McDonald happy to fill in
In-form reinsman Stuart McDonald is more than happy to fill in as the driver of brilliant young pacer Mister Smartee in the $50,000 Westside Auto Wholesale Four and Five-Year-Old Championship at Gloucester Park on Friday night while the gelding’s regular driver Gary Hall jnr is enjoying a well-deserved holiday in Exmouth.
The 29-year-old McDonald is in awe of Mister Smartee, who will begin from an awkward barrier at No. 6 and will clash with talented stablemates Im the Black Flash and Skylou.
“Mister Smartee is probably the best horse in the stable,” he said. “I’ve driven him only a few times in trackwork and he has given me the feeling that he has taken another step up.”
The New Zealand-bred Mister Smartee is prepared by champion trainer Gary Hall snr, and has created a huge impression in winning at seven of his eight starts in Western Australia when driven by Hall jnr.
His only defeat in WA came when he finished ninth behind Skylou in the WA Derby last November --- when driven by McDonald.
“That was a luckless run, and not my best drive,” said McDonald.
In the Derby Mister Smartee started out wide at barrier eight, was trapped three wide early before being restrained to the rear and then dashed forward in the middle stages to race in the breeze. He wilted in the final stages to finish eleven lengths behind the winner.
Mister Smartee went for a spell after the Derby and has resumed with three impressive victories at Gloucester Park, the latest being when he set the pace and sprinted over the final quarters in 28.8sec. and 27.4sec. to beat stablemate Miki Jet by a neck over 2130m last Friday week.
“It is a quality field on Friday night, but I do think I’ve got the best horse in the race, although it won’t be a walk in the park by any means,” said McDonald. “It’s not the best barrier, but not the worst; it’s only a starting point.”
Im The Black Flash will be driven for the first time by Emily Suvaljko from a favourable draw at barrier two. He was driven by McDonald when he warmed up for this week’s race in fine style in a 2503m stand last Friday week.
He began speedily from the 10m mark and dashed to an early lead before setting the pace and sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.6sec. and 27.6sec. and winning from Skylou, who raced without cover for much of the way and fought on determinedly. That took Im The Black Flash’s record to ten wins and five placings from 21 starts.
Skylou, a winner at seven of his twelve starts, will be driven for the first time by Deni Roberts. He will start from barrier five.
Among the toughest rivals for the Hall-trained trio will be the polemarker, the Jocelyn Young-trained and driven four-year-old Skylord, a winner at eight of his 24 starts.
“I think Skylord is good enough to hold up (and set the pace) and run a good time,” said a confident Young. Skylord began out wide at barrier seven in the Manea Classic at Bunbury last Saturday week when he took the lead in the middle stages and finished a close second to The Miki Taker.
The Miki Taker, to be driven by Trent Wheeler for trainer Aiden De Campo, will start out wide at barrier seven. The Miki Taker, whose 36 starts have produced 13 wins, nine seconds and five thirds, is one of two five-year-olds in the field on Friday night, the other being the Kevin Keys-trained Alcopony.
“The Miki Taker always keeps going and his final 50 metres is his best,” said Wheeler. “Hopefully, he will be coming home, late.”
An interesting runner and the least experienced competitor is Storm The Beach, who will be making his first appearance at Gloucester Park for owner-trainer Katie Howlett, starting from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line, with Chris Voak in the sulky.
He has raced seven times for three wins (two at Pinjarra and one at Albany). “He is a nice horse whose sectional times have been terrific,” said Voak. “But it will be tough from the outside barrier.”
Tactical battle on the cards
Ace driver Deni Roberts predicts a battle of tactics when she handles Steel The Show in the 2536m Shop Budget Stockfeeds In Oakford Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night when the seven-year-old’s clash with Jumpingjackmac will be a highlight of the ten-event program.
Steel The Show, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, gained an important advantage when he drew the prized No. 1 barrier, with Jumpingjackmac, prepared by Gary Hall snr, at barrier two.
