances have resulted in a third at Addington and a tenth placing in the Christmas Gift at Gloucester Park last December.
Carana won twice in stands from nine New Zealand starts, and his WA record is 17 starts (16 in stands) for nine wins and four placings.
He was the $1.70 favourite from the 10m mark on Friday night when he began safely and Deni Roberts quickly had him poised to strike from the one-out, one-back position while the $7 second fancy Jill Mach was setting the pace and being put under pressure by Frankie J Holden.
Roberts waited until 300m from home to switch Carana three wide, and the gelding sprinted strongly to dash to the front 100m from the post to win by just under a length from Jill Mach.
“Stands do suit Carana,” said Roberts. “They mean that he doesn’t have to do too much work early, whereas in mobiles he gets a bit revvy. Obviously, he will soon get to too a high a grade in stands and will have to return to mobile racing.
“He hasn’t had that many starts and has now turned into a good racehorse. Sat up, he’s very fast, and being so close up tonight entitled him to sit there until late.”
Carana completed a treble in the sulky for Roberts, who had been successful earlier in the night with Lusaka and Aardiebytheseaside.
Lusaka is on the move
Lusaka, a winner of nine races as a three-year-old, notched his second win as a four-year-old when he proved too strong for his eight rivals in the 2130m Fly With Fly Like An Eagle Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His victory over Vanderbilt and Franco Ecuador showed that he has the ability to keep improving and develop into a serious contender in the rich events for four-year-olds late this year.
He was the $3.70 second fancy from the No. 5 barrier, with the polemarker Franco Ecuador the $1.90 favourite, and Vanderbilt an $8 chance from barrier No. 2.
Franco Ecuador set the pace, with Arma Xfactor ($7.50) in the breeze, Vanderbilt trailing the pacemaker, and Lusaka enjoying an ideal passage, one-out and one-back.
Deni Roberts was happy to bide her time before sending Lusaka forward, three wide, with 300m to travel. Lusaka sprinted smartly and took the lead 130m from the post before winning from Vanderbilt and Franco Ecuador. The final 800m was covered in 56.4sec. and Lusaka rated 1.55.9.
“He is progressing into a really nice type,” said Roberts. “I thought that this was a good race in which to sit him up. He has been doing a lot of work in his races and I don’t like to drive him like that all the time.
“Obviously, you do when you have to but with the opportunity to sit him up you can see that he can sit and sprint as well. When I pulled him out, he was winning. He felt really good.”
Lusaka, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, has had 24 starts for 13 wins, six placings and $154,717in prizemoney. He looks set for a bright career.
Voak and McDonald are shining
Chris Voak and Stuart McDonald were shining lights at Gloucester Park on Friday night when not even the photo finish camera was able to separate them at the finish of the Grange Bloodstock Insurance Pace.
After a head and head struggle over the final 300 metres between Post Game (Voak) and Hes Never Been Beta (McDonald) the two pacers were locked together as they crossed the finishing line.
Post Game’s victory completed a double for Voak, who had been successful earlier in the night with Duty Bound, while McDonald’s win with Hes Never Been Beta gave him a treble after he had won earlier with Mister Smartee and Jumpingjackmac.
Voak continued in fine form at Bunbury on Saturday night when he landed a treble with Caberneigh, Northview Dance and Linebacker, while McDonald also drove three winners there, scoring with Maddy Maddy, Madam Publisher and The State Of Art. McDonald, who trained Madam Publisher and The State Of Art for first-up wins, travelled to Kellerberrin on Sunday where he drove Local Resident to victory in the final event.
Post Game was the $1.45 favourite on the fixed market on Friday night’s event, with Hes Never Been Beta quoted at $6.50. When the dead-heat was declared Post Game returned a dividend of exactly $1, with Hes Never Been Beta paying $5.10.
Post Game set the pace from the No. 1 barrier, with Hes Never Been Beta working hard in the breeze after starting from the outside barrier in the field of seven. Hes Never Been Beta got to a narrow lead 300m from the post, but Post Game fought back tenaciously in the home straight.
Hes Never Been Beta completed a training treble for Gary Hall snr, who had won earlier in the program with Mister Smartee and Jumpingjackmac.
