Hall’s fabulous feat
Hall of Fame reinsman Gary Hall jnr continues to enthral harness racing enthusiasts with his magical skills in the sulky and he went within an ace of setting an Australian record at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The 37-year-old maestro needed to guide star pacer and $1.50 favourite Chicago Bull to victory in the tenth and final event, the Channel 7 Pace, to become the first driver to land seven winners on a single meeting in Australia.
But there emerged a major anti-climax which left his admirers stunned and gasping in disbelief when Ryan Warwick spoilt the party by bringing veteran pacer Our Jimmy Johnstone home with a sizzling late burst of speed to snatch a last-stride victory by a half-head over the gallant Chicago Bull.
Hall now has driven six winners on the program at a city meeting three times.
On Friday night he was successful with Balcatherine ($1.80), Mr Kiwi ($2.70), Mister Bushido ($2.30), Just Rockon Bye ($19.10), Gardys Legacy ($1.20) and Princess Mila ($1.10). Apart from his second placing with Chicago Bull, Hall finished third with Always An Honour and fourth with Machlani.
On October 26, 2012 at Gloucester Park Hall won with Libra Belle ($3.40), Remember El ($3), Soho Valencia ($1.60), Go West U Terror ($1.70), Im Themightyquinn ($1.60) and Tosti Boy ($1.70) as well as finishing third behind Benjamin Banneker and sixth with The Bantam.
Then at Gloucester Park on October 18, 2013 Hall was successful with Heavens Delight ($2.50), Toretto ($2.30), Askmenow ($1.20), The Ragpickers Dream ($1.20), This Time Dylan ($2.70) and Northview Cardle ($4.40). He also finished second with In The Perfect Storm, third with Soho Cash, fourth with Jar Zinyo and sixth with Uppy Son.
Hall, the current Australian Drivers’ champion (with two wins and two placing in the seven heats in Hobart last November) has all the hallmarks of a champion reinsman. He’s laid-back, calm and composed and has the innate ability to make split-second decisions.
He celebrated his 16TH birthday by winning with his first drive in a race when he scored with Enhancer at Pinjarra on July 26, 1998. He is the youngest (at 19 years and 177 days) to have driven a WA Pacing Cup winner, The Falcon Strike in January 2002.
By my calculations, Hall has driven in almost 13,000 races for just more than 3000 winners, and horses he has driven have earned approximately $39 million.
Gardys Legacy bred in the purple
There is little wonder that Gardys Legacy is a brilliant pacer destined for big things in harness racing.
The three-year-old gelding by champion sire Bettors Delight has inherited much of the ability of her dam Southern Legacy and of her close relation, former superstar mare Whitbys Miss Penny.
Gardys Legacy, trained at Boyanup by Justin Prentice and owned by his fiancée Jacqueline Bowden, made a one-act affair of the $50,000 Perth Plasterboard Centre Pearl Classic when Gary Hall jnr drove him to a decisive all-the-way victory in the group 2 feature event for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Gardys Legacy, favourite at $1.20, was untroubled to set the pace from, the No. 1 barrier and go on and defeat Valentines Brook and Bettor Look, rating 1.58.2 over the 2130m journey, with final quarters of 28sec. and 28.4sec.
This improved Gardys Legacy’s record to seven wins and two seconds from 14 starts for earnings of $86,426.
Bred by Ray Grantham and the late Tom Schmedje, Gardys Legacy is the first foal out of Southern Legacy, who raced 26 times for six wins, ten placings and $81,326 in stakes. She showed her class in finishing second to the brilliant speedster Sensational Gabby in the WA Oaks in May 2012 before finishing fourth behind that filly in the group 1 State Sires Series final two months later.
Prentice has had a close association with several of Gardys Legacy’s relations. He drove Southern Legacy for four of her wins and he won eight races with her half-brother Scram Jet and three races with another half-brother Pride of Colorado.
Gardys Legacy’s great granddam Fiscal Miss produced Whitbys Miss Penny, whose 32 wins for stakes of $568,289 from just 50 starts included the 1991 WA Oaks, the 1992 Fremantle Cup and 1992 Mount Eden Sprint.
Gardys Legacy will now be set for the $80,000 Westbred Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings on June 19.
Our Jimmy Johnstone is a marvel
Veteran pacer Our Jimmy Johnstone failed to win a race from 21 starts last season. But he has been revitalised by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond and has raced with youthful enthusiasm as an 11-year-old this season.
Handled by leading reinsman Ryan Warwick, Our Jimmy Johnstone, a $9.80 chance, caused an upset at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he stormed home from last to snatch a last-stride victory by a half-head from $1.50 favourite Chicago Bull in the 2130m Channel 7 Pace.
