Chris Voak
Dazzling all-the-way victories by Sensational Gabby on the past two Friday nights have boosted Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri’s confidence that the speedy mare will give him his fourth success in the Navy Cup by proving too smart for her seven rivals in the $35,000 feature event at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
But reinsman Chris Voak has sounded an ominous warning, declaring that Leda McNally has the firepower to lower Sensational Gabby’s colours in the 2130m mobile event in which Leda McNally will start from the prized No. 1 barrier, with Sensational Gabby favourably drawn at barrier two.
At her most recent appearance, in the 1730m Members Sprint last Friday week, Leda McNally started from barrier three and raced in the breeze early before gaining the one-out, one-back sit and fighting on doggedly to finish in third place, three lengths behind the pacemaker Sensational Gabby.
With the advantage in the draw this week, Voak is confident that Leda McNally has the ability to turn the tables on Sensational Gabby.
“We’ve got the barrier draw and Gabby hasn’t been able to beat Leda when she (Leda) has led,” Voak said. “Sensational Gabby has beaten Leda McNally only once, and that was last Friday week. This week I’m sure that Leda McNally will jump straight to the front and that Sensational Gabby will not be able to cross her.
“At her latest outing Leda McNally (from barrier three) got a neck in front of Gabby out of the gate. In my opinion Leda McNally is every bit as quick as Sensational Gabby. I have driven both mares and Leda will definitely lead this week. Gabby can’t cross her.
“If I hand up, you will just give the race to Sensational Gabby. If we make her work and she beats Leda McNally, she’ll be the better horse on the night. If we have any chance of winning it is to lead and to make Gabby sit outside in a role that she is not as well suited to as leading.”
Leda McNally did not race last Friday night when Chris Lewis took full advantage of the No. 1 barrier to score a stylish all-the-way win with Sensational Gabby in the 2130m Stratton Cup.
Pinjarra trainer Chris King took Leda McNally to the Pinjarra track on Sunday morning and drove her in a 2185m trial in which she finished with a sustained burst from well back to defeat the pacemaker Caesars Cloud and Mantoman at a modest 2.1.4 rate after dashing over the final two quarters in 28.6sec. and 29.7sec.
“Chris was impressed with her trial,” Voak said. “She ran 1min. 26.7sec. for the final 1200m after being 40m off the lead with 1300m to go. He said that she went exceptionally well.”
A mare has not won the Navy Cup since Golden Goddess beat Royal Motoring and Shattering Class in 1998. The Navy Cup has been decided 43 times and only five other mares have been successful --- Petite Arab (1966), Mount Mist (1968), Anna’s Ann (1977), Maid Aachen (1978) and Windy Jean (1979).
Posing a threat to Leda McNally and Sensational Gabby is West Australian-bred six-year-old Polak, who will start out wide at barrier six for Hazelmere trainer Mike Reed and his son, reinsman Mark Reed.
Polak reappeared after a four-month absence in last Friday night’s Stratton Cup when he was restrained to the rear from barrier five and caught the eye when he surged home with a powerful burst from eighth and last at the bell to finish second to Sensational Gabby.
“That run will have done him the world of good,” Reed sen. said. “He’ll improve on the run and he’ll be right in it on Friday night. He’s got gate speed and if we want him to come, he’ll come out (fast). He’s only second-up and I don’t want to kill him. I’ll leave the tactics up to Mark.”
The Reed family has a tremendous record in the Navy Cup, having won the event eight times. Mike Reed has trained the winner of the race six times --- with Sylvie’s Secret (1986), Manageable (1989), Time Symbol (1992), Golden Resonator (2001), Tricky Vic (2002) and La Valiente (2004).
He drove Sylvie’s Secret, Manageable and Time Symbol and Mark was successful with Golden Resonator, Tricky Vic and La Valiente, as well as scoring with Another Party (1999) and Skippers Trick (2000).
Olivieri’s Navy Cup winners have been Chipmont (1991), Western Gentleman (1994), Mark Craig (1995) and Super Strike (1996). Lewis was the successful driver behind Western Gentleman, Mark Craig and Super Strike and he also won the race with Skiptar in 1980.
