Hall seeks fourth Porter victory
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr is confident that the brilliant five-year-old Hurricane Harley will give him a record fourth victory in the Garrard’s Howard Porter Memorial at Gloucester Park on Friday night by proving the master of his eight rivals in the $30,000 group 3 feature event.
The Victorian-bred Hurricane Harley, who is trained by Justin Prentice, gave a sample of his class last Friday week when he finished strongly to win the group 2 Mount Eden Sprint at his second appearance in WA and after an absence of nine months.
“He improved off his first-up run (when fifth behind Perfect Major in the Stratton Cup), and he should improve off his latest run,” said Hall. “And if he has improved by the same amount, he will be very hard to beat this week. His latest run was a step in the right direction.”
The Porter Memorial was first run in 1978 when Pure Steel beat Virgil Queen, and Hall and Mark Reed are the only drivers who have won this event three times, with Hall being successful with Fletcher Christian (2003), Crusader Banner (2015) and Chicago Bull (2020). Reed has won the event with Tricky Vic (2002), Buck The Odds (2004) and Maczaffair (2018).
Hurricane Harley is awkwardly drawn at barrier No. 6 in Friday night’s 2130m race, and though the stallion possesses sparkling gate speed, Hall is quite likely to be content to drive him with a sit, considering that Fanci A Dance (barrier one), Babyface Adda (two) and Miracle Moose (three) are speedy beginners.
Miracle Moose and Babyface Adda look to be Hurricane Harley’s main dangers, with Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey upbeat about Miracle Moose’s winning prospects.
Miracle Moose, to be driven by Emily Suvaljko, had a stroll in the park when he led and was untroubled to win by three lengths from Has No Fear over 2185m at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon. He had plenty in reserve when he sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.3sec. and 27.8sec.
Miracle Moose set the pace and covered the final 800m in 55.7sec. when he won easily from My Carbon Copy at a 1.56.2 rate at Gloucester Park at his previous outing. He meets stiffer opposition this week, but Turvey believes the New Zealand-bred five-year-old has the ability to extend his winning sequence.
“It all worked out nicely on Monday when Miracle Moose was not extended,” said Turvey. “That run will do him good, and I think he is up to them in Friday night’s race.”
Boyanup trainer-reinsman Cody Wallrodt has Babyface Adda racing in peak form and the Rich And Spoilt five-year-old will have an army of supporters. The gelding enjoyed an ideal trip in the one-out, one-back position before running home powerfully over the final 250m to win a 2130m event by a head from Galactic Star last Friday night. That followed an all-the-way win and a fast-finishing second to Hurricane Harley at his two previous starts.
The Barry Howlett-trained Fanci A Dance steps up in class, but his last-to-first victory last Friday night was a wonderful performance, and Chris Voak is sure to attempt to steal a march on his rivals by setting a solid pace.
Callan Suvaljko will drive Ideal Liner from barrier five for trainer Gary Hall snr. Ideal Liner set the pace and finished an extremely close third behind Babyface Adda and Galactic Star last Friday night. Suvaljko has won the Porter Memorial behind Symbols Son (2001) and Joe Midas (2005).
Chris Lewis, who drove Hilarion Star to victory in the 1992 Porter Memorial, will drive the Ross Olivieri-trained Perfect Major in Friday night’s event in which he will be tested from the outside barrier in the field of nine.
“We will need a bit of luck,” said Lewis. “It’s not easy when you draw nine in a fast-class race.”
Perfect Major began out wide at barrier seven in the 2130m Stratton Cup two starts ago when he was last in the field of nine 300m from home before unleashing a paralysing sprint to gain a thrilling last-stride victory over Vampiro.
Hampton Banner ready to fire, first-up
Exciting young pacer Hampton Banner will resume racing in the Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night after an absence of 25 weeks --- and champion reinsman Chris Lewis declared: “It wouldn’t surprise me if he wins.”
The lightly-raced New Zealand-bred Hampton Banner, trained by Lewis’s wife Debra, is favourably drawn at barrier three, and his clash with star three-year-old Jumpingjackmac will be a highlight on the ten-event program.