Golden State led from barrier one in the field of six and dawdled through the lead time in an extremely slow 39.1sec. and the opening 400m section of the final mile in a slow 31.4sec. Warwick restrained Our Jimmy Johnstone back to last from barrier five, while Chicago Bull, from the outside at No. 6, settled down one-out and one-back behind Iceenothink.
With the pace so slow Gary Hall jnr wisely sent Chicago Bull forward in the first circuit to race in the breeze. Golden State sprinted fast to cover the third quarter in a sizzling 26.8sec., but was unable to shake off Chicago Bull, who surged to the front about 240m from home and looked set for his 46TH victory.
But Our Jimmy Johnstone, who had raced in last position throughout, unwound a spirited finishing burst to overhaul Chicago Bull in the final stride. The photo finish revealed that he had won by a half-head at a 1.57.1 rate. The final quarter was run in 28.4sec.
Our Jimmy Johnstone, a winner of nine races in New Zealand, has won 22 times in Western Australia and now boats a splendid record of 31 wins and 50 placings for stakes of $764,111. He has won four times and has been placed seven times from 21 starts this season.
Just Rockon Bye comes from last
Christian Cullen mare Just Rockon Bye notched her 24TH victory when she overcame the disadvantage of starting out wide at barrier eight and finished powerfully to score a narrow victory at $19.10 in the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hounds Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This gave champion trainer Gary Hall snr and star reinsman Gary Hall jnr four wins from the first four events on the ten-race program. The Hall quadrella returned a dividend of $523.40.
Just Rockon Bye, making her second appearance after a five-month absence, was not bustled early and was last at the bell before unwinding a spirited burst to get to the front 70m from the post. She then held on doggedly to beat Our Perkins by a short-half-head, with that pacer flashing home, out four wides, after being seventh at the bell. Our Perkins, a last-start winner, returned a handsome place dividend of $14.
Valbonne, the $2.30 favourite, finished an unlucky ninth. He enjoyed a perfect passage, one-out and one-back, but was hopelessly blocked for a clear run in the final circuit. Marquisard, who had raced without cover, got to the front 220m from home, but wilted to finish sixth.
Just Rockon Bye, a winner of two races in New Zealand, two in Victoria and 15 in South Australia, has had 19 starts in WA for five wins and four placings. She is well bred, being out of the Caprock mare OK Rock, who had 28 starts for nine wins, 11 placings and $168,529 in stakes. She won the New South Wales Oaks in March 1999 at her Australian debut and finished a half-length second to Jilliby Gold in the $100,000 Queen of the Pacific Championship at Moonee Valley in June 2000.
Mr Kiwi makes amends
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Mr Kiwi made amends for his failure as a $1.75 favourite at his Western Australian debut by scoring a fighting victory in the 2536m Westral Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Favourite at $2.70 from barrier two on the back line, Mr Kiwi was driven assertively by Gary Hall jnr. He settled down in eighth position before Hall dashed him forward in the first circuit to move to the breeze after a lap, with polemarker Neighlor setting the pace.
Hall sent Mr Kiwi to the front with 420m to travel and he had to drive the American Ideal gelding hard to withstand a determined late charge from $51 outsider Courage Tells, who failed by a head to get the verdict.
Deni Roberts sent Courage Tells forward, three wide, from the start (from barrier No. 9) to move to the breeze before gaining the one-out, one-back trail when Mr Kiwi moved to that position with two laps to travel.
Mr Kiwi had no luck at his WA debut when he raced four and three wide early and then in the breeze before being pushed three wide and breaking into a gallop at the bell. He dropped back to finish a distant last behind Bettor Be Oscar.
Mr Kiwi is a half-brother to Mr Mojito, who earned $205,099 from 13 wins and seven placings from 39 starts. He won at seven of his ten starts in New Zealand before winning three times in WA and three times in Victoria. Driven by Mark Purdon, Mr Mojito won the group 2 Four-Year-Old Championship from Nathans Courage at Gloucester Park in December 2016 before finishing fifth behind Soho Tribeca in the Golden Nugget Championship.
Balcatherine shows class
Four-year-old Balcatherine continues to impress with her wonderful ability and should develop into a leading candidate for the rich Mares Classic in the summer.
Prepared by master trainer Gary Hall snr, Balcatherine, favourite at $1.80, notched her third win from nine starts in Western Australia when Gary Hall jnr drove her to an easy victory in the 1730m TABtouch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She started from barrier two on the back line and raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before being switched five wide 450m from home and bursting to the front at the 220m mark and winning by more than a length from $21 chance Just Barney at a 1.54.3 rate.
Balcatherine, an easy winner at her only two starts in New Zealand (as a three-year-old) looks set to improve considerably on her record of 11 starts for five wins, four placings and stakes of $54,251.
