Prominent West Australian owner Steve Chapman was devastated four months ago when his star pacer My Hard Copy fractured a bone in a leg and plans for him to contest the rich TABtouch interdominion championship series had to be scrapped.
But now he is bubbling with enthusiasm and has high hopes of winning the $1.1 million final at Gloucester Park on Friday night with his second string pacer Run Oneover, whom he races in partnership with his wife Tina and their daughter Danielle.
Ace trainer Gary Hall sen. has timed the five-year-old’s preparation perfectly for the big race to be run over the marathon journey of 2936m and top-flight reinsman Clint Hall gives the New Zealand-bred gelding a great chance of victory.
“He can do it,” Clint Hall declared after Run Oneover drew favourably at barrier two on the front line. “You don’t get the chance very often to be able to lead and win the interdominion. So that’s my aim, to set the pace.
“Run Oneover has emerged as a genuine prospect after his tremendous performances in the heats.” Hall sen. shared his son’s confidence, saying: “Run Oneover has gone from strength to strength in this carnival, and it’s exciting.”
Run Oneover has struck peak form in the Inters heats, working hard in the breeze when a splendid one-length second to Hectorjayjay, setting the pace from barrier three and coasting to victory over Freyberg and Smolda at Bunbury and then starting out wide from the No. 8 barrier and dashing to the front after a lap and winning from Lennytheshark at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Whether Run Oneover can forge to an early lead on Friday night is problematical. He has sound gate speed, but could have a problem wresting the early lead from Bling It On, who has a distinct advantage after drawing the prized No. 1 barrier.
Star New South Wales reinsman Luke McCarthy indicated after the barrier draw that he would drive Bling It On with aggression. “He’s got good gate speed and I’ll be going all-out to hold the frontrunning in the early stages,” he said. “After that I’ll decide whether it’s best to keep the lead or take the trail.”
Most of the drivers in the final are likely to determine their tactics after the mobile releases the field. There is the possibility that reigning champion Lennytheshark (barrier four), Hectoryjayjay (nine) and Bettors Fire (eight) will charge forward in a bid for the early lead. Alternatively, the drivers of those pacers could well decide to restrain at the start and look for a handy position in the one-wide line.
My Hard Copy unwound devastating finishing bursts to score brilliant victories in the past two WA Pacing Cups and he finished a sound sixth behind Lennytheshark in last year’s Inters final at Gloucester Park after being restrained at the start from the outside (No. 9) on the front line.
It is interesting that Chapman purchased Run Oneover without realising that the gelding was closely related to the pocket sized sit-sprinter My Hard Copy.
Run Oneover is out of Presidential Belle, whose dam Nuclear Atom is a half-sister to Readallaboutit, the dam of My Hard Copy.
The David Aiken-trained Hectorjayjay, a firm favourite for the final, is not particularly well bred on his dam’s side. Hectorjayjay is out of Sheer Finesse, who won six minor Victorian country events in the late 1990s and, apart from Hectorjayjay, has produced Teejay Fella (12 wins and $64,177), Wolfgang (three wins and $13,084) and De Santa Anna (seven wins and $39,900).
Sheer Lace, the dam of Sheer Finesse, won at 17 of her 67 starts and earned $77,027. The best of her six winners was her first foal Country Duke, who earned $270,650 from 198 starts, which included 19 wins in Victoria and 26 in America. Hectorjayjay’s great, great, great granddam Cherry Blossom was the mother of champion New Zealand mare Robin Dundee, who dead-heated for first with Jay Ar in the final of the 1965 interdominion championship in Dunedin in 1965.
While Hectorjayjay possesses dazzling early pace and is a brilliant frontrunner, he is also an outstanding sit-sprinter who can unwind a sizzling burst of speed at the end of his races.
Twenty-three-year-old Josh Aiken has driven Hectorjayjay with great skill, aplomb and confidence in the heats. The six-year-old was not extended in winning all his heats.
Many pundits rate Hectorjayjay as a devastating sprinter, but have some reservations about his staying ability. However, there is no doubt at all that Hectorjayjay will not be vulnerable over the 2936m of Friday night’s final.
Hectorjayjay won the Len Smith Mile at Menangle in June this year, beating Lennytheshark in 1.50.5 over the 1609m journey and two weeks later he gave a phenomenal performance to charge home from a seemingly impossible position in second-last place 400m from home to win the 1660m Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park, rating 1.51.8.
He has proved his staying strength with victories over 2627m and 2600m (twice). He also finished a splendid second to Ohoka Punter in the group 1 Blacks A Fake Classic over 2680m at Albion Park in July.
Trainer David Aiken said that Hectorjayjay was far from being a one-dimensional pacer. “Josh won’t be intimidated by the occasion and he will have plenty of options,” he said.
The barrier draw has made the final a most intriguing affair, with several pacers capable of winning the rich prize. Ace reinsman Gary Hall jun. is happy with Beaudiene Boaz’s draw as the only runner off the back line and he considers the five-year-old millionaire a strong each-way prospect.
