HALL STANDS ALONE AS MOST SUCCESSFUL WA PACING CUP TRAINER

HALL STANDS ALONE AS MOST SUCCESSFUL WA PACING CUP TRAINER

Champion pacer Im Themightyquinn further enhanced his reputation as Australia’s best harness horse with a devastating last-to-first victory in the $400,000 SEW Eurodrive WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night and he is poised to seize further rich plums in the coming weeks and months.

His record-breaking win was a triumph for trainer Gary Hall sen., who has high hopes that the star seven-year-old will add the $250,000 Yes Loans Fremantle Cup and the $1 million V75 interdominion championship to his impressive list of big-race successes.

Hall has dominated the WA Pacing Cup in recent years and Im Themightyquinn’s brilliant victory gave the 62-year-old Hazelmere trainer his sixth victory in this prestigious group 1 event in the past 11 runnings of the race.

Hall now stands alone as the most successful trainer in the 99-year history of the Cup, surpassing the legendary Phil Coulson. And Im Themightyquinn became the eighth pacer to be a multiple winner of the WA Pacing Cup. He will now run in the Fremantle Cup next Friday night before contesting the interdominion series which starts on February 17.

Gary Hall jun. resumed after serving a term of suspension and was at his magnificent best in guiding Im Themightyquinn to a memorable victory over the pacemaker Dasher VC and Lightning Raider. Hall was under suspension and watched as Kim Prentice won the WA Pacing Cup with Im Themightyquinn 12 months earlier.    

The 29-year-old Hall now has driven five winners of the Cup and is second only to the late Phil Coulson, who won the race seven times as a driver.

Four weeks before Friday night’s Cup Im Themightyquinn finished 12th and last behind Smoken Up in the Victoria Cup at Melton. He was suffering from severe dehydration and it was feared he would not recover in time to contest the WA Pacing Cup. However, Hall sen. produced a big slice of his magic to get the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old back on track.

The small, streamlined gelding was produced in wonderful condition and he gave further proof of his champion qualities to come from last to score an emphatic victory and smash the race and State record for 2506m. He rated 1.56 which bettered the WA record of 1.56.3, held jointly by Ima Spicey Lombo and Washakie.

Hall jun. had a tough time in restraining Im Themightyquinn at the start from the outside of the front line. But the gelding eventually settled in last position and was still last with two laps to travel.

The field of 12 was reduced to 11 when veteran pacer Real Life was withdrawn at 6.55pm. The gelding received a nasty cut to his nearside hind leg as he was being unloaded from his float on arrival at the course.

Superstar Mr Feelgood was an easing favourite, his price drifting from 6/4 on to 10/9 on, while Im Themightyquinn (13/4 to 11/4) and Dasher VC (8/1 to 7/1) were the only other runners quoted at less than 14/1.

And there was an early surprise when noted frontrunner Rakarebel (14/1) was unable to muster sufficient speed from the No. 1 barrier to hold the early lead. Chris Lewis got Dasher VC away speedily from barrier two and the five-year-old surged to the front after 100m, with Mr Feelgood in the breeze.

Washakie raced wide in the first circuit before moving to the outside of the pacemaker 900m after the start, and then 300m later Anthony Butt dashed Raglan forward to race in the breeze, leaving Mr Feelgood in sixth place in the one-wide line. Luke McCarthy then sent Mr Feelgood forward, three wide, to regain the breeze position.

Im Themightyquinn was last 1300m from home when Hall jun. started a three-wide move. Im Themightyquinn then was forced four wide by Lombo Navigator before Hall was able to get the gelding back into the three-wide line, following Lightning Raider. After the race the stewards suspended Lombo Navigator’s driver Matt White for ten days for having forced Im Themightyquinn to cover more ground than necessary.

The stewards took into account White’s excellent record of not having been suspended for 98 weeks, during which time he had 837 drives without causing interference. White’s penalty will be deferred by seven days to enable him to drive Lombo Navigator in the Fremantle Cup next Friday night.

Dasher VC was still traveling strongly in front 400m from home, with Im Themightyquinn in sixth place. It was moments later that Im Themightyquinn unleashed a dazzling burst of speed, out four wide. He charged to the front the front 100m from the post and went on to beat Dasher VC by a half-length.

Lightning Raider (20/1) was four lengths away in third place, just ahead of Raglan. The final 800m 2was covered in 56.6sec. and the last 400m in 27sec. Mr Feelgood wilted after a torrid run to finish ninth.  

Im Themightyquinn, owned by Beth Richardson, Glen Moore, Garry Ralston, Mark Congerton, Joe Barber, Henry McManus and Karen Hall, now boasts the outstanding record of 34 wins, 27 placings and stakes of $2,421,506 from 79 starts.

