Gary Hall
Champion trainer Gary Hall sen. is out to right a wrong. He is hellbent on breaking through for his first victory in the Memorial Day Stakes which will be run over a sprint journey for the first time at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Hall prepares four of the 12 runners in the $22,500 feature event over 1730m. His main hope is the immature, lightly-raced five-year-old John of Arc, who has drawn awkwardly at barrier six on the front line. His other runners are Zacs Nuggett (No. 3 on the front line), Notabadexcuse (No. 3 on the back line) and Benjamin Banneker (No. 5 on the back line).
John of Arc has won at 12 of his 19 starts, but he had a rare failure last Friday night when he finished fifth, two lengths behind the winner Pacific Warrior in a 2130m event in which the final 800m was covered in a sparkling 56.5sec.
John of Arc was restrained from barrier six and settled down in tenth position before Gary Hall jun. sent him forward from ninth at the bell with a three-wide burst. The gelding went four wide 450m from home before he raced roughly and gave ground on the home turn. Hall explained to the stewards that John of Arc raced roughly when being eased up the track rounding the final bend and as a result he was unable to drive the pacer out as he wished.
John of Arc set the pace and won in effortless fashion over 2130m at his two previous starts, prompting Hall sen. to predict the gelding should develop into a strong candidate for the interdominion championship series to be held in Perth in November-December this year.
Hall sen. is hoping for a change of luck in the Memorial Day Stakes, an event which was first run in 1959 when Ken Ford drove Halt to victory over Noon Quest and Steel Master. He has had many starters and has trained five second placegetters --- Zakara (1991), Bengeeman (2003), Patches (2006), Dartmoor (2009) and Whos Mistake (2013) and two thirds --- Talk To Me Courage (2010) and Sanjaya (2013).
Toughest for John of Arc to beat on Friday night appear to be Chief Thundercloud, who has drawn perfectly at No. 1 on the front line, and exciting five-year-old Smokey The Bandit, who has struck top form with brilliant wins at his past three starts and should prove hard to beat from the favourable No. 2 barrier.
Chief Thundercloud, trained by Ross Olivieri, resumed after a brief spell in a 2692m mobile event at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon when he was a 6/4 favourite. Chris Lewis restrained the seven-year-old from the wide No. 7 barrier back to the rear before starting a three-wide move approaching the bell. He struggled to make up ground when the third quarter of the final mile was covered in a sparkling 27.5sec. and he was never a realistic possibility, finishing doggedly into seventh place, just over two lengths behind the winner Hes Ritehererightnow.
Earlier in the season Chief Thundercloud had 11 starts for five wins and five seconds. Lewis will be anxious to hold the lead with Chief Thundercloud over the short trip and the gelding could prove hard to catch.
Olivieri has been successful as a trainer in the Memorial Day Stakes with Captain Lee (1995) and Tsunami Lombo (2011), while Lewis has won the race as a reinsman with Village Kid (1985), Elteei (1986), Captain Lee (1995) and Wrongly Accused (2013).
Smokey The Bandit, trained at Busselton by Michael Callegari and driven by Ash Markham, cannot be underestimated after sizzling finishing bursts propelled him to victory at each of his past three starts, twice over 2130m at Gloucester Park and then in the 2100m Manea Classic at Bunbury.
Veteran trainer Tony Svilicich will be represented by nine-year-old Onedin Crusader, who faces a stern test from barrier four on the front line. He has won the race with Mysta Magical Mach (2009) and Wrongly Accused (2013).
Tuapeka Kahu, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, is racing with tremendous enthusiasm, but will need plenty of luck from the outside barrier on the front line.