Lucapelo finished third behind Post Game and Hes Never Been Beta, with Advantage catching the eye with a powerful late burst, out five wide, to finish a close fourth.
Rockandrollartist bred to succeed
Five-year-old WA-bred gelding Rockandrollartist is the tenth foal out of Artists Impression, and he is bred to follow in the footsteps of his half-brothers Heez On Fire and Papinik and become a prolific city winner.
Rockandrollartist, trained by Aiden De Campo, was the $1.90 favourite when Trent Wheeler drove him to a smart all-the-way win in the $19,000 Pegasus and Milne Feeds Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night. It was an excellent performance at his third appearance at Gloucester Park.
Heez On Fire earned $287,607 from 20 wins and eight placings from 52 starts, and Papinik has had 25 starts for 14 wins, seven placings and $145,511.
Wheeler used Rockandrollartist’s sparkling gate speed to advantage from the No. 5 barrier to charge straight to the front. After modest opening quarters of 30.9sec. and 31sec. Rockandrollartist sped over the final 400m sections in 28.8sec. and 27.6sec. to win by just over a half-length from $31 chance Rockmyster, who was tenth at the bell before finishing powerfully.
“It makes it a lot easier when you have good gate speed and can put yourself into a nice forward position,” said Wheeler.
“Rocknrollartist was never in any real danger tonight. We went a little bit slow and let a couple of other horses get into the race cheaply. But he hit the line well and got the job done. I expect him to be better after a spell following this campaign.”
A first for Wheeler
Talented Collie reinsman Trent Wheeler made hay while the sun was shining when he filled in for absent Capel trainer Aiden De Campo at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Wheeler completed a double with De Campo-trained pacers when he drove promising filly Miss Hepburn to victory in the final event, the $21,000 Go To Allwood Stud To Breed Your Westbred Star Pace.
He had won earlier in the night with Rockandrollartist, and Miss Hepburn’s win gave the 39-year-old Wheeler his first city double.
Wheeler, a full-time auto electrician in Collie, has enjoyed great successes on country tracks and his 540 winners have included bags of four wins on a program at Wagin and Albany.
He has driven 32 winners this season, following his outstanding year in the 2023 season when he won 96 races, including the group 1 Mares Classic and the group 2 Empress Stakes with Simply Shaz.
He also won the group 1 Westbred Classic for three-year-old fillies with Once Bitten in July 2015, and the group 1 Four-Year-Old Classic with Pinny Tiger in December 2022.
Miss Hepburn was the $3.30 second fancy, with Xceptional Arma the $2.60 favourite in Friday night’s 1730m event. Wheeler had to drive Miss Hepburn hard early from the No. 2 barrier when challenged by $4.40 chance Relatively Arma.
Miss Hepburn was able to hold the lead and she dashed over the 400m sections of the race in 28.9sec., 29.8sec., 29sec. and 29.1sec. to win by a half-length from $10 chance Sugar Delight, who ran home strongly from fifth at the bell. The winner rated 1.55.9 and took her record to eleven starts for two wins, five seconds and two thirds for stakes of $79,512.
Miss Hepburn is by former star pacer Ultimate Machete, who was retired with earnings of $823,896 from 13 wins and 11 placings from 32 starts. His wins included the group 1 Four-Year-Old Classic and the group 1 Golden Nugget at Gloucester Park in November and December 2017.
Her dam is the Grinfromeartoear mare Montanas Smile, who managed three placings from 16 starts and produced Bolta, who was retired with a record of 107 starts for 11 wins, 30 placings and stakes of $97,606.
Wheeler said that he was more than happy to substitute in the sulky for De Campo, who was attending a wedding in Byron Bay.
“Aiden filled me with confidence when he said if we could get out hard enough and hold the lead, we should win the race,” said Wheeler. “As it turned out, he was right. She is a beautiful filly and very honest.”
Wheeler certainly deserved his wins with Rockandrollartist and Miss Hepburn. He is a regular track driver for De Campo at his Capel training establishment, making the 45-minute drive from Collie to Capel to drive trackwork before returning home to Collie to go to work as an auto electrician.
