Reinsman Morgan Woodley with the owners of Mysta Magical Mac after the 2009 WA Pacing Cup
Four-year-old New Zealand-bred Mysta Magical Mach completed the most spectacular rise to stardom in WA pacing history when he surged home from 12th and last at the bell to snatch a thrilling final-stride victory in the $400,000 Find Thirty WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It was a dream result for 62-year-old Byford trainer Tony Svilicich, part-owners Andrew Curran and Sonya Murrell and 20-year-old reinsman Morgan Woodley.
Twenty-eight days before the prestigious group one event Mysta Magical Mach was an M0-class pacer, a metropolitan maiden who no-one, apart from his connections, had even remotely considered as a possible Pacing Cup contender.
But the combination of the astute Svilicich and the youthful genius of Woodley has seen Mysta Magical Mach have six starts in the space of 29 days for five wins and a second, culminating in his remarkable Cup victory over New South Wales millionaire pacer and 6/4 favourite Divisive.
In this brief period Mysta Magical Mach has accumulated $314,945 in prizemoney, providing a tremendous result for Svilicich, Curran and Murrell with a splendid return from their $130,000 investment a mere two months ago.
The Cup victory came as a wonderful 41st birthday present to Murrell, a battling single mother of two young girls, Paige (14) and Danielle (12), with the first harness horse she has raced.
For the Croatian-born Svilicich, this was his finest moment in harness racing and added further mystique to his claims as an unorthodox training phenomenon.
There is certainly no doubt that the roughly-hewn, gravel-voiced mumbler is a true freak when it comes to the preparation of a harness horse.
And the sky is the limit for the slender baby-faced Woodley, who is able to consistently get the best out a surging, pulsating and excited half-ton of rippling horseflesh. In the past two years he has exploded on the WA pacing scene like a meteor, and his flame gets brighter with the passing of each day.
So, in the end it was an irresistible force of horse, trainer and driver which triumphed in WA’s biggest event. It was Woodley’s first drive in a WA Pacing Cup and he also created a bit of history by becoming the first person to notch the double of a WA Trotting Cup and WA Pacing Cup in the one season.
It was just two weeks earlier that Woodley, a master of judging the pace and tempo of a race, had brought Compressor from tenth in the middle stages with a powerful burst to win the 2009 Trotters Cup at Gloucester Park.
The 2009 WA Pacing Cup saw Svilicich gear up only his second runner in the big event. He was unsuccessful with Digger of Fortune in the 2004 Cup.
And it was the grand oldstager Digger of Fortune who brought together Svilicich and Curran, a 38-year-old harness racing enthusiast from the Victorian city of Bendigo.
It was back in the winter of 2004 that Curran was impressed with the form of the Svilicich-trained Digger of Fortune and he claimed the gelding on the night he won a Gloucester Park claimer on June 16, 2004.
Curran then raced Digger of Fortune in Melbourne, but after six starts for him in Victoria had produced only a fourth at Bendigo and a third at Moonee Valley for stakes of $1100 he scratched his head and made a wise decision.
He sent Digger of Fortune back to WA to be trained by Svilicich. The old gelding went from strength to strength, winning another 16 races and a further $80,000-odd in prizemoney.
“It’s been a fantastic dream, the past four or five weeks with this horse,” Curran said after the Cup. “We started with a dream to try to win the Golden Nugget. The horse arrived here about ten days before the Nugget and it’s been a remarkable story.”
Mysta Magical Mach started at tote odds of 83/1 when he stormed home to finish second to Schinzig Buller in the Nugget. Then he went on to win four races at Gloucester Park, including the Christmas Gift at 10/1 to force his way into the WA Pacing Cup field as an M4-class pacer with the smallest amount of prizemoney in the field of 12.
He was a 12/1 chance with bookmakers and paid odds of 13/1 on the tote in the Cup in which big punters rallied to support Divisive from 9/4 to 6/4, with Fremantle Cup winner Power of Tara at 7/2.
Curran went on to declare that Svilicich was “without a doubt the best trainer in Australia.”