Hall jun. said that he was surprised at the way the race was run, saying: “It wasn’t run at all how I expected it to be. But I did know it was going to be hard to restrain Im Themightyquinn early because he was so fresh.

“He has really thrived since returning from Victoria. I was a little bit worried after getting to the front that Dasher VC might have kicked back because fitness was always going to be a concern. But he did the job in great style. He’s a true champion who makes my job very easy.”

An ecstatic Hall sen. declared: “Im Themightyquinn is up there with the very best in Australia and he’s proved that tonight.” He thanked his staff, particularly foreman Michael Brennan and his wife Lara, and he praised the skill of his son, saying: “It was another fantastic drive by Gary. He never lets you down in the big ones. He’s a superstar and is as big a champion as the horse is. I can’t wait for the interdominions.”

HAS THE ANSWERS BOUNCES BACK TO BEAT MYSTA MAGICAL MACH

Evergreen star Has The Answers went into his 197th start with a sequence of five unplaced efforts and his in-form stablemate Mysta Magical Mach was strongly supported from 5/4 to 6/4 on for the $25,000 SEW Eurodrive WA Pacing Cup Consolation at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The only other time in his career that the WA-bred nine-year-old had a sequence of five unplaced runs was at his first five starts, as a two-year-old in the 2004-05 season.

He was drawn on the inside of the back line and was a 7/1 chance with bookmakers and was at 13/1 on the tote.

But, typical of the marvellous old war horse, he bounced back to his best and Kyle Harper drove him to an upset victory over the unlucky Mysta Magical Mach to give 65-year-old Byford trainer Tony Svilicich the quinella.      

Polemarker Russley Rascal (7/2, 3s, 13/4) set the pace, leaving Mysta Magical Mach to work hard in the breeze, while Has The Answers enjoyed the perfect trail behind the pacemaker.

Morgan Woodley urged Mysta Magical Mach to a half-length lead with 500m to travel before Can Return Fire burst forward to get his head in front with 300m to travel. But Mysta Magical Mach fought back to regain the lead. However, he was unable to hold off the fast-finishing Has The Answers, who rated 1.58 over the 2506m in winning by 2m. A similar distance away in third place was Russley Rascal.

Cromac Johnny, three wide for the first 600m and then restrained to the rear, flew home from tenth at the bell to be an eye-catching fourth. The final 800m was covered in 56.8sec.

Has The Answers cast a hind shoe on the way to the course and Svilicich was not at all concerned. He removed the other back shoe and the gelding raced without plates on his hind legs.  

Has The Answers now has earned $1,161,494 from 69 wins and 54 placings from 197 starts and Harper has driven the gelding five times for three wins. Most of his wins have been when he has led, but Harper said that Has The Answers relished the opportunity to race with a sit.

“He was racing a bit keenly in behind the leader, but my main concern was that he hung a bit and I had to make sure I kept him from hitting wheels,” he said. “Hopefully, he’ll get similar draws and has to be driven with a sit more often.”

HARPER RESUMES AFTER SUSPENSION WITH A DOUBLE

Twenty-one-year-old Kyle Harper celebrated his return to driving after serving a term of suspension with a long-priced double at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He adopted similar tactics with Governor Johnny in the SEW Driving Australian Industry and Has The Answers in the SEW Eurodrive WA Pacing Cup Consolation. Each pacer started from the inside of the back line and Harper enjoyed a perfect trail on the pegs before bringing both horses home with a stout-hearted finishing burst.

Governor Johnny was a 20/1 chance with bookmakers who paid odds of 32/1 on the tote, and Has The Answers (7/1) paid 13/1 on the tote.

Governor Johnny, trained at Wanneroo by 30-year-old Kristy Padberg, had finished in tenth place at each of his two previous starts, but he relished the opportunity to race on the pegs before being asked for a late burst.

Harper had Governor Johnny behind the polemarker and pacemaker Strike A Life for the first 450m before Chris Brew sent the heavily-backed Heisbackinblack to the front.

Harper bided his time and he gained an inside run 400m from home before Governor Johnny finished solidly to get to the front 100m from the post. He won by 4m from Heisbackinblack, with What God Knows (Michael Tenardi) running on strongly along the pegs from 11th at the bell to be third.

Governor Johnny and What God Knows are owned by Padberg and her father John.

Indian Brave, the 7/4 on favourite, had a torrid run and faded to finish last. He raced three wide for the first lap and then on the outside of the leader.

“I think that there has been a bit of a virus at the Padberg stable,” Harper said. “A few of their horses have been a bit unders from what they should have been. This horse obviously hasn’t suffered from that and he found the line fantastically well tonight.”