“Hampton Banner has been working well and should run a pretty good race,” said Lewis. “He is more experienced than Jumpingjackmac, but he’s first-up. However, he has had a lot of work under his belt, and a win would not come as a surprise.”
Hampton Banner possesses brilliant gate speed, and he has led and won at his past four starts, all at Gloucester Park last April and May. The Bettors Delight four-year-old boasts a splendid record of 17 starts for seven wins, two seconds and stakes of $73,338.
Jumpingjackmac is also destined for stardom, having raced 12 times for eight wins and three seconds. He has good gate speed and will start from the No. 4 barrier. He has been freshened up since he contested the group 3 Kersley Pace three Fridays ago when he began from barrier five, raced wide early and took the lead after 900m before finishing a head second to Alta Engen at his second appearance after a spell.
“He raced against older horses when he was beaten by Alta Engen, and this should be another good test for him,” said reinsman Gary Hall jnr, while trainer Gary Hall snr said: “He should go close; Hampton Banner is the only danger.”
Typhoon Banner, trained and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, impressed with his fast-finishing second Born To Boogie last Friday week, and he and sit-sprinter Rockaball should battle it out for the minor placing.
Suvaljko picks Roman Art
Brilliant young driver Emily Suvaljko has handled Walsh at his past six starts for two wins, a second and a third, and she has given punters a strong lead by opting to drive Roman Art (who has been unplaced at his past five starts) in preference to Walsh in the Garrard’s Gloucester Park Pace at pacing’s headquarters on Friday night.
Roman Art, a promising five-year-old owned and trained by Victor Bryers, has drawn perfectly at barrier one, and Suvaljko believes that he has excellent prospects of ending an 11-month drought.
“I drove Roman Art at his latest start when he ran ninth,” said Suvaljko. “But he actually hit the line really good. He is a horse who can’t really come off the track, and I was four or five wide on the corner, but he still hit the line well.
“He has had three runs under his belt now, and he is a quick beginner and a good frontrunner. If he can lead, he will definitely be in with a chance. He hasn’t had a draw for a long time, and now he’s got the draw.”
Trainer Nathan Turvey has engaged Jocelyn Young to drive Walsh, who is awkwardly drawn at barrier seven. “His past two runs haven’t been as good as his previous efforts,” Turvey said. “We have changed a few things and hopefully he goes better.”
Suvaljko will team up with Turvey later in the program when she will drive Miracle Moose in race five, and No Republic in race nine. Miracle Moose is sure to be prominent in the Howard Porter Memorial, while No Republic will be fancied when he starts off the 20m mark the 2503m Garrard’s Perth Trot.
“No Republic is a consistent earner who likes the stand and the 2500m,” said Turvey. Seven-year-old No Republic is racing with commendable enthusiasm, with his past seven starts producing four wins, two seconds and an eighth placing.
His two starts since a spell have been in mobiles and resulted in a smart victory over Tears Of Joy at Pinjarra when he covered extra ground and raced without cover, and a last-start distant second behind Mr Sundon over 2185m at Pinjarra.
“We have got 30 metres on the two good ones (the 50m co-backmarkers Mr Sundon and former Victorian trotter Majestic Courtney),” said Suvaljko. “So, we will be looking to keep that advantage.”
Mr Sundon, trained by Ross Olivieri and driven by Chris Lewis, gave an outstanding performance when he came from sixth at the bell with a supercharged burst to beat No Republic by six lengths over 2185m at Pinjarra at his latest appearance.
“If he can replicate that run, he’s in with a good chance,” said Lewis. “However, it will be a big ask, considering he will be giving Tears Of Joy a 50m start.”
Tears Of Joy, to be driven by her trainer Aiden de Campo, excels as a frontrunner, and if she begins safely off the front line and sets the pace, she will take plenty of catching.
Vivere Damore on trial for classic
Byford trainer Peter Tilbrook is setting experienced mare Vivere Damore for the $125,000 Westral Mares Classic on November 26, and as part of her preparation for the group 1 feature event he has decided to run her in the 2536m Garrard’s Rio Cobra Sulky Pace at Gloucester Park Friday night.