“He’s done a fantastic job and deserves all the credit,” he said. “And Woodley is in the top few reinsmen in the country.
Woodley, cool and calculating as usual, drove patiently and didn’t use up any extra energy after restraining Mysta Magical Mach from barrier seven. Mysta Magical Mach raced in the moving line in 11th position and he was last, three wide, at the bell before sustaining a tremendous burst, out five and six wide, to charge home and grab Divisive right on the line, rating 1.58 over the 2536m.
Scruffy Murphy (Mark Reed) dashed past Power of Tara to take up the running soon after the start and then Chris Lewis sent Sneakyn Down Under forward to work hard on the outside of the pacemaker.
Ryan Bell cleverly positioned Power of Tara in the one-out, one-back position before he took off with a three-wide burst 1100m from home. Peter Rixon followed this run with Divisive.
Sneakyn Down Under eventually got to the lead 550m from home and Power of Tara moved into second place at then 300m mark. But these two horses began to wilt and Rixon sent Divisive to the front with 260m to travel.
Hayton Brain (ninth, three wide at the bell) went four wide on the home turn and finished resolutely. Mysta Magical Mach was out five wide on the turn and he thundered home to gain the thrilling last-gasp victory. Hayton Brain was a great close-up third for trainer-driver Donald Harper, with Fleur De Lil fourth, just ahead of Spirit of Shard.
Mysta Magical Mach now will contest next Friday night’s $125,000 Australian Pacing Championship and the $50,000 West Australian Newspapers Nights of the Thunder over 1730m the following Friday.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic,” Woodley said. “And what a training effort by Tony Svilicich to get this four-year-old to win the Cup. If anyone had said six weeks ago that Mysta Magical Mach would win the Cup, you would’ve just laughed.
“We’ve been very excited about the way he’s been coming along and we’re very proud of him. Being out wide and so far back at the bell was exactly where you don’t want to be in the Cup. I pulled him out turning into the back straight and pulled the plugs. I said ‘go boy’ and he did.
“I thought I had the race won half-way down the straight, but Divisive, to his credit, really fought it out hard to the finish.”
And in this wonderful latest chapter in the rich history of the WA Pacing Cup, Sonya Murrell can hardly believe her fortune with the first pacer she has owned (in partnership with Svilicich and Curran).
Born in England in Lancashire, half way between Liverpool and Manchester, she always loved horses and was a successful show jumper. She emigrated to Australia 20 years ago, got married and now has two delightful daughters Paige and Danielle, each of whom are keen competitors in pony club events.
Murrell, who celebrated her 41st birthday last Monday, started work 12 months ago assisting farrier and well-known trainer-driver Tommy Sheehy.
It was through Sheehy that she met Svilicich and that friendship has seen her become an immediate success as an owner.
Mysta Magical Mach became the 12th four-year-old to have won a WA Pacing Cup and the first since The Falcon Strike in 2002. And he becomes the first horse to win the Cup from barrier seven in 18 races since the Cup went to a mobile format of nine off the front line and three off the back row.
LIVELY ROYCE LOOKS TO THE AUST. PACING CHAMPIONSHIP
Crack four-year-old Lively Royce virtually assured himself of a start in the $125,000 Australian Pacing Championship at Gloucester Park next Friday night when he charged home from last at the bell to win the $25,000 Find Thirty WA Pacing Cup Consolation on Friday night.
Owner Larry Fischer, who listened to the race at his home in New York, was thrilled with the performance and declared that the New Zealand-bred pacer would prove hard to beat in the APC.
Fischer praised Bunbury trainer John Graham and young reinsman Justin Prentice, while adding that nobody really understood how sick Lively Royce was when he finished eighth in the Golden Nugget and fifth in the McInerney Ford Classic in late November and early December.
“He was really sick and his form since getting better has been phenomenal,” he said. “John Graham has done a sensational job and Justin has driven the horse to perfection in his recent wins.
“Lively Royce’s biggest attribute is that he is so versatile. He is lazy, but Justin is always able to get the best out of him.”
Lively Royce, a winner of one race from 15 starts in New Zealand, now has the impressive record in WA of 11 wins and two placings from 18 starts.