The New South Wales-bred Governor Johnny won five times on NSW country tracks from 25 runs in that State. He has had 22 starts in WA for four wins and four placings. He has earned $38,732.

NAFRANEC FAMILY CELEBRATES TO TRANSCEND’S VICTORY

There was a joyful family celebration at Gloucester Park on Friday night after Morgan Woodley drove To Transcend to an impressive victory over Our Gent and Crusaders Crest in the 2503m SEW Geared To Go Handicap.

To Transcend, backed from 10/1 to 7/1 and paying 11/1 on the tote, is trained at Coolup by Frank Nafranec and is owned by his wife Alison and their sons Adam and Richard in partnership with Jamie Newman, Russell Walters and Alan Mills.

The shock of the race was the dismal failure of star pacer Jumbo Operator, the hot favourite at 2/1 on. Jumbo Operator was the sole backmarker off 30m in the small field of eight and he failed to muster any speed in the early stages and quickly dropped back 80m behind the main bunch.

He simply refused to stretch out or to chase and the further the race progressed the further he dropped out. The Ron Huston-trained Jumbo Operator (driven by Shannon Suvaljko) finished 328.6m behind the winner.

The stewards ordered the six-year-old gelding back to trials and barred him from racing for six days.

Crusaders Crest led early before Woodley sent To Transcend forward to take up the running after 400m. Zanardi, second favourite at 7/2, dashed forward, but was trapped three wide. Galveron worked hard in the breeze before fading to seventh and To Transcend needed to cover the final 800m in only 60.7sec. to win comfortably.

“He’s been a bit unlucky lately, copping a lot of pressure, and tonight was no exception,” Woodley said. “He’s just a better horse in front or in the breeze and I wasn’t willing to give the lead away. And he toughed it out very well.”

To Transcend, a winner of three races from 36 starts in New Zealand, has excelled for Nafranec, with his 24 WA starts producing seven wins and four placings.

ALDEBARAN SWANNEE CAUSES AN UPSET

Queensland-bred pacer Aldebaran Swannee caused an upset when he finished fast to snatch victory from fancied runners Johnny Be and Jett Dee in the 2100m SEW Driving The World Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Having his fourth run after a spell for Upper Swan trainer John Milentis, Aldebaran Swannee ended a losing sequence of 11. His previous success was in a Pathway in June 2010.

“He hasn’t had much luck at his past couple of starts,” said 34-year-old Darren Kerr after he had made the most of the inside barrier on the second line by trailing the pacemaker Jett Dee. Kerr got Aldebaran Swannee into the clear approaching the home turn and the seven-year-old finished strongly, out wide, to beat Johnny Be (7/1, 4/1, 9/2) by 1m, with Jett Dee (5/2, 13/4, 2/1) a half-head away in third place. The final 800m was covered in 58.6sec.

Aldebaran Swannee, a winner of nine races in Victoria, has now won twice from 16 starts in WA. He has earned $48,134.

SPEEDY ELENA S ENDS LOSING SEQUENCE OF 18

New Zealand-bred mare Elena S became the latest in a long line of pacers to benefit from the dropdown rule when she gave a bold frontrunning display to score a stylish victory in the 2100m SEW 24 Hour Services Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Since her previous win, at Gloucester Park in November 2010, Elena S has raced consistently, recording six seconds and two thirds for earnings of $19,960. But she was downgraded from an M2 classification to return to the M1 class after extending her losing sequence to ten.

This victory ended a losing sequence of 18 and she returns to an M2 class. Trained at Mt Helena by Ray Williams, Elena S has had 27 starts in WA for seven wins, seven seconds and a third placing. Her overall record stands at 54 starts for eight wins, 19 placings and stakes of $95,644.

Polemarker Flossie (11/2) led for the first 150m before Grant Williams sent Elena S to the front. Elena S (9/4, 7/2) dictated terms and she sprinted the final 800m in 57.2sec. to win by 2m at a 1.57.9 rate from Slick Bird, who had been supported from 4/1 to favouritism at 5/2. Flossie battled on to be third.

“She was out of form for a while, but her past few starts have been good,” said Grant Williams. “She’s back to her best now and, hopefully, she can string a couple together.”

SMART START PAVES THE WAY FOR ALL THE WAY

A brilliant beginning off the back mark of 20m paved the way for outsider All The Way’s decisive victory in the 2096m SEW Industrial Automation Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Astute punters cashed in handsomely because All The Way, a M4-class pacer, was generously handicapped off 20m, with six M0-class pacers off the front and two M1-class pacers off 10m.

Despite a powerful, fast-finishing victory off 50m at Williams two starts earlier, All The Way started at 20/1 with bookmakers and paid tote odds of 38/1. Part-owned, trained and driven by 34-year-old Nathan Turvey, All the Way won seven times from 53 starts in New Zealand. He has had 20 starts in WA, all in stands, for six wins and six placings.

