Gloucester Park Review 11th September 2020

14 September 2020 | Ken Casellas
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Shockwave simply sensational

Outstanding four-year-old Shockwave ran the fastest second quarter of the final mile in history at Gloucester Park when he took charge of his driver Aiden de Campo and revealed amazing ability to carry on and win the $50,000 James Brennan Memorial over 2536m on Friday night.

Shockwave, having his first start for 20 weeks, got away to a flying start to burst to an early lead and began to overrace fiercely with about one and three-quarters of a lap to travel.

With de Campo desperately attempting to settle the stallion, his eight rivals dropped behind as Shockwave sped over the second 400m section of the final mile in a sizzling 26.6sec. and opened up a lead of 12 lengths over polemarker As Happy As Larry, with champion pacer and $1.85 favourite Chicago Bull in the breeze.   

Shockwave ($3.10) was still ten lengths ahead of his nearest rivals half-way down the back straight in the final circuit and had an advantage of four lengths over the hard-chasing Chicago Bull on the home turn. Chicago Bull finished powerfully to lose a highly dramatic event by a half-head, with the winner rating 1.55.7.

The fastest 400m section recorded at Gloucester Park remains the 26.2sec. run in the fourth quarter by Soho Tribeca in a 2100m heat of the Interdominion championship on November 28, 2017. Hectorjayjay dashed over the final 400m of a 2100m Inters heat in 26.6sec. on November 29, 2016.

Shockwave’s trainer Ryan Bell said that he knew that his horse was capable of such speed, having clocked him to run his final 400m in 24.9sec. when fifth behind Wildwest in the Four-Year-Old Classic at Pinjarra last November. Shockwave also ran his final section in 26.8sec. when he won a 2130m event at Gloucester Park in March this year.

Shockwave started from barrier seven and Chicago Bull from barrier eight in Friday night’s feature event --- and both pacers began brilliantly.

“I saw Junior (Gary Hall jnr) turn the stick like he was going to run the gate real hard with Chicago Bull,” explained de Campo. “So, I knew I had to run hard with Shockwave and I gave him a decent flick (with a rein) --- and we flew the gate and got to the top.

“And at the first corner I grabbed him up, and he gave me both barrels (and raced roughly for a couple of strides) before I managed to get him back down. He was keen and I was a bit wary of him. With about 1400m to go he started to really get pulling and wanted to charge. I was doing my best to stop him (from pulling), but at the same time I didn’t want to choke him.

“At the 600m Shockwave dropped the bit, and it was either keep holding him or letting him go. So, I went for him down the back, and he kept going. On the home turn I was worried because Chicago Bull was eating into our lead. Shockwave was getting tired on the line and he was good enough to win.

“We went inside two marker pegs with about 1000m to go. He was pulling so hard that I didn’t have all that much control over him. I was more worried about slowing down, rather than where we were going.” The stewards delayed sounding the all-clear before ruling that the result should stand. They considered that Shockwave had not gained any significant advantage by going inside the pegs.

Bell said that he and de Campo had planned to take full advantage of Shockwave drawing inside of Chicago Bull by beating him out at the start. “We knew that we had Shockwave so well that it would take Bully at his best to get over him,” he said.

“But it wasn’t the way we wanted to do it. However, the good part is that he’s quite bright eyed and is still very thick around the ribs. His heart rate was suggesting that the hard race affected him, but his recovery was perfect.

“Obviously, in a couple of days we will see whether he has taken an affect from the run. He’ll go home and have a nice walk and we’ll give him a bit of pampering. I don’t think that he will be affected because he just thrives on hard work.

Champion trainer Gary Hall snr praised Chicago Bull’s gallant effort, saying: “His run was tremendous, but the winner was equally tremendous. Both horses put up huge performances.”

Hall jnr predicted some epic contests between Chicago Bull and Shockwave, saying: “Both horses put in super runs, and I’m looking forward to the next few months.”

