Written by Robbie Dewar.
IT is highly doubtful that there has been few easier wins amongst Gary Hall (jnr’s) 143 successes this season than that he had behind Im Themightyquinn on Friday night.
Starting off a 30 metre handicap in the Channel Nine Conditioned Pace (2503 metres) Hall (jnr) was quickly off three wide and was in front after 500 metres, from there it was a stroll in the park for the five-year-old as he waltzed away to record the easiest of 13 metre wins you ever wish to see.
Hall (jnr) hardly moved a muscle.
Im Themightyquinn was having his first race start since resuming from a four and a half month spell, but had warmed up with two trial wins at Byford.
On June 13 he did what he had to do and won a 2550 metre standing start trial by 50 metres in a 2.5.1 mile rate, seven days later the son of Love Sign came out and beat Ima Rocket Star by one length in a 2150 metre mobile trial, coming home his last 400 metres in a very quick 26.6 secs! This last quarter was a Byford sectional track record.
A winner of just over $689,700 Im Themightyquinn appears to have come back better than ever and his potential clash with up and coming four-year-old Ima Rocket Star in the Winter Cup on July 9 looms as being the highlight of the Winter harness racing season.
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BECAUSE of the ease of Im Themightyquinn’s win, driver Colin Brown 30 minutes later was supremely confident when he took Ima Rocket Star out onto the track for the Find Thirty Everyday Pace (2536 metres).
In what panned out to be a classic horse race Ima Rocket Star sat outside Has The Answers from the 2100 metre point and slowly but surely got the better of his older rival to win by one metre.
It was a classic piece of driving by Brown. Has The Answers won the start and led before getting away with a 31.8 sec first 400 metre sectional, Brown then started to turn the screws with Ima Rocket Star as the duo uptempoed running the next quarter in 29.3 secs, before coming home the last 800 metres in an incredibly quick 55.2 secs.
“Knowing the horse that he is I was very confident going into the race, especially so after seeing what Im Themightyquinn did in the race prior,” Brown said.
“This horse just knows how to find the line, he just bounces off those trials and Im Themightyquinn only just beat him in that trial the other day,” Brown continued.
Part owner Rob Gartrell said that immediate future for the horse will be known on Sunday.
“We’ll have a discussion with trainer Greg Bond and see what happens.”
“There is a plane available on Tuesday for him, but it looks likely that he will stay in WA for the Winter Cup before heading across for the heats of the Chariots Of Fire and then hopefully the final.”
For Bond it was the second leg of a winning interstate double with Millwood Meg taking out the $30,000 Gold Coast Oaks (2100 metres) on Friday night.
Sitting outside the leader, Millwood Meg went to a clear lead 300 metres from home and appeared to have the race in her keeping.
Then Torque In Motion emerged from the pack and actually headed Millwood Meg, but as Ima Rocket Star showed 90 minutes later the Bond trained horses know how to fight back and fight back she did to win by a nose in a 1.57.4 mile rate.
“We had a few palpitations there for a while,” Bond said after the race.
“She has done very well up here and hasn’t missed a beat .”
“Tonight topped her off beautifully for next week’s Queensland Oaks. I reckon she’ll be two-three lengths better as we’ll step up her work in the coming week,” Bond continued.
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UNFORTUNATELY WA connected Bonavista Bay won’t be joining Ima Rocket Star in the Chariots Of Fire as he will be in WA spelling.
“He’s got a small hole in his nearside suspensory tendon, it’s only a small hole but it’s still a hole and it’s not worth the risk so he’ll come to Perth to be treated and rested before tackling the Grand Circuit,” trainer Mike Reed said.
Bonavista Bay has had a stellar season winning the Golden Nugget Championship, McInerney Ford Classic and the Vicbred Super Series for his age group.
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LAST Monday’s victory by He’s A Falcon broke two long winning droughts.
The first was for the horse who hadn’t won since winning at Penrith in New South Wales back on December 21 2006.
For his trainer –driver Reg Musgrove, it was first win since he triumphed with Homesick James at Gloucester Park on January 19 1996.
In a beautiful drive by Musgrave, Hes A Falcon settled three back the pegs in the 2170 metre mobile event before being able to get clear 200 metres from home and ran on strongly to get up in the last two strides and win narrowly.
Musgrave shares the farriering duties with Danny Sheehy at Gloucester Park.
“He was overdue for a win,” Musgrave said.
“I’ve only got one or two in work as my farriering business takes up a fair bit of my time,” Musgrave continued.
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TRAINER Ron Huston is aiming for next Tuesdays Juvenile race day with Elite Angel after she won the Daintys Daughter Classic Pace (2242 metres) at Narrogin last Tuesday.
Driven by Shannon Suvaljko Elite Angel settled one out one back after drawing two out on the back line
Going three wide with 600 metres to go, Elite Angel went to the front on the apex of the home bend. Elite Angel then held the run of Hear No Secret and won by a short half head.
It was the daughter of Elite Dynasty’s third win in succession.
“It’s taken us a while to work her out, but I think we’ve now got her right,” Huston said.
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A couple of issues ago we spoke about the outstanding strike rate that Capel trainer Andrew De Campo and stable driver Matthew White are having.
On Friday night at Bunbury the duo were again in the winner’s circle – four times!
The duo combined with Miss Poker Face, Belhelvie, Jade Bromac and Trojan Bromac to win.
Friday nights quartet of winners took White to within 10 points of Chris Lewis on the Bunbury Drivers Table for the season and took his Bunbury UDR Average to 0.4606.
At Bunbury this season White has had 55 drives for 19 wins.
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As reported last week the Breeders Crown heats had been shifted from Pinjarra on July 12 to Saturday July 17 at Gloucester Park, however after consultation with BOTRA AND WAHROA it has been decided to revert back to Pinjarra as the Saturday night is one night after the Alabar Gold Bracelet for two-year-old fillies.
The Breeders Crown heats will be non Sky covered races and will be run 20 minutes apart at the start of the meeting.
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TONY Treasure made it two wins in successive weeks with Dreams Daughter when she took out the Diageo Fillies And Mares pace (1730 metres).
Starting from barrier eight, Treasure took the four-year-old mare back to last before unleashing her at the 600metre point.
Steadying her as she rounded the home bend, Dreams Daughter did the rest, winning by three quarters of a length.
Also on Friday night, Gransagenic started a $3.80 favourite when winning the Brear And Doonan Pace (2536 metres).
Going to the front 2000 metres out, Gransagenic went onto win by one metre.
After the race trainer Owen Gilbride said that he would probably restrict the five-year-old to stands.
“I think the mobile races that are for him are sprint races and they go too quick for him, so I might go in stands with him, he’s no feature race horse just a nice type to have” Gilbride continued.