“I’m looking forward to the clash with Jumpingjackmac,” said Roberts. “We have the draw on him, so we will definitely be looking to lead. We have the gate speed to do that. Steel the Show is a good frontrunner, and it’s a small field, so it’s likely to be tactical.”
Steel The Show led comfortably from barrier one and set the pace when he won by a length from To Fast To Serious over 2536m last Friday night. He dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.4sec. and 27.4sec.
Jumpingjackmac started from barrier five in the 2936m Fremantle Cup last Friday night when he mustered good early pace to run past Pinny Tiger and take the lead after 250m before bowling along and finishing a neck second to Catch A Wave. The quarters of the final mile were run in 28.8sec., 29sec., 28.6sec. and 29.1sec.
“Hopefully, Jumpingjackmac is a bit tired after last week’s run,” said Roberts with a smile.
In-form reinsman Stuart McDonald admitted that Jumpingjackmac is facing a serious challenge from Steel The Show but has the speed and strength to emerge victorious.
“I imagine that Steel The Show will lead which would put Jumpingjackmac on his back,” said McDonald. “Jumpingjackmac led and went so well last week, and now it looks like we won’t be having an easy time this week.
“However, on his run in the Fremantle Cup Jumpingjackmac is going to be right there on Friday night. I consider he is the best horse in the race who will just have to do some work. I don’t think that we will be able to cross to the front, and I’d say it will be an Indian file event (with the small field of six) unless one of the other drivers has a crack early. We will just see what happens.”
The Dylan Egerton-Green-trained and driven To Fast To Serious will begin from the No. 3 barrier and is capable of unwinding a spirited finishing burst, similar to the one he produced when he raced three back on the pegs in fifth position and rattled home into second place behind Steel The Show last Friday night.
Wheeler ready to Rock’N’Roll
Collie reinsman Trent Wheeler is driving in superb form, and he is looking forward to setting the pace and winning the 2130m Pegasus And Milne Feeds Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night with the speedy five-year-old Rockandrollartist.
He jumped at the opportunity to drive Rockandrollartist for Capel trainer Aiden De Campo, who will be in New South Wales to attend a wedding on the weekend.
Wheeler has enjoyed a happy association with Rockandrollartist, having driven the gelding several times for owner-breeder Adrian Shanks when he (Shanks) trained the pacer in Albany. Wheeler has driven Rockandrollartist for three wins --- two in Albany and one at Northam.
“Rockandrollartist has a lot of gate speed, so I’ll be going forward (from barrier five) at the start,” said Wheeler, who will have a busy night on Friday, with drives in nine of the ten events, including four for the De Campo stable.
Rockandrollartist, who has had 48 starts for nine wins and 14 placings, entered De Campo’s stables about six weeks ago, and De Campo has driven him at his past four starts for a first-up fourth in the Wagin Cup followed by all-the-way victories at Pinjarra (twice) and Gloucester Park.
Wheeler is also looking for a strong performance from the Karen Young-trained Jill Mach, who will start from barrier two on the front line in the Go First Class With Ramsay’s Horse Transport Handicap, a stand over 2503m.
Jill Mach, an eight-year-old and experienced standing-start performer, is a good frontrunner as well as being a capable sit-sprinter. She has a losing sequence of 28 but her recent efforts have been encouraging.
Jill Mach led early and then trailed the pacemaker Carana before fighting on gamely along the sprint lane when third to that pacer over 2631m at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon. That was her fourth placing from her past five starts.
“She has been stepping good, and I will try to lead with her and see what transpires,” said Wheeler.
Carana, to be driven by Deni Roberts for trainers Greg and Skye Bond, is the obvious danger. He will start from the outside of the 10m line and Roberts will be seeking a smooth getaway.