Eloquent Mach overcomes problems

Talented pacer Eloquent Mach resumed after a four-month absence in fine style with a smart victory in the 2130m RWWA’S Racing Assist Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

His performance showed that he had overcome problems which saw him have seven unplaced starts as a four-year-old early this season.

“He had feet problems --- and we’ve fixed them and he’s back on track,” said trainer Gary Hall snr after Gary Hall jnr had driven the New Zealand-bred gelding to victory over the fast-finishing Bracken Sky and the pacemaker and $2.45 favourite Jack William.

Eloquent Mach, second fancy at $3.30 from barrier No. 2 on the back line, was given a perfect trip in the one-out and one-back position by Hall, who eased the gelding three wide 250m from home.

Eloquent Mach took the lead 40m from home and won with something in hand. The final 800m was covered in 56.3sec. Eloquent Mach, who won at ten of his 16 starts as a three-year-old, has now earned $181,750 from 12 wins and six placings from 28 starts.

“After his unplaced runs early this season I drove him on the track and realised something was wrong,” said Hall snr. “I got the farrier to check his feet and he found a deep-seated bruising in his off-side front hoof. We grew it out, spelled him and brought him back. We’ve had pads on him, and he’s gone well.

“He will be a WA Pacing Cup horse; I believe he’s good enough.”

Braeview Bondi is too speedy

Braeview Bondi bounced back to his best form at his third appearance after a spell when he surged forward in a fast-run lead time of 36.5sec. to burst to the front after 500m before setting a brisk pace and proving far too speedy for his rivals in the 2130m You Can Talk Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driven confidently by Michael Grantham for trainer Michael Brennan, Braeview Bondi, the $1.65 favourite, was untroubled to win by five lengths at a 1.56.5 rate from Euphoric Moment, who sustained a spirited burst from eighth at the bell.

The Victorian-bred Braeview Bondi is the first foal out of Badlands Hanover mare Braeview Creation and he has earned $163,177 from 15 wins and 22 placings from 67 starts. He has raced 20 times for Brennan in Western Australia for six wins and seven placings. 

The Matt Scott-trained mare C C Chevron, having her sixth start after a 22-month absence, caught the eye when she was seventh at the bell and was hampered by a punctured tyre over the final 400m before finishing solidly to be third.

Intheskyrocket is bred to win

Three-year-old American Ideal filly Intheskyrocket is bred to be a good winner. She is closely related to former star mare Innocent Eyes, who amassed $421,875 in prizemoney from 18 wins and 17 placings from 62 starts.

Intheskyrocket, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond and driven by star reinsman Ryan Warwick, was an effortless all-the-way winner in the 2130m Break Down The Stigma Of Mental Health Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Favourite at $1.10, Intheskyrocket was able to dawdle through the lead time in 39.8sec. and the opening quarters of the final mile in 32.2sec. and 30.8sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.4sec. and 28.1sec. She scored by 5m from $41 outsider Shes All Star, who enjoyed a perfect run behind the pacemaker throughout.

Intheskyrocket’s maternal granddam Cerebrano produced 11 winners, including the brilliant Innocent Eyes, whose victories included four at group 1 level --- the Victoria and Australian Oaks at Moonee Valley in July 2005, the Chariots of Fire at Harold Park in January 2006 and the Vicbred Super series for four-year-old mares at Moonee Valley in April 2006.

Intheskyrocket, purchased for $25,000 at the 2018 Perth APG yearling sale, has had 25 starts for nine wins, five placings and stakes of $70,603.

Her win on Friday night completed a double for the Bonds and Warwick, who were successful earlier in the program with The Buckeye Bullet in the Vale Spiro Mallis Pace over 2130m.

The New Zealand-bred The Buckeye Bullet, favourite at $2.90, finished powerfully from sixth at the bell to hit the front at the 300m mark on his way to winning by three and a half lengths from Captain Mannering. The Buckeye Bullet is sure to improve on his impressive record of 21 starts for 12 wins, six placings and $81,060 in prizemoney.

