Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Star three-year-old D Mac is well on truly on target for the $200,000 WA Derby on October 30 despite learning a few tricks in his preparation for the Group 1 classic.
The New Zealand-bred gelding was the $1.30 favourite from barrier five in the 2130m ULE Hoof Oil Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he dashed to the front after 270m and bowled along before sprinting over the final quarters in 27.6sec. and 28.3sec.
He won by a length from $81 outsider Justasmooth Miki, rating a smart 1.54.6, but left champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr scratching his head, saying: “He is still learning, and tonight he threw a new one in there.
“He decided to pull up stumps about the 350m, and it was like the engine just got turned off. I shook him up and he got going again. He was probably a bit fed up after the delay (when the mobile barrier malfunctioned).”
D Mac, who has raced seven times for three wins, four placings and $120,580, gave Hall the first of five winners on the night. He followed with victories with Luvbite, Scooter B, Atlas The Titan and Off Shore.
Gary Hall Snr trains four-year-old Scooter B and five-year-old Atlas The Titan, who are lightly raced and are on the comeback trail after being sidelined with tendon damage.
Scooter B was the $1.70 favourite from the outside of the back line in the 2130m Catalano Truck Sales and Hire Pace when he overcame the odds to score a most impressive victory.
Scooter B raced three wide early before Hall Jnr was forced to restrain him after about 500m back to last in the field of twelve. This followed a scorching lead time of 35.2sec. when $14 chance Overly Excited withstood a spirited challenge for the lead from last-start winner and $3.30 second favourite American Blaze.
Hall sent Scooter B off with a three-wide burst with 950m to travel, and the New Zealand-bred gelding charged to the front 500m from home and went on to beat $31 chance Illawong Mustang by three lengths, rating 1.56.
“The thought process before the race was to get forward ahead of the two out wide (Elite Fleet and American Blaze),” said Hall. “I went along with the plan for too long; it was never an option after the lead time, and to the horse’s credit he performer really well.
“He won despite me. Nothing went right but he still did the job.” Scooter B has won at six of his twelve starts and will be set for the rich feature events for four-year-olds later in the year.
Atlas The Titan, the $2.50 favourite from the outside of the back line in the 2130m TABtouch Pace, notched his sixth win from 19 starts when he settled at the rear before surging forward, three wide, after 600m and then racing outside the pacemaker Spirit Of Sahara ($3.30) and getting to the front 350m from home and winning by a length from $9.50 chance Lou Lamour.
This was Atlas The Titan’s second appearance after a 22-month absence during which he recovered from his tendon injury.
Off Shore, a New Zealand-bred two-year-old colt by Downbytheseaside, gave Hall his fifth winner for the night when he made a successful Australian debut as the $1.10 favourite in the 2130m Allwood Stud Pace.
He began from barrier four and was not extended in setting a modest pace and beating $9 chance Edge Eleven by almost two lengths, rating a slow 1.59.9 after a flying final 400m of 27.9sec.
“He will probably need some head gear on him at some stage,” said Hall. “It’s too much hard work getting him to go. His two races over there (in New Zealand) showed he is lazy and does just what he has to do, while he waited for them to come to him and he has been the same at home.
“I expect him to spark up after tonight’s run when I had to work hard to get him going. Hopefully, he will be a Slipper horse.
“I love his temperament. He wasn’t upset by having to spend the whole night in his stall before running in the final race.”