Rivals join forces
Friendly rivalry at many yearling sales in New Zealand eventually developed into a partnership between prominent Baldivis veterinary surgeon Trevor Lindsay and Busselton trainer Barry Howlett, who celebrated a group 3 triumph when Purest Silk scored an impressive victory in the $30,000 Allwood Stud Farm Laurie Kennedy Race For Roses at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Lindsay and Howlett combined forces for the first time at the 2016 New Zealand yearling sale at Karaka when they purchased Purest Silk, a regally bred filly by American sire Rocknroll Hanover.
“I used to go to New Zealand yearling sales regularly, and so did Barry,” said Lindsay. “And on a number of occasions Barry laughingly would blow me out of the water, and he loved it and would take the Micky out of me, saying I’ve run you up there.
“I went to the 2016 sale with a list of ten or twelve fillies I was interested in buying. I asked Barry if he had any of them on his list, and he said ‘no, no, no’ until he said there’s one there I want. And I said that this filly was my number one choice.
“So, I proposed a deal that we should go halves, and he agreed. We got her for $52,000 and then gave her to Brent Mangos to train and drive.”
Mangos gave Purest Silk eleven starts for a win as a two-year-old at Alexandra Park and two placings. He predicted that Purest Silk would develop into a smart performer.
Purest Silk then came to Western Australia and was prepared by Howlett, who won nine races with her before she was transferred to Dylan Egerton-Green’s Banjup stables late last year.
Friday night’s win boosted Purest Silk’s record to 46 starts for 13 wins, nine placings and earnings of $152,500. It was her twelfth win from 35 WA starts, and her second win from nine starts for Egerton-Green, who admitted he was in the right place at the right time to be given the opportunity to train the mare.
“It was at a meeting at Pinjarra when Barry and I were discussing her future, and we agreed that she would benefit from change of environment,” said Lindsay. “Dylan happened to be standing nearby and he said ‘pick me.’”
Purest Silk, an $8.50 chance, started off the 20m mark and settled down in sixth place on the pegs as the frontmarker and $3.10 favourite Our Shooting Star was setting the pace.
Egerton-Green eased Purest Silk off the pegs 1100m from home and the mare quickly improved to be in the breeze. Driven vigorously by Egerton-Green, Purest Silk got to the front with 90m to travel, and she won by 2m from $5 third fancy and lone 30m backmarker Vivere Damore, who trailed Purest Silk throughout and finished determinedly. The final quarters were run in 28.1sec. and 28.6sec.
“This was probably her career-best run,” said Egerton-Green. “I saw no need to apply pressure on the leader and I was quite happy to try to outsprint the ones behind us.”
Purest Silk is the second foal out of the Christian Cullen mare Veste, who earned $106,023 from three wins and one placing from eleven starts before being retired to the breeding barn. The highlight of her career was her victory in the group 1 Caduceus Club Classic at Alexandra Park in March 2011.
Veste also is the dame of Yorkshire (55 starts for 16 wins, 13 placings and $183,728) and Its All About Faith, who won the group 1 Sires Stakes final for three-year-olds at Addington in November 2020 and has a record of 26 starts for eight wins, ten placings and stakes of $230,408.
Eldaytona defies fractured knee
Brilliant four-year-old Eldaytona is showing no signs of a fractured knee which threatened to end his career 16 months ago, and he continued to march to stardom when he gave a superb display to win the 2536m Allwood Stud Devoted To Breeding Excellence Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He missed the entire three-year-old season and now has won at six of his nine starts this season to boost his record to 25 starts for nine wins and eleven seconds for stakes of $73,879.
The gelding, trained by Sue Wiscombe, was favourite at $2.90 and was unable to cross to the front from his awkward draw at No. 5. But this proved no impediment as he went on to outclass his rivals.
After his unsuccessful early bid for the lead Eldaytona settled in seventh position before Lindsay Harper sent him forward in the first lap with a three-wide burst to move to the breeze outside the pacemaker and $4.60 third favourite The Code Breaker.
He then began to pull fiercely before Nevermindthechaos ($4.40) dashed forward to the breeze to give him an ideal trip in the one-out, one-back position 1250m from home.
Nevermindthechaos took a narrow lead with 430m to travel before Eldaytona surged to the front on the home bend and won by a length and a half from that mare, rating 1.57.3.
Harper conceded that he was slightly concerned when Eldaytona was unable to get to an early lead and again when he was overracing badly in the breeze.
“When the fields came out it looked dicey (about winning the start and getting to the front) because there was quite a bit of speed inside of him,” he said. “I actually tried to tuck in (in the one-wide line) after 150m but the gap wasn’t enough for me.