On Friday night, Prentice eased Lively Royce (second favourite at 11/4) from barrier five and the four-year-old settled down in eighth place while Amongst Royalty attended to the early pace.
With 950m to travel Morgan Woodley urged Global Force (10/1) forward from his position in eighth place in the moving line. Global Force’s three-wide run was followed by Argent Treasure (11/2) and Lively Royce.
Lively Royce went five wide on the home turn and Global Force finished gamely to take a narrow lead about 40m from the post before he was overhauled by Lively Royce and Argent Treasure.
Lively Royce went to the line unextended, while Argent Treasure snatched second place from Global Force by a head. Amongst Royalty was a close-up fourth. Tee Pee Village, the 9/4 favourite, worked hard outside the pacemaker before fading to finish sixth.
CROWN BROMAC RESUMES IN FINE STYLE
Promising youngster Crown Bromac returned to racing after a 11-month absence in fine style with an easy 8m victory over star juvenile James Matthew in the Find Better Health Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Crown Bromac, owned by Kevin Jeavons and trained at Byford by Noel Keiley, dashed to the front 250m after the start and Gave a splendid frontrunning display to record a slick mile rate of 1.57.6 over 2130m.
It was an impressive performance which showed that the son of McArdle would be a leading candidate for the coming three-year-old feature events. Crown Bromac now boasts the impressive record of four starts for three wins, all at Gloucester Park.
“It was a good first-up run,” said Gary Hall jun., who was driving the colt for the first time. “I had to use him up out of the gate to get across to the front. He copped some pressure throughout and finished off nicely. It was a really good run.”
The pressure applied came from James Matthew, who started from the outside barrier and was restrained early to avoid being trapped out wide.
But then James Matthew had the misfortune to be badly checked 250m after the start. Allied Force shifted up the track slightly and caused Nat Serling to be checked. Nat Serling then caused interference to James Matthew, who had to be checked and was forced wide while losing a couple of lengths.
James Matthew then forged forward and moved into the breeze 700m after the start. He then began to race very keenly and pulled hard. The final 800m was covered in 58.2sec. James Matthew fought on gamely to finish second, just over a length ahead of The Bantam, who ran on from last at the bell.
Star reinsman Gary Hall was in top form at Gloucester Park on Friday night with four winners, including Indian Giver, who made an outstanding Australian debut in scoring in dashing style in the fifth heat of The West Australian Nights of Thunder.
Indian Giver, a lightly-raced five-year-old, lived up to all expectations when he began speedily and led his rivals on a merry dance before winning by just over a length from Pablito, rating 1.56.1 over the 1730m journey.
Hall’s other winners were Crown Bromac, Talk To Me Courage and Our Toto.
Indian Giver, a winner of seven races from only ten starts in New Zealand, showed that he would be hard to beat in the $50,000 Nights of Thunder final in a fortnight.
“He’s been working well at home and we were expecting a big show,” Hall said. “We weren’t intending to lead from the start. We thought that Mark Reed’s horse (Petason) would probably show a bit too much speed for us and we’d probably have to sit outside him.
“But Indian Giver got out really good. He overraced a bit, which has been a bit of a concern at home. But it was pleasing that he was going comfortably on the line.”
Indian Giver’s overall time for the 1730m of 2min. 4.8sec. was faster than the time recorded by Talk To Me Courage when he gave a powerful frontrunning display to win the third heat of the Nights of Thunder. Talk To Me Courage rated a slick 1.56.7 after a gross time of 2min. 5.4sec.
Hall jun. said that the five-year-old Talk To me Courage was not much to look at, but was a very smart pacer with a bright future. “He’s pretty narrow and doesn’t look like much,” he said. “But he’s got a lot of speed and a bit of heart. He’s got good gate speed and he relaxes when you use it, and they’re attributes of a good horse.”
Indian Giver, Talk To Me Courage and Our Toto are all trained by Gary Hall sen., who revealed that Indian Giver, who had recovered from an operation to cure a fractured pastern, was not an expensive purchase.