Delightfulreaction is shining
Breeder Mike Howie and owner Melissa Howie are enjoying wonderful success with their four-year-old mare Delightfulreaction, who maintained her splendid form with a strong victory in the 2130m Etch Coatings Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Mike Howie bred and raced Delightfulreaction’s dam Apache Delight, whose only win from 14 starts was at her debut as a four-year-old at Harvey in January 2012. Howie also bred Apache Delight’s dam Miss Pocahontas, who had 51 starts for two wins and 15 placings.
Delightfulreaction, who is trained and driven by Aiden de Campo, is exceeding all expectations, and has netted $141,397 in prizemoney from ten wins and 20 placings from 54 starts.
Delightfulreaction, favourite at $2.20, raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before surging forward with a three-wide burst at the 550m to take the lead 250m from home and going on to win by a half-length from Queen Shenandoah ($5.50), who trailed the winner for most of the race and finished with admirable determination.
Suvaljko bounces back
Talented young driver Emily Suvaljko, injured in a nasty fall in the home straight at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening, bounced back in fine style by guiding veteran mare Talkerup to an upset victory over $1.90 favourite Ocean Ridge in the 2536m Direct Trades Supply Pace on Friday night.
Talkerup, an $8.80 chance trained by Tony Svilicich, trailed the pacemaker Dreamy Nights ($6.50) before sprinting home strongly, out wide, to hit the front in the home straight and win by a neck from Ocean Ridge, who raced in last place in the field of nine before being hampered for room in the final circuit.
Ryan Warwick was able to weave Ocean Ridge between runners in the closing stages to be a fast-finishing second, with Always An Honour in third place after racing in the one-out, one-back position and hitting the front approaching the home turn.
Talkerup now has won at 11 of her 115 starts. By Changeover, she is out of the unraced Bettors Delight mare Raconteur, whose dam Letatalk produced Machtu (162 starts for 34 wins, 41 placings and $430,116) and Eloquent Mach (27 starts for 11 wins, six placings and $171,473). Machtu won 14 times in Western Australia for trainer Gary Hall snr and Eloquent Mach has been a splendid performer for Hall during his brief career.
Easy for Mister Bushido
New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Mister Bushido, favourite at $2.30, gave his supporters no cause for concern as he set the pace and won easily from Oneonthewood and Soho Thunderstruck in the 2536m Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trained by Gary Hall snr and driven by Gary Hall jnr, Mister Bushido gave his rivals little hope as he sprinted over the final 800m in 56.3sec. to improve his WA record to 32 starts for five wins and eight placings, after winning four times from 21 starts in New Zealand.
Mister Bushido is a half-brother to The Bachelor, who won for the twelfth time from 36 starts when he beat Mango Stride by a head in 1.52 over 1609m at Menangle the previous Saturday night.
Walsh caught the eye in Friday night’s race when he was last in the middle stages and ninth at the bell before finishing strongly out very wide to be fifth.
Bletchley Park does it tough
Highly-promising Victorian-bred horse Bletchley Park revealed admirable toughness when he won the Simmonds Steel Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night after racing four and three wide in the early stages before working in the breeze outside the pacemaker Rocknroll Whitby.
The win gave reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green a perfect record in the sulky behind the four-year-old. It was his first drive behind Bletchley Park since he drove the horse to victory in a prelude of the Golden Slipper in July 2018.
Bletchley Park, trained in Bunbury by Stephen Reed, was a $1.50 favourite and Egerton-Green drove him like the best horse in the race, sending him forward, out wide, from the No. 7 barrier. He took a narrow lead on the home turn after a fast third quarter of the final mile in 27.7sec.
He covered the final 400m section in 28.3sec. and won by 2m from $91 outsider Suzies Gem, who finished strongly after enjoying a perfect trail behind the pacemaker. Suzies Gem, an eight-year-old trained by Peter Lodding, went into the race having been unplaced at her previous 17 starts. She returned a place dividend of $19.
Bletchley Park looks certain to improve on her impressive record of 30 starts for 13 wins, ten placings and $207,017 in prizemoney.
Princess Mila overcomes slow start
Former Victorian performer Princess Mila galloped for a few strides at the standing start and lost about seven lengths before recovering and scoring an easy victory in the 2096m The West Australian Trot at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Princess Mila, the hot favourite at $1.10, settled down in sixth position, with Jax Or Better setting the pace from Tenno Sho in the breeze and Kell Road Kid behind the pacemaker.
Gary Hall jnr quickly moved Princess Mila into the one-out, one-back position after her early misdemeanour. Nathan Turvey sent Tenno Sho to the front about 500m from home, but she was unable to hold out Princess Mila who burst into the lead with 100m to travel.
The unreliable Rock Tonight began smoothly from the back mark of 40m but broke into a bad gallop soon afterwards and simply trailed the rest of the field before finishing 269m behind the winner.
Princess Mila, a five-year-old mare, has won at three of her five starts in Western Australia and seems assured of a bright career in the State.
