28 March 2024
by Ken Casellas

Skylou is set to shine

The group 3 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Easter Cup remains Western Australia’s premier standing-start feature event, and champion trainer Gary Hall snr is poised to buck the odds by landing the quinella with four-year-olds Skylou and Im The Black Flash, the only runners in the 2503m race at Gloucester Park tomorrow night who have not contested a stand.

And the brilliant Skylou should become only the third WA Derby winner to succeed in an Easter Cup which has been run 70 times.

The only Derby winners who have gone on to win the Easter Cup have been Beau Don and Satanas. Beau Don won the Derby in 1952 and the Easter Cup three years later, while Satanas won the Derby in 1963 before winning the 1965 Easter Cup.

Star reinsman Gary Hall jnr, who has won the Easter Cup with The Falcon Strike (2003), Patches (who dead-heated for first with OK Windermere in 2006), Uppy Son (2012), Rebel Scooter (2013) and Znana (2016), is confident that Skylou will be successful on Friday night when he starts from the No. 3 barrier on the front line.

Skylou and Im the Black Flash will be racing first-up after a spell --- after Skylou won the 2536m WA Derby on November 3 when he defeated Never Ending and Im The Black Flash.

The stablemates qualified to contest a standing-start event when they appeared in a 2116m standing-start trial at Pinjarra three Wednesdays ago. Each pacer began smoothly in the field of five and performed impressively, with Skylou finishing second to seasoned open-class pacer Hampton Banner, and Im The Black Flash back in third place when the final 400m sections were run in 28.7sec. and 27.7sec.

“Skylou is a really good horse, and his trial was good,” said Hall jnr. “He has come back better, and if he gets away, we will be pressing forward. Lucca (who will start off the 20m mark) and Ardens Horizon (the sole backmarker off 30m) are flying. But Skylou should make things very tough for them.”

Skylou has won at six of his eight starts, while Im The Black Flash, to be driven by Stuart McDonald, has raced 18 time for eight wins. Im The Black Flash will begin from barrier four, alongside Skylou.

Henley Brook trainer-reinsman Robbie Williams has high hopes of winning the Easter Cup for the second time. He will handle five-year-old Brickies Dream from the outside of the front line at the gelding’s second appearance after a let-up, following an easy win in a mobile event at Northam three Saturdays ago.

“Brickies Dream raced in two stands in New Zealand, and he has had four runs in stands for me, for a win and a third at Pinjarra and a win and a third at Northam,” said Williams.

“He is a good stand horse and I’d like to fly him out and try to run to the top. His run at Northam was in a lot weaker company when he won first-up after a little break. He is now ready to go. Skylou, Im The Black Flash, Lucca and Ardens Horizon are the ones to beat, and I think, ability-wise, he’s right up there with them.”

Williams has fond memories of the 2902m Easter Cup in 2020 when he prepared and drove eight-year-old As Happy As Larry to victory as a $10.40 chance, who was the sole backmarker off 50 metres. As Happy As Larry was sixth at the 400m before storming home to win by more than a length from frontmarker Where Ya Bin.

A year earlier As Happy As Larry started off 30m and finished second, a short half-head behind Mighty Conqueror. He was driven by Chris Lewis, who replaced Williams who had been injured in a nasty race accident ten days earlier.

Byford trainer Callan Suvaljko has two runners in Friday night’s Cup --- the 30m solitary backmarker Ardens Horizon and veteran pacer Skippys Delight, who will start from barrier five on the front line.

“Ardens Horizon is wonderfully consistent,” said Suvaljko, who will drive the five-year-old, who worked hard in the breeze when a fighting second to Lucca in a 2503m stand last Friday night.

Suvaljko has engaged Aiden De Campo to handle Skippys Delight, with De Campo saying: “He gets out really good and hopefully he can get to an early lead, and from there we should be able to take a sit.”

Shannon Suvaljko had the option of driving Skippys Delight or the Matt Scott-trained Feeling Aces. He chose Feeling Aces, whose most recent appearance in a stand was three starts ago when he ran home strongly to finish third behind Lucca and Fly To Fame.