Rakasinc in top form

Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey has the New Zealand-bred Rakasinc racing in top form and the five-year-old notched his fifth win from his past six starts when Emily Suvaljko drove him to a convincing all-the-way victory in the 2130m R U OK Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Rakasinc, raced by his Invercargill breeder Brendan Fahy, prominent WA owner Kevin Jeavons and Narelle McCarthy, wife of veteran Sydney trainer-reinsman John McCarthy, raced below expectations in New South Wales where he had 27 starts for three wins and eight placings.

He now has had 20 starts in Western Australia for eight wins and four placings to improve his overall record to 47 starts for 11 wins, 12 placings and $67,000.

Rakasinc has had the habit of pulling hard and overracing but was on his best behaviour on Friday night. “He relaxed, which was really good,” said Suvaljko.

The disappointment of the race was the failure of the promising four-year-old Undercover Mac, the $2.35 favourite who raced without cover before fading to finish last in the field of ten after choking down.

Sir Galahad’s successful return

New Zealand-bred six-year-old Sir Galahad, who has been plagued by leg problems, made a successful return to racing after an absence of just over four months when he relished his pacemaking role and won the 2130m Mental Health Awareness Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driven by Maddison Brown, Sir Galahad, the $2 favourite, rated a slick 1.55.3 and defeated $4.40 chance Sergeant Oats, who trailed the pacemaker and ran home solidly.

Sir Galahad, who remains a day-by-day proposition, has raced only 16 times (all in WA) for nine wins, four placings and $74,775 in stakes.

His win was the second leg of a training treble for Gary Hall snr, who was also successful with Eloquent Mach and My Carbon Copy.

Four-year-old My Carbon Copy gave Gary Hall jnr an armchair drive as he set the pace and strolled to a two-length victory over Patrickthepiranha. The winner rated 1.58.6 after dashing over the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 27.6sec.  He now has raced 27 times for ten wins, nine placings and stakes of $102,001.

Hall jnr, who drove two winners (Eloquent Mach and My Carbon Copy) on Friday night, landed another double at Bunbury on Saturday night when he scored with Broadbeach and Chief Joseph. 

Delightfulreaction’s first stand success

Hardy mare Delightfulreaction maintained her splendid form for Capel trainer-reinsman Aiden de Campo when she started at $16.40 and finished powerfully from eighth at the bell to easily beat the pacemaker and $2.90 second fancy Kiwi Bloke in the Check On Your Mates Handicap over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This gave the Auckland Reactor four-year-old her first victory at her fourth appearance in a standing-start event. She began off the 10m mark and raced four back on the pegs before gaining an inside run 550m from home and then was eased off the pegs 150m later. De Campo switched Delightfulreaction four wide at the 250m mark and the mare sprinted strongly to get to the front 75m from the post. 

Wildwest, the sole backmarker off 30m and the $1.80 favourite, galloped badly at the start and settled down a distant last, about 80m from the leader Kiwi Bloke. Wildwest surged forward, three wide, to be third at the bell. But he faded quickly and finished last.

Delightfulreaction, who notched her twelfth win from 66 starts, completed a double for de Campo, who had won earlier in the night with Shockwave. De Campo kept up the good work with a treble at Bunbury on Saturday night, scoring with Major Corrido, Iswhat It is and Wattabout Rioli. 

Typhoon Tiff passes the $200,000 mark

Speedy four-year-old Typhoon Tiff emphasised her prospects in the coming rich feature events for mares with another stylish performance to win the 2130m Reach Out And Speak Out Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driven aggressively and with great confidence by Banjup trainer Colin Brown, Typhoon Tiff ($4.20) caused a minor upset in setting the pace and beating the $1.32 favourite Our Alfie Romeo by a length.

Brown stole a march on Our Alfie Romeo when he got the mare away brilliantly and then was able to amble through the lead time in a dawdling 39.1sec. and the opening quarters of the final mile in a slow 32.8sec. and a modest 29.9sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.4sec. and 27sec.

This improved Typhoon Tiff’s record to 20 starts for 11 wins, four placings and stakes of $201,466.

 

 

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