Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran trainer Phillip Henwood turned the clock back almost 19 years when his four-year-old pacer Art Ideal set the pace and won the $21,000 Barbagallo Ferrari Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Art Ideal’s victory gave the 73-year-old Henwood his first training success in a metropolitan-class event since Captain Jack Sparrow won at Gloucester Park on November 16, 2007, three starts before he finished second to Lombo Pocket Watch in the Golden Nugget championship.
And Friday night’s win was a special occasion for his 22-year-old driver Kylah Madden, who kept her cool as Art Ideal raced fiercely in front. This was Madden’s first metro-class success as a driver.
Art Ideal was the $3.30 second favourite who charged to the front after 200m as he proved too speedy for the $2.35 favourite True Grit, who began from barrier three and led in the early stages. He went on to win by 2m from True Grit.
Henwood, who also has a licence to train thoroughbreds, has been involved in harness racing on and off over the years. He won races in 2023 at Belmont and Pinjarra with galloper Twice A Fortnight.
Art Ideal is owned by Henwood’s son Matt, who outlaid $25,000 to buy the son of American Ideal at a 2023 Sydney yearling sale. “I liked the breeding,” said Matt Henwood.
Art Ideal is by American Ideal and is the first foal out of Art Major mare Shandance, who raced 69 times for nine wins, 13 placings and $72,616 in prizemoney. Before coming to WA Art Ideal had five starts in NewSouth Wales for one win (at Penrith) and four starts in Victoria for wins at Yarra Valley and Shepparton.
Art Ideal has now earned $46,007 from seven wins and five placings from 23 starts.
Shandance’s elder full-brother Shandale was a smart pacer who raced 54 times for 14 wins, 15 placings and $305,028 in prizemoney. He won at six of his 21 starts in WA, including the Group 2 J. P. Stratton Pace in October 2017 when he beat Soho Tribeca and Chicago Bull.
Madden continued her excellent form in the sulky on Sunday when she landed a double with the Debra Sutton-trained eight-year-old gelding Just A Pet and the Hayden Reeves-trained nine-year-old Thomson Bay in the $11,000 Bridgetown Cup.