Serious task for Swingband

“Things are getting serious now as we’re getting closer to the Nullarbor and the Fremantle Cup,” declared outstanding young reinsman Kyle Symington as he pondered Swingband’s prospects in the $50,000 Bunbury Cup at Donaldson Park on Saturday night.

Five-year-old Swingband, trained by Ryan Bell, will begin from the No. 1 barrier in the group 3 2569m Cup, with Bell saying: “He has improved on his past two starts and I’ll be pretty disappointed if he leads and gets beaten.

“It’s been a while since he has been able to paint the rail from the get-go, and that’s the plan --- to set the pace on Saturday night.”

Swingband has warmed up for the Bunbury Cup with two excellent efforts --- a half-head second to Ideal Agent in the 1684m Mount Eden Sprint over 1684m at Pinjarra last Monday week after racing in the breeze, and a half-length second to Lavra Joe in a 2130m Free-For-All at Gloucester Park at his previous outing.

“Swingband’s latest run was outstanding,” said Symington. “It was over the mile, and I think it was the run of the race. He was super, working hard early to get to the breeze and only just getting pipped on the line by a horse who had been sitting back in the field.”

Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr is hoping that star four-year-old Never Ending will maintain his splendid form at Donaldson Park, with the gelding having raced there twice in September and October last year for easy wins over 2100m in the Battle Of Bunbury and the South-West Derby.

“I spoke with Justin (trainer Justin Prentice) today (Tuesday) and he is happy with the horse,” said Hall. “Barrier three is okay in his first race against the big boys. It looks as though Swingband will lead, so we will come out and get a spot, sit him up and use his speed late.”

Never Ending notched his 13TH win from 15 starts when he won the group 3 Preux Chevalier Classic last Friday night. He overcame the disadvantage of hanging in badly and was able to get up and beat the pacemaker Hotly Pursued, with the final three 400m sections being covered in 28.8sec., 27.6sec. and 27.9sec.

Never Ending is sure to prove hard to beat, with his stablemate Mighty Ronaldo also capable of a bold showing. Mighty Ronaldo, who finished third behind Lavra Joe and Magnificent Storm in last year’s Bunbury Cup, will be driven by Emily Suvaljko from the favourable No. 2 barrier.

Mighty Ronaldo raced without cover for 800m before taking the lead 250m from home and winning by more than a length from Watts Up Sunshine at a 1.56.2 rate over 2130m last Friday week.

Jumpingjackmac, trained by Gary Hall snr, fared poorly in the random draw and he faces a stern test from the outside barrier (No. 7) on the front line, with reinsman Stuart McDonald saying: “He is good enough to win, but he will need a genuinely run race.

“The draw is not helpful, and my tactics will depend largely on what the other runners do early. His first-up run (for four months) was good and he’s going to be a lot better.”

Jumpingjackmac ran home strongly along the sprint lane to finish a close fourth, less than a length behind the winner Ideal Agent in the Mount Eden Sprint at Pinjarra last Monday week.

Lavra Joe is poorly drawn at barrier four on the back line, with reinsman Kyle Harper saying: “It’s a tricky draw, with us being in sort of no man’s land. We will have to wing it and see what happens, I suppose. We might have to sit him up which would be quite a good test for him.”

A long time between drinks

It was a classic case of a long time between drinks when eight-year-old pacer Street Appeal led from barrier three and won easily by two lengths from The Dark Night over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.

The victory for Byford trainer-reinsman Callan Suvaljko 877 days (or two years and five months) after his previous success, over 1660m at Brisbane’s Albion Park on October 30, 2021.

And now Suvaljko is bubbling with confidence that Street Appeal will notch his second win in the space of four days when he starts from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the first event, the 2130m Garrard’s At Gloucester Park Pace on Friday night.

And this confidence is not just an idle boast regarding the New Zealand-bred gelding who had managed just two placings from 31 starts for Suvaljko after he had purchased him for $30,000 in a package deal with Skippys Delight late in 2021 after Street Appeal had won 14 times at Albion Park.

After unplaced efforts at his first two starts for Suvaljko Street Appeal damaged a tendon and was off the scene for 14 months.