Carana began perfectly from the 20m mark at Pinjarra on Monday when he did well to resist spirited challenges from Idealingold on his way to beating that pacer by a head. “He is a lot better following horses out (in stands), and as long as I can time it, he should get away quite well,” said Roberts.
Young seeks a breakthrough
Jocelyn Young, delighted to land her 400TH winner in the sulky on Tuesday night, is seeking to end a frustrating run of second placings with Wall Street Girl by guiding the five-year-old mare to victory in the opening event, the 2130m Give It Your Best Shot With Ultimate Sniper Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Wall Street Girl, trained by Debra Lewis, will begin from the coveted No. 1 barrier, and Young is anxious to get the mare to improve her gate speed.
Last Friday night Wall Street Girl was the $2.60 favourite from barrier one in a race over 1730m, but she was sluggish at the start and easily beaten for early speed, dropping back to settle down in seventh place before starting a strong move 700m from home which carried her into second place behind the pacemaker Per Ardua Ad Astra.
“Wall Street Girl is not suited by being bustled early,” said Young. “But I’ll give it a go this week. I’ll have to make a better effort. Last week I’ve gone from barrier one to four pegs to four wide and Wall Street Girl ran second again.”
That was Wall Street Girl’s fifth second placing from her past six starts and took her record to 55 starts for eight wins, 13 seconds and eight thirds.
Chris Voak, who is driving with commendable skill and aggression with a treble at Narrogin last Saturday night and another treble at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening, said that watching Wall Street Girl’s tardy start last week had boosted his confidence of winning with the Jemma Hayman-trained Duty Bound, who will begin from the No. 2 barrier.
“Duty Bound is very quick and I expect him to be able to cross (to the front) pretty easily,” said Voak. “He gets his chance to lead and win.”
Duty Bound, an eight-year-old who has won at eight of his 60 starts, is getting close to another win after finishing strongly for seconds to Rockandrollartist and Frankie J Holden at his past two appearances.
Voak is also bullish about the prospects of the Hayman-trained six-year-old Post Game, who should appreciate starting from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Insure With Grange Bloodstock Insurance Pace.
Post Game gave an outstanding performance when second to smart four-year-old Lusaka last Friday night when he raced wide early and then in the breeze outside Ideal Tomado before fighting on with great determination.
“That run was terrific,” said Voak. “He should be leading and probably winning this week.”
Voak also has excellent prospects of winning with the Giles Inwood-trained Rockin Rufus in the Larkhill Vets, Your Equine Specialists Pace.
The six-year-old caught the eye when he finished an unlucky fifth behind Sorridere in a 2130m event on Tuesday night. He began out wide at barrier seven and was tenth at the bell and ninth at the 400m before finishing solidly and being badly hampered for room in the final stages. He went to the line full of running.
Rockin Rufus was driven in that race by Emily Suvaljko, who will drive veteran pacer Baltic Ace from the prized No. 1 barrier on Friday night when the eight-year-old looms as a serious rival to Rockin Rufus.
Suvaljko has driven Rockin Rufus 19 times for five wins and seven placings, while Voak has driven the gelding twice for unplaced efforts.
Suvaljko has had a long association with the Tracy Reay-trained Baltic Ace, having driven the gelding 33 times for five wins, two seconds and five thirds. Baltic Ace has led and won three times --- at Narrogin, Bunbury and Northam.
Exciting New Zealand-bred mare Aardiebytheseaside should remain unbeaten in Australia by proving too good for her ten rivals in the group 3 $50,000 WASBA Breeders Stakes over 2130m.
Aardiebytheseaside was most impressive at her Australian debut last Friday week when she trailed the pacemaking Steno before finishing strongly to beat that mare by a length, rating 1.54.6 in the 2536m Empress Stakes.
Aardiebytheseaside, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, will start from the No. 5 barrier and Deni Roberts said: “Her main dangers (Acharne Girl and Nullarbor Navajo) have drawn the back line, and she will probably bully her way to the front.”