“So, I let him settle three wide and just relied on his ability and took him forward and had a look for the lead. Once I stirred him up to try to get to the front he wouldn’t come back, and he pulled terribly hard for 600m until Nevermindthechaos came.
“And once I let Nevermindthechaos get in front of me (into the breeze) Eldaytona came back to me and settled. It all worked out well. He is a quality horse, and you can’t fault his form.”
Harper said that he was hopeful that Eldaytona would be eligible to run in the $50,000 APG Four-Year-Old Consolation on May 27.
“He was scratched from the qualifying heat that Mighty Ronaldo won,” said Harper. “That was because Sue and I had COVID, and Sue didn’t want anyone else to race him. He is a funny horse who gets quite excited and starts bunny-hopping before a race.
“The conditions for the APG event say that the first five placegetters in the heats for the entires and geldings and for the mares go into the final,” said Harper. “Mighty Ronaldo is now in Sydney, so that could leave a spot in the final.
“Taking into consideration the circumstances he was scratched from the heat, there probably should be an opportunity for Eldaytona to run in the $50,000 final. He missed the Derby and all the big races for three-year-olds, and he deserves a hance in one of the big races. So, I’ve got to find out whether he is eligible.”
Eldaytona was injured during a race at Gloucester Park on December 31, 2020. X-ray examinations revealed a fracture in a knee, and a pin was inserted during surgery. However, the pin failed to remain in place and had to be removed. He made a full recovery and now is racing without any discomfort.
Eldaytona is raced by Wiscombe, Harper and the gelding’s breeders Kevin and Annette Charles. Wiscombe was the main bidder for him at the 2019 APG Perth yearling sale when he failed to reach his reserve price of $20,000 and was passed in.
“I wasn’t keen to pay $20,000 for him because he had a bit of a scar on the back of his fetlock on a back leg,” explained Wiscombe. “Eventually Lindsay and I paid $15,000, plus GST, for a 75 per cent share of him, with Kevin and Annette keeping a 25 per cent share.”
“I like Eldaytona because of his breeding,” said Wiscombe. Eldaytona is the seventh foal out of the unraced New Zealand-bred mare Hearty Franco, who has also produced Lady Luca and Delightfull.
Lady Luca earned $134,568 from nine wins and eight placings from 65 starts, including her victory in the group 1 Diamond Classic in June 2016. Delightfull has had 82 starts for eight wins, 19 placings and $92,220.
Hearty Franco’s dam Heather Franco also produced Franco Hat Trick (191 starts for 30 wins, including the 1998 Chariots of Fire at Harold Park, 66 placings and $659,210) and Franco Heir (83 starts for 19 wins, including the 2001 New South Wales Derby, 16 placings and $392,272).
Double Up excels in new role
New Zealand-bred five-year-old Double Up has flourished as a brilliant sit-sprinter before being seen in the unusual role as a breeze horse in the 2130m Support the Stud That Supports You Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
A $4.20 chance from the No. 5 barrier, Double Up settled down in fourth place on the pegs before Deni Roberts eased him out into the one-wide line and into the breeze after a lap when the $2.05 favourite Texas Tiger was setting a modest pace with a slow lead time of 38.4sec. and an opening quarter of a leisurely 31.5sec.
Roberts was content to keep Double Up more than a length behind the pacemaker before she set the American Ideal gelding alight with a sparkling late burst to snatch a thrilling last-stride victory by a nose over Texas Tiger, with the final 400m being covered in 27.3sec.
“Double Up is very fast, but is also a bit tough, too, under his own steam,” said Roberts. “I wasn’t too bothered by going into the breeze when I did. The speed was so slow, and Junior (Gary Hall jnr) had got away with so much with Texas Tiger already, that if I had stayed back, it would have been impossible to come from behind.
“I knew that Double Up could do it. I didn’t apply pressure because I wanted to turn it into a dash home, knowing that my horse is very fast. So, I was using him as a sit-sprinter from the breeze. He is going to be a very good sniper in Free-For-Alls.”
Roberts has a perfect record in the sulky behind Double Up, having driven the gelding once before --- in a heat of the Nights Of Thunder in January this year when he flew home from the rear to beat Bettorstartdreaming, paying $86 on the tote and $126 on the fixed market.
Double Up, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has shone in Western Australia, with his 25 starts in the State producing 12 wins and eight placings for an overall record of 39 starts for 14 wins, 13 placings and $156,794 in prizemoney.