“I expected him to win tonight (Tuesday), and I’m expecting him to lead and be very hard to beat again on Friday night,” said Suvaljko. “I nominated him for both races and after this win he went up in class, but he has been able to beat the handicapper.

“He is a quick beginner and should be able to handle the opposition on Friday night when the field is much of a muchness as it was tonight. His recent runs have been quite handy. He has dropped down in grades since he arrived here.”

Street Appeal’s main opposition is quite likely to come from the Lang Inwood-trained Beyond Bling, who will be driven by Suvaljko elder brother Shannon from barrier three.

Shannon Suvaljko gave punters a good lead when he chose to drive Beyond Bling ahead of that pacer’s stablemate Eye Better and the Debbie Padberg-trained Shoot Through. Shannon Suvaljko’s daughter Emily will handle Eye Better from barrier five, and Chris Voak has been engaged to drive the speedy Shoot Through, who will begin from the No. 7 barrier and is capable of a flying start.

Trial points to Off The Charts

Off The Charts made a splendid start to his racing career early last year when he set the pace and won in fine style over 1684m at Pinjarra at his first two race appearances.

But he has managed only two third placings from his subsequent eleven starts. However, a smart trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week was a strong pointer that he will soon return to the winning list for Oakford trainer and part-owner Jemma Hayman.

Off The Charts will begin from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Garrard’s Your One Stop Shop for three-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and Chris Lewis will be anxious to take full advantage of the prized draw by setting the pace and then holding the opposition at bay.

Lewis got Off The Charts away to a speedy start from the outside barrier in the field of six in the recent 2185m trial at Pinjarra. The Downbytheseaside gelding raced keenly in front without setting a particularly fast time. He covered the final 400m sections in 29.5sec. and 29sec. and won by one length from Perfect Move, rating 1.58.9.

Ravenswood trainer-driver Jocelyn Young produced Kabochon in excellent condition when the gelding made most of the running and won by three lengths from Go Mario, rating 1.58.8 over 2185m at Pinjarra on March 4 when having his first start since he led and finished third behind Manhattan Moon over 2130m at Gloucester Park on September 22. Kabochon will start from barrier three and will have many admirers.

The three Gs ---Golden Lode, Grevis and Grand Couteau --- also warrant plenty of respect and should be prominent.

Golden Lode, to be driven by Deni Roberts for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, possesses wonderful natural speed and looks set to fight out the finish, despite starting from the outside barrier in the field of eight.

Golden Lode’s five starts as a three-year-old have resulted in three wins and two second placings. His last-start second to Opal Hunter at Gloucester Park on March 12 was full of merit. He began from the outside barrier in the field of nine, raced three wide early, was restrained to the rear and surged home, three wide, from last at the bell to hit the front with 250m to travel before wilting and finding the talented Opal Hunter too good after that pacer had enjoyed a perfect trip behind the pacemaker Cachinnation.

Grevis, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, will start out wide at barrier seven. He maintained his solid form when he finished strongly into third place behind Bet The House and Ten To The Dozen over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night.

Grand Couteau, the only filly in the race, will be driven by her trainer Dylan Egerton-Green. She resumed after a six-month absence with a fast-finishing victory at Narrogin on Tuesday of last week.

Lewis also has good winning prospects with the Katja Warwick-trained All Is Well, who will begin from the No. 1 barrier in the www.horseandhound.com.au Pace. All Is Well drops significantly in class after he was prominent throughout and fought on solidly to finish third behind Never Ending and Hotly Pursued in the group 3 Preux Chevalier Classic last Friday night.

Dourado, trained and driven by De Campo, has won in the country at three of his past four starts, including a runaway ten-length victory in the Bridgetown Cup last Sunday. He is favourably drawn at the No. 2 barrier, alongside All Is Well when he faces a steep rise in class.

“He is a capable pacer, but this looks a bit harder,” said De Campo. “I’ll be looking for the one-out, one-back position.”

Star reinsman Gary Hall jnr will, as usual, have a busy evening, and he predicts that his best winning prospects will come late in the ten-event program after he drives WA Derby winner Skylou in the Easter Cup.

“My best prospects should be Mister Smartee in race eight, Watts Up Sunshine (race nine) and Hes Never Been Beta (race ten),” he said.