Turvey said that All The Way was unlucky not to have followed his win at Williams with another success at Northam at his following start. “He galloped at Northam and finished seventh, which was quite frustrating,” he said. “But he’s been a really good horse for us and I can’t knock him.”

Turvey got All The Way away brilliantly on Friday night and the seven-year-old settled down in fifth place on the inside as Turismo (favourite at 5/2) set the pace. Captain jack Sparrow (4/1) reared at the start and galloped badly before settling down a distant last. Borat (7/2, 6/1) lost about 60m.

Turismo led until the final stages, but was unable to hold out the fast-finishing All The Way, who was temporarily hampered for room 300m from home before Turvey got him into the clear and switched him four wide.

All The Way charged home to hit the front 50m from the post and he won by a half-length from Coringa Cory (3/1, 13/2), who rattled home from ninth at the bell. Borat made up a tremendous amount of ground to finish close up in eighth place.

GEORGE SUCCEEDS WITH ONEDIN CRUSADER

The decision of Forrestdale trainers Greg and Skye Bond to engage stable foreman Michael George to drive Onedin Crusader to make use of his junior concession paid handsome dividends when the New Zealand-bred six-year-old scored a smart victory in the 2100m SEW Industrial Gear Units Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The 23-year-old George’s concession enabled Onedin Crusader, an M2-class pacer, to start from the favourable No. 3 barrier on the front line.

George made a concerted bud to send Onedin Crusader to an early lead, but he was thwarted by Gary Hall jun., who held the lead with polemarker Remember Me Bel. 

Onedin Crusader raced without cover for the first 450m before Kristian Hawkins charged forward with Cuzin Judd to take up the position outside the leader. Hawkins applied plenty of pressure on Remember Me Bel as Onedin Crusader cruised along in the one-out, one-back position.

Cuzin Judd eventually got to the front 420m from home before George sent Onedin Crusader to the lead with 260m to travel. Onedin Crusader went on to win by 2m from Cuzin Judd (16/1), with outsider Smart Cullen finishing gamely from seventh at the bell to be third. Scan Air was a fast-finishing fourth.

Onedin Crusader has raced 56 times for 14 wins, 12 placings and $134,801. His 22 WA starts have produced seven wins and three placings.

George said that he had tried to lead with Onedin Crusader, but was quite happy to end up with the one-out, one-back position. “It was good when Kristian (Hawkins) came around and put a bit of pressure on the leader and then everything fell into place in the last lap,” he said.

ABSOLUTE COOL SHOWS EXCELLENT FIGHTING QUALITIES

Lightly-raced six-year-old Absolute Cool revealed strong fighting qualities to win the SEW We’re Torqueing Big Pathway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Favourite at even money for 62-year-old Casuarina trainer Colin Joss, Absolute Cool was driven with supreme confidence by 42-year-old Shannon Suvaljko, who sent the Parsons Den gelding forward from the outside of the front line.

Absolute Cool raced three wide for the first 450m before moving outside the pacemaker Booscare Truck, who set a solid pace before Absolute Cool surged to the front 520m from home and raced away to beat Booscare Truck by three lengths at a 1.58.9 rate.

Absolute Cool now has had 14 starts for five wins, two placings and $24,781. He is the third foal (and the only one to have raced) out of the unraced Caisies Image. Caisies Image is out of Illusion Lass, who earned $48.971 from ten wins and eight placings from 42 starts. Illusion Lass also produced Bewitched Babe, who raced 98 times for eight wins, 18 placingts and stakes of $48,253.

Absolute Cool’s victory completed a good night for Suvaljko, who trained two winners, Criminal Minds and Emilychloe, at the meeting at Busselton on Friday night. Both pacers were driven by Aiden de Campo.

SENSATIONAL GABBY CONTINUES ON HER MERRY WINNING WAY

Brilliant filly Sensational Gabby continued her magnificent form when she outclassed her seven rivals in the 2100m SEW Driving The Future Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“She’s definitely better than she was as a two-year-old,” said reinsman Chris Lewis after Sensational Gabby, favourtite at 7/1 on, coasted to a four-length victory over Rivers of Babylon, rating a smart 1.55.9.

“She has stepped since her two-year-old campaign and tonight she was able to sit back in the field and then move around, three wide. She does it very easily and she maintained that nice speed to the finish.”

Her effortless success for trainer Greg Schofield took her record to 13 starts for 11 wins and one second placing for earnings of $191,915.

Rivers of Babylon gave an encouraging display to run home nicely from sixth at the bell to be second.

by Ken Casellas