Donald Harper
Oldbury trainer-reinsman Donald Harper has thrown down the gauntlet to the opposition by saying that he was hellbent on leading with veteran pacer Black Pontiac in the $25,000 Governor’s Cup at Gloucester Park on tonight and hoping to withstand all challenges.
“The plan is to cross from barrier three and run 1.55 over the 1730m,” he said. “If they’re good enough to sit outside me and beat me, so be it.”
But rival trainers, Gary Hall sen. and Ray Williams are also full of confidence, with Hall declaring that polemarker Spectactular was ready for a big effort at his first outing for eight months and Williams saying that Pacific Warrior was at the peak of his powers.
Black Pontiac, a Victorian-bred eight-year-old , bounced back to his best at his fourth run after a five-month absence when he revealed dazzling early speed from the No. 4 barrier to burst straight to the front before setting a brisk pace and winning from Jungle Jewel at a 1.55,.2 rate over 1730m on Tuesday of last week.
This ended a losing streak of 23. But Harper said that it always took Black Pontiac a few runs to reach his top and that the gelding would be fitter this week. It is significant that Black Pontiac’s six most recent victories have been over 1730m.
“Spectactular would need to be very quick to hold Black Pontiac out at the start,” said Harper, who owns the gelding with his partner Tara Sweet.
“I was training Black Pontiac for Jim Currie when he gave him to us as a gift about three years ago.” Then, in his first 29 starts for his new owners Black Pontiac managed only two third placings before he broke through for a win in a $3000 R3-R4 event over 2180m at Wagin in April 2013. The gift horse has now won eight times for his new owners, earning $74,879 to take his career record to 107 starts for 18 wins, 15 placings and stakes of $119,169.
Hall said that Spectactular, a New Zealand-bred six-year-old who would be making his third Australian appearance this week, was a certainty if he led. Leading reinsman Gary Hall jun. has given punters a strong lead by opting to drive Spectacular, an M0 performer, in preference to outstanding stablemate Northview Punter, an M9 classified pacer who will start from the outside of the front line with Clint Hall in the sulky.
“We’re looking to lead,” said Hall sen. “Obviously Black Pontiac will want to lead as well, so I’d say there will be a bit of fireworks early. We’re hoping to lead and I think he can. I have nominated him as an M0 performer in this race just so he can draw a barrier and have a winning chance.
“He’s had a hoof abscess which turned into a quarter crack,” Hall sen. said. “He’s alright now.”
Spectactular, a winner at eight of his 36 starts in New Zealand, made an auspicious Australian debut when he led from barrier two and won effortlessly over 2130m at Gloucester Park last June. Then at his next start he raced three wide for much of the way and finished third behind Dynamite Dude in a 2503m stand at Gloucester Park.
Williams, who prepares Pacific Warrior at Mt Helana, is confident that the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old will win the Governor’s Cup for the second year in a row. Pacific Warrior was favourite at 3/1 on from the prized No. 1 barrier in last year’s Cup over 2130m when Kade Howson drove him to an easy all-the-way win from Mighty Flying Thomas and Uppy Son.
“I think he’s now more experienced and believes in himself a bit more,” Williams said. “Early in his career he did most of his racing at Pinjarra. He is such a big horse that he had trouble getting around the corners at Gloucester Park. It took a bit of gear changing and a bit of perseverance to get him happy, and once he was happy he was able to handle the half mile at Gloucester Park where he now gets around the bends as good as any big horse.
“His win in the 2130m RWWA Cup last Friday night was one of his best performances. Dropping back to 1730m this week will be no problem. Change in distance doesn’t worry my horses. They are adaptable to racing over varying distances. I leave the tactics to Kade.”
Pacific Warrior will start from the No. 5 barrier this week and is expected to be driven aggressively --- like he was from barrier seven last week when he raced three wide early before charging to the front after 700m and then sprinting over the final 800mm in 56.7sec. to win by more than two lengths from Bettors Fire and Northview Punter.
The Tony Svilicich-trained Shardons Rocket warmed up for the Governor’s Cup with an easy win over Old McDonald in a 2536m event at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening when he strolled to the front after 450m and sprinted over the final 800m in 56.9sec. He will start out wide at barrier six on Friday night and faces a tough task.
Diamond Geezer
Diamond Geezer, a skinny, gangly gelding, is proving a wonderful bargain for Chris Germain and Waroona trainer Nigel Johns is confident he will make a strong bid for victory in the $30,000 Swan Draught Great Southern Stars Trot over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri also predicts that Earl Or Nothing will prove hard to beat from the No. 1 barrier.