Vivere Damore’s five runs since resuming from a spell have been over 2130m and Tilbrook is keen to get the six-year-old mare accustomed to running over 2536m, the testing distance of the Mares Classic.
Vivere Damore has contested nine events of 2500m or more and has managed just one placing, a third over 2631m at Pinjarra. However, Tilbrook was heartened by Vivere Damore’s effort in setting the pace and finishing fourth at $51 behind Balcatherine in the Mares Classic last November.
“Tilly has changed her work and he has put her in this race this week as part of her preparation for the Mares Classic,” said reinsman Shannon Suvaljko, who notched his 100TH winner for the season when Euston Flyer led all the way in a 2130m event at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.
“Vivere Damore has had a couple of hard hit-outs, close together, and she is ready to perform well over 2536m on Friday night. This is a race in which she can find the front and roll along and prove to be hard to beat.”
Vivere Damore has performed well with third placings over 2130m on the past two Friday nights. She started from barrier four last week and was prominent all the way, finishing third behind Savvy Bromac and Wainui Creek. A week earlier she raced in the one-out, one-back position and ran on well when third behind Alta Intrigue and Shadow Roll.
Hardest for Vivere Damore to beat are likely to be Euphoria, Al Guerroro and Blue Blazer, with Euphoria, trained by Gary Hall snr, expected to be a firm favourite from the No. 6 barrier after a win and two seconds from his past four starts. He is a most consistent four-year-old with nine wins, 11 seconds and two thirds from 32 starts.
Suvaljko also has sound claims in the opening event, the Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace for two-year-old fillies in which he will drive the Mike Reed-trained Queeninthecorner from the prized No. 1 barrier.
Queeninthecorner made an excellent debut when she raced in fifth position in an Indian file 2100m event at Bunbury three Saturdays ago before finishing solidly to win by a head, with the first five runners locked together across the track in the final stages.
“She sat back and ran the final 800m in 57.2sec.,” said Suvaljko. “She’s got good gate speed and goes well in front, so I’ll be planning to lead. I drove her and set the pace in a few trials when she was trained by Kevin Charles.”
Also fancied in Friday night’s race will be the Greg and Skye Bond-trained In The Spotlight and the Colin Brown trained and driven The Hope Diamond, who were locked together and about to fight out the finish before locking sulky wheels close to home and dropping back to the rear in an event won by Jay Elle.
Jay Elle, to be driven by Gary Hall jnr for trainer Justin Prentice, also cannot be left out of calculations. She will start from barrier No. 7.
Alta Cinderella fancied
Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr describes four-year-old mare Alta Cinderella as a fast pacer who is not over brave at times.
“But if she puts her best foot forward, she is nearly unbeatable,” he said when assessing her prospects from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Garrard’s Here On Track Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Alta Cinderella notched her eighth win from 14 starts when she set the pace and won comfortably from Our Star Watch over 2185m at Pinjarra three Mondays ago.
Star reinsman Gary Hall jnr agreed, saying: “If she brings her best and leads, she should just win. But she is very temperamental. She is working well enough at home to suggest she’s good enough to win. She gets out pretty good and obviously I’ll be trying to lead with her.”
Alta Cinderella will clash with another smart four-year-old Suing You, who resumed after a spell in fine style with an all-the-way victory over Another Snag over 1609m at Bunbury last Friday night. That was the Shane Young-trained and driven mare’s tenth win from 35 starts.
Also adding considerable interest to Friday night’s race will be the appearance of three-year-old Booraa, who won after a thrilling duel with Always An Angel at Gloucester Park last Friday night. Booraa, trained by Greg and Skye Bond and to be driven by Ryan Warwick from barrier four. She has won at seven of her 23 starts.
One of the night’s star bets should be Born To Boogie, who is in dazzling form for trainer Ross Olivieri and reinsman Chris Lewis. The six-year-old mare looks set to lead from the No. 1 barrier and carry too many guns for crack four-year-old geldings Alta Engen and Alta Blues.
“Born To Boogie is my best drive on the night,” said a confident Lewis. “I can’t see why she can’t lead and will take beating. The draw will help her, but she would also be very competitive if she had drawn out wide.”