Hall sen. also said that Our Toto, a four-year-old Christian Cullen gelding, was a cheap buy. He was one of eight New Zealand-bred pacers to win on the ten-event program.
Our Toto, favourite at 2/1, started from the outside barrier and settled in ninth position before Hall dashed him forward with a sizzling burst to surge past the pacemaker Exceedingthelimit with 1100m to travel.
Our Toto then bowled along in front and won well from Exceedingthelimit (who finished gamely) and Nowuseeme.
Five-year-old Fourmoore, bred and owned by former star Test batsman Mark Waugh, gave further poof of his ability when he crushed his rivals in the Find Thirty and Feel Great Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It was the gelding’s third win from six starts in WA for Bickley trainer Peter Anderson. Those six starts have produced $33,880 in stakes.
Reinsman Morgan Woodley said that a switch from mobiles to stands had proved beneficial for Fourmoore. The gelding’s first 55 starts were in mobiles for 12 wins. His first two runs in stands have resulted in a good second to Flying Nemo and Friday night’s two-length win over Ona Wingandaprayer.
“We had a bit of trouble with him in the mobiles,” Woodley explained. “He was doing early work and not really finishing off his races. It seems a lot easier for him in the stands.
“I think he will be able to graduate to an M3 or M4 mark, and then it wouldn’t surprise me if that after a spell he came back and took the next step.”
Pats Dilemma led early before Fourmoore surged to the front after 450m. Dalmore Disco raced without cover early and then Surfin Superstar moved to the breeze with 1400m to travel, with backmarker Badboy Nitro forced to work overtime, three wide, in the middle stages.
McRaes Mate went forward and issued a serious challenge at the 400m mark. But Fourmoore easily resisted the challenge and dashed right away from his rivals.
MISTER ODDS ON LIVES UP TO HIS NAME
Punters who supported Mister Odds On at short quotes had few worries when Colin Brown drove the Greg Bond-trained four-year-old to an easy victory over Steuben in the fourth heat of the Nights of Thunder at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mister Odds On started at 5/2 on and after dashing to the front 300m after the start he set a brisk pace and was not extended, rating 1.59.3.
“He did only what he had to do,” Brown explained. “I was very happy to get away with a 33sec. second quarter of the final mile. He came home in 27.6sec. and he was pretty casual about it, too.
“I got the plugs out half-way up the straight and he sort of wandered to the line. I’d hate to say what he could really run a quarter in. I think it would be pretty special.”
The Ross Olivieri-trained eight-year-old Davisons Destiny notched his fourth win from five WA starts since arriving from Victoria when he proved too strong for his rivals in the sixth heat of the Nights of Thunder.
Davisons Destiny, the 5/4 favourite, enjoyed a perfect trip, one-out and one-back, before Chris Lewis took him three wide 400m from home. The gelding sprinted to the front on the home turn and won easily from the pacemaker Rudiani, rating 1.57.7 over the 1730m.
BIG NIGHT FOR NEW ZEALAND-BRED PACERS
Eastwood Star completed a tremendous night for New Zealand-bred pacers at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Mark Reed drove her to an all-the-way victory over Star City Roller in the 2503m Find Thirty Handicap.
The eight-year-old mare, trained at Meckering by Clayton Elliott, was the eighth New Zealand-bred pacer to have succeeded on the ten-event program.
Sent out favourite at 7/2, Eastwood Star was beaten out by Laser Mountain before Reed sent her to the front 400m after the start. Eastwood Star sprinted the final 800m in 58.5sec. to give her rivals little chance.
Eastwood Star ended a losing sequence of 12 in recording her 13th victory from 125 starts. She won twice in New Zealand in 2004 and six times in Adelaide before coming to WA in the winter of 2007.
She was unsuccessful at her first 44 starts in WA before breaking through for an overdue success at Kellerberrin last May. She then won twice at Geraldton (in June and July) and again at Kellerberrin in October.
Before Friday night’s win, Eastwood Star had raced 39 times at Gloucester Park for no wins, seven seconds, one third and 31 unplaced runs. Perseverance pays: Well done, Clayton Elliott.
