Sheez Our Hope’s perfect record
Inexperienced mare Sheez Our Hope continued her rise to prominence when she outclassed her rivals in the $10,000 Dave And Barb Pace at Northam on Saturday night.
The five-year-old has yet to taste defeat --- winning at each of her four appearances in trials last year and winning at her first three race starts.
Starting favourite at $1.50 from the No. 1 barrier in Saturday night’s 2190m event the daughter of Alta Christiano was driven confidently by Kyle Harper for part-owner and trainer Michael Cornwall.
She was smartest to begin and was able to dawdle through the opening quarter of the final mile in 33sec. before coasting through the next three sections in 30.6sec., 28.3sec. and 29.5sec. She was kept honest for most of the journey by the $3.90 second fancy Livy Jay, who raced keenly in the breeze before fading to finish seventh.
Sheez Our Hope went to the line full of running, beating Run For Mercy by almost four lengths at a 2.2.6 rate on the rain-affected track. Phar From Kalahari ran on from seventh at the bell to be third, just ahead of Jill Mach.
The win gave Harper the second leg of a double before the final six events on the program were abandoned due to the heavy track and inclement weather. Harper had won the opening event with Firstjoy.
Sheez Our Hope has inherited much of the ability of her dam Easton Swift, who earned $123,391 from 52 starts that produced 13 wins and 12 placings.
A winner at one of her five starts in New Zealand, Easton Swift was purchased by West Australian trainer-reinsman Aldo Cortopassi, who drove her to victory at her Australian debut, at Northam in October 2010. Her first 11 starts for Cortopassi produced seven wins, three seconds and a third. She was retired after winning at her final start, at Gloucester Park in February 2013.
Texas Tara bred to be a star
New Zealand-bred four-year-old Texas Tara notched his third win from seven starts when he gave a strong staying performance to beat Libba Racy and Sono Abruzzese in the 2190m Helen Grafton Pace at Northam on Saturday night.
Favourite at $1.30 from barrier two, Texas Tara was beaten for early speed by Libba Racy and Salingo Bay, who dashed to an early lead and set the pace, with Isaac Edwards content to allow Texas Tara plenty of time to settle and then rate him in the breeze.
Texas Tara got to the front about 250m from home and went on to win by just under a length.
A gelding by American stallion Hes Watching, Texas Tara is certainly bred to be a good winner. He is the second foal out of unraced Bettors Delight mare Tara Delight, whose first foal Tango Tara has had 28 starts in New Zealand for six wins, eight seconds and three thirds for stakes of $87,975.
Tara Delight is a half-sister to brilliant pacers Power Of Tara (102 starts for 22 wins, 24 placings and $747,248) and A G’s White Socks (58 starts for 12 wins and 23 placings for $528,037).
A G’s White Socks victories include the group 1 Easter Cup, a 3200m stand at Addington in March 2018, and the group 1 1700m Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park in April 2018. A G’s White Socks was also successful at her Australian debut when he set the pace and beat Self Assured and Chase Auckland in the group 1 2700m Ballarat Cup in January 2020.
It’s all the way for Firstjoy
Kyle Harper celebrated his first drive behind seven-year-old mare Firstjoy by guiding her to an all-the-way victory in the opening event, the 2190m Wally Grafton Memorial, at Northam on Saturday night.
Harper became the 19TH driver to handle the New Zealand-bred Firstjoy --- at her 61ST start, with her win taking her record to six wins and ten placings.
Firstjoy, trained by Russell Matthews, was a $5 chance and Harper took full advantage of the No. 1 barrier by dictating the tempo of the race out in front with final sectionals of 31.7sec., 30.2sec., 29.3sec. and 29.4sec.
Firstjoy, who ended a losing sequence of nine, rated 1.59.9 and won by a half-length from Flynscotsman ($4.20) and The Party Boy ($12). Benesari Lane, the $2.35 favourite, worked hard in the breeze before wilting to finish fifth.
Firstjoy, by Bettors Delight, had 11 starts in New Zealand for one win --- at her final appearance there, at Timaru on May 13, 2018.