Beat City is on the way up
Trainer Michael Young predicted that Beat City would progress to Free-For-All and Cup company after the former Victorian pacer had scored a convincing victory in the 2130m Fly Like An Eagle Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I expect him to go through the grades and think he will be able to race in Free-For-Alls and progress to be able to run in the big Cup events in the summer,” said Young.
“He’s not the best horse around but he has really high speed, so he should be a soft-run horse in Free-For-Alls.
“Last week (when racing first-up and finishing a half-head second to Power And Grace) Junior (reinsman Gary Hall jnr) learnt a bit about him, and that he is not a horse who likes to be hit with the whip. He turns his toes up a bit.
“Tonight, he gave the horse a crack with the whip at the 400m, and he almost went in reverse. Junior said that he then just growled at him, and he got the plugs out and he won pretty easily.”
Bat City, a five-year-od by Rocknroll Dance, was the $1.40 favourite from barrier five. Hotfoot It, an $81 outsider, dashed to an early lead before Hall sent Beat City to the front after 600m. After a smart 36.2sec. lead time the pace slackened with opening quarters of 30.7sec. and 30.8sec. before the final 800m sections was run in 56.2sec.
Beat City found plenty in reserve as he went on to defeat Fanci A Dance ($8.50) and Classic Choice ($7). The winner rated a smart 1.56.3.
Beat City’s six wins and nine placings from 18 WA starts have boosted his career record to 50 starts for 14 wins, 19 placings and $145,180 in stakes.
Regal Cheval ends losing run of 23
Veteran pacer Regal Cheval relished the advantage of the No. 1 barrier when he gave a solid frontrunning display to win the 2536m Follow The Stars Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Ace trainer-reinsman Colin Brown dictated terms to a nicety to guide the seven-year-old to a comfortable victory. He started the second fancy at $4 and beat the strong-finishing Alta Rhett ($16) by a length, with the $2.10 favourite Heez Our Perseus an unlucky third, being hopelessly blocked for a run behind the pacemaker.
Regal Cheval, owned by Barrie Devereux, ended a losing sequence and a ten-month drought. It followed his fighting third behind Unconditional the previous week when he had a tough run in the breeze.
The Victorian-bred Regal Cheval is by the American stallion Artistic Fella and is out of Star Cheval, who raced 81 times in Victoria for six wins, 30 placings and $39,338 in stakes. Regal Cheval won ten races in Victoria and now has a record of 83 starts for 12 wins, 25 placings and $104,211.
Pierre Whitby, a $17 chance, was unlucky. He enjoyed a perfect sit, one-out and one-back, before being shuffled back behind the tiring Bettorstartdreaming in the last lap.
No problem for Talks Up A Storm
A slow lead time of 38.4sec. and a comfortable opening quarter of 30.8sec. paved the way for Talks Up A Storm’s easy victory in the 2130m Allwood Stud Sires, Stallions Of Today And The Future Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven confidently by Dylan Egerton-Green, Talks Up A Storm, favourite at $1.10 from the No. 1 barrier, set the pace and coasted to a two and a half length win over $21 chance Tiza New Day, who trailed the pacemaker all the way. The Tiger Army ($21) raced without cover and fought on to finish a well-beaten third.
Talks Up A Storm, a four-year-old gelding by American sire Artspeak and prepared by Murray Lindau, has earned $126,664 from nine wins and eleven placings from 28 starts.
“We got away with a nice lead time, which helped,” said Egerton-Green. “Murray has done a good job with him. He has had numerous problems with him, and it hasn’t been an easy ride.”
Ima Rockabilly Rebel shocks Roberts
Deni Roberts admitted after driving Ima Rockabilly Rebel to victory in the 2130m Allwood Stud Continues To Show The Way Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night that she was surprised at the gelding’s sparkling acceleration.
Ima Rockabilly Rebel, a winner at his two previous starts, was facing a rise in class and was excellent value as a $6.20 chance from barrier four.
He enjoyed a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position before flashing home with a four-wide burst to win by just over a length from stablemate Boora ($15), with another stablemate Dont Bother Me None ($12) a neck away in third place, thus giving champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond a trifecta result.
The $1.36 favourite and polemarker Euphoria set a solid pace before wilting to finish fifth.
“Ima Rockabilly rebel didn’t actually travel as well as he has been, and this caught me a bit off guard,” said Roberts. “But the minute I was ready to hook him out he latched on and covered them that quickly that it shocked me.
“He was racing classier horses than he has been meeting, and he showed that he is capable of going up in every level and getting better and better.”