Diamond Geezer, to be driven by Morgan Woodley, will start from the inside of the back line and should enjoy an ideal passage, particularly if Earl Or Nothing sets the pace.
Johns bought Diamond Geezer as an unraced four-year-old from his Victorian breeder Frank Evans on behalf of Germain, a sister of Johns’s partner Deb Woodley, for a mere $2000. The gelding, described by Johns as slim as a snake, has proved an excellent buy, earning $64,907 from nine wins and 16 placings from 54 starts.
Diamond Geezer is one of three runners for Johns in Friday night’s trot. He will drive Earl Harbour and Kyle Harper will handle Xenon.
“Diamond Geezer is my best chance, for sure,” said Johns. “He’s got a really good 600m sprint and he’s realty taken the next step and is up to the best in WA. He’s a clever horse who learns and keeps progressing.
“We got him cheaply because Evans didn’t like him and reckoned he was lazy and had no speed.
“If Earl Harbour can get a nice spot on Friday night he has a good chance to finish in the money, but it will be tough for Xenon from the outside of the front line.”
Earl Or Nothing has been placed at two of his past five starts after his first nine starts of the season produced six wins, two seconds and a fourth placing.
“He’s been off big handicaps in stands and has drawn badly in mobiles,” Olivieri said. “We’ve freshened him up and he hasn’t raced for three weeks. He had a jump out in a mobile trial at Byford on Sunday and he got out quicker than the pacers. He needed one more satisfactory trial to get back in the draw.
“We’re very happy with him and finally he’s got barrier one. I haven’t seen barrier one for ages and he should give am good account of himself and prove to be the one to beat over the short trip.”
Enjoy A Coldie, from barrier two on the back line, looks a good each-way prospect. Trainer-driver Nathan Turvey said that he was disappointed with the gelding’s last-start sixth behind Hot Holiday at Gloucester Park last Saturday week. “But I expect a better showing from him this week,” he said.
Brown says Erskine Range is sensational
Banjup trainer-reinsman Colin Brown described Erskine Range’s workout on the beach at Naval Base on Tuesday morning as “sensational” and he is bubbling with confidence that the talented five-year-old will set the pace and win the $25,000 final of the Lewis Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Erskine Range, a winner of 18 races from 54 starts, has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier and he simply looks too fast and too good for his 11 rivals.
He qualified for the final with an easy four-length victory over The Court Jester last Friday night, rating a slick 1.56.3 over the 2130m journey. He started out wide at No. 5 on the front line before surging past Bhagwan and into the lead after 500m.
“In his early days Erskine Range had tremendous gate speed,” Brown said. “We haven’t used that yet. Friday night is probably the night. I can’t see anything crossing him, even though there is a bit of speed outside of us.
“He came out under a hold last week and Bhagwan was under the bat. He’s been getting a bit lazy and I gave him a tap up to let him know that he had to run to the line. I activated the pull-downs 300m from home just to let him know he had to finish off. And he did; he was just jogging.
“His work this morning (Tuesday) was very, very strong, the best he’s ever felt. He works on the sand at the beach every day and he wades, but we don’t swim him. This morning I galloped him up in the cart and gave him two sprints. He just felt sensational and the sprint-ups should sharpen him right up for Friday night.”
Jasper Freeway, an impressive all-the-way heat winner for Busselton trainer Matt White, fared badly in the draw and faces a stern test from the outside of the front line. White has engaged Morgan Woodley to drive the lightly-raced seven-year-old for the first time.
Hazelmere trainer Mike Reed’s two runners Mon Lamour and My Samanatha Jane also fared poorly, with Mon Lamour at No. 5 and My Samantha Janes at barrier six. Mark Reed will drive My Samantha Jane (five wins and three placings from her past eight starts) and Clint Kimes will handle last-start winner Mon Lamour.
Kristy Sheehy steps into the breach
Troy Lewis was suspended for 22 days at an adjourned inquiry on Monday, giving young driver Kristy Sheehy the chance to handle handy six-year-old Fully Zapped in the XXXX Gold Westbred Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Fully Zapped, trained at Jandakot by Sheehy’s grandfather Tom Sheehy, is ideally drawn at barrier one on the front line and the gelding has sound prospects of leading and proving hard to beat over the 2130m.
Kristy Sheehy has driven Fully Zapped six times and will resume her association with the gelding for the first time since she drove him into fourth place behind Livelong And Prosper at Narrogin last March.
Fully Zapped has a losing sequence of 17, but he should prove hard to beat this week after seconds at 66/1 and 35/1 at his past two outings. He followed his encouraging second to Arousing at Pinjarra on February 16 with a good second to The Dyfi Dabbler over 1730m at Gloucester Park last Friday night when he ran home solidly from fifth at the bell.