Ima Rockabilly Rebel, a New Zealand-bred four-year-old by A Rocknroll Dance, has raced exclusively in Western Australia and has earned $77,527 from ten wins and six placings from 21 starts. His nine starts this season have produced six wins, two seconds and a fifth placing.
His dam Judy Jetson also produced The Bird Dance, who has had 45 starts for 23 wins, four placings and stakes of $217,124. The Bird Dance, now racing in America, was a great success for the Bond stable, with his 26 starts in WA resulting in 15 wins and three placings.
Egerton-Green’s four in a row
Talented reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green maintained his outstanding form in the sulky at Gloucester Park on Friday night when in the space of 90 minutes he landed four winners in four consecutive events, culminating with a most impressive victory with Ideal Agent in the 2130m Rock N Roll World Pace.
Ideal Agent was the $1.40 favourite, and his 4m victory over $51 outsider Tommy Be Good gave leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond their fourth winner on the program, following successes with Ima Rockabilly Rebel, Double Up and Infinite Sign.
Egerton-Green had won the three previous events with Purest Silk, Infinite Sign and Talks Up A Storm. This was the first occasion that Egerton-Green had driven four winners at a Gloucester Park meeting.
Ideal Agent began from barrier six in a field of seven and Egerton-Green restrained him to last as polemarker Mister Bushido ($17) was setting the pace from the $4.20 chance Doc Holliday in the breeze.
Egerton-Green sent Ideal Agent forward with a fast three-wide burst after 550m, a move which resulted in Emily Suvaljko taking Doc Holliday to the front after a lap. Egerton-Green then was quite content to race without cover and without Ideal Agent applying pressure on Doc Holliday --- until after a third 400m section of 28.6sec. he sent Ideal Agent to the front 400m from home. Ideal Agent then forged away from his rivals and won convincingly.
“Ideal Agent is a nice horse,” declared Egerton-Green. “When the pace slackened (after a lead time of 37.5sec.) I decided to put him into it. I then sat off the leader before I decided to go at the 600m.”
Egerton-Green has formed a splendid association with Ideal Agent, having driven him four times for four victories. The New Zealand-bred five-year-old by American Ideal has raced brilliantly in Western Australia for eight wins and four placings from 13 starts. He now has earned $165,950 from 12 wins and 16 placings from 44 starts and is developing into a strong candidate for the Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup in the summer.
Infinite Sign is a WA Derby hope
The late Rod Fletcher, a prominent breeder and owner for many years, always nurtured an ambition to win a WA Derby. Sadly, that never transpired.
But now one of his daughters, Joy Fletcher, is hoping to fulfill a family dream with Infinite Sign, a three-year-old gelding she bred and is a part-owner.
Infinite Sign, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has struck a purple patch and maintained his splendid form with a stylish all-the-way victory in the Rock N Roll World Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Infinite Sign, the $3.90 second fancy driven confidently and with considerable aggression by Dylan Egerton-Green, fended off a powerful challenge for the lead over the first 300 metres and went on to set the pace and score an effortless victory, beating the $3.20 favourite Hoppys Way by more than two lengths.
Infinite Sign began speedily from the No. 6 barrier but was beaten out by Hoppys Way from barrier seven. Hoppys Way, driven by Shannon Suvaljko, led by a length after 300m, but was unable to cross to the front.
Suvaljko then gave up the fierce challenge for the early ascendancy and was able to slot Hopps Way in behind the pacemaker. He fought on gamely, but made no impression on Infinite Sign, who dashed over the final 400m in 28.3sec. and rated 1.58.1 over the 2130m journey.
Infinite Sign managed just only placing from five starts as a two-year-old, but he has blossomed this year with his five starts as a three-year-old producing four wins and a second placing for a career record of ten starts for four wins, two placings and $29,941 in prizemoney.
Infinite Sign is by Indomitable Saab, who raced 59 times for 12 wins, 16 placings and $154,491. Indomitable Saab’s full-sister Indomitable won the group 3 Golden Girls Mile at Pinjarra in April 2015 and was retired after racing 81 times for 13 wins, 18 placings and stakes of $133,759.
Infinite Sign’s full-brother Infinite Symbol has raced 81 times for 19 wins, 25 placings and stakes of $223,758. His wins included two at group 3 level, in the winter of 2019, the Lombardo final and the Schrader final.
Never Waver Lombo, Infinite Sign’s dam, was a good performer who earned $109,662 from eleven wins and 22 placings from 79 starts. She was driven by Egerton-Green once in her career, when she finished tenth behind Greyhawk at Gloucester Park on April 27, 2012.
