Written by Robbie Dewar.
On course patrons were indeed fortunate to witness two legends at their very best on Friday night.
Trevor Warwick showed that he had lost none of his skill and guile when he guided Scram Jet to a three length win in the DBC Timber Hill Claiming Pace (2130 metres), then in the following race Chris Lewis drove the first of a quartet of winners for the night, when he won behind Ima Spicey Lombo.
Lewis also triumphed behind Gary Bromac, Jordangarry and Tsunami Lombo all trained by Ross Olivieri.
Quickly opening up a three length break on his rivals, Warwick kept his rivals on the march with Scram Jet as he reeled off 400 metre sectionals in 29.8, 29.6, 28.6 and 29.6 secs, which didn’t give his rivals a look in.
It was also a training triumph for Scram Jet’s trainer, Katja Schreyvogel, as Scram Jet had not started since finishing ninth on March 5.
Friday nights win gave Warwick his 2033rd career win and his 1175th win in Perth.
Lewis’ quartet of winners took his career tally to 3985 wins and 1989 winners in Perth, and took him three wins clear of Gary Hall (jnr) in the metropolitan drivers premiership.
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MILLWOOD Meg won her third Oaks and her seventh race in succession when winning Saturday nights Campbell Wholesalers $75,000 Queensland Oaks (2138 metres) at Brisbane’s Albion Park.
Drawing beautifully in barrier 2, driver Colin Brown speared the Greg Bond filly straight to the front and hardly twitched a muscle until the 550 metre point, where Millwood Meg got away from her rivals by two lengths and was four lengths clear on the home bend.
Though Torque In Motion was taking ground off her in the run to the line, Millwood Meg was never in any danger and went down to the line winning in a 1.58.2 mile rate. The daughter of Mach Three ran home her last 800 metres in a slick 55.7 secs.
A winner of just under $241,500 in stakes, Millwood Meg will now head to Melbourne for the $75,000 Australian Oaks at Melton in Victoria on July 16.
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TSUNAMI LOMBO made it three wins from just three starts since returning to WA, when he took out the $17,500 DBC Tender Ridge Past Presidents Cup (2130 metres) at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
As a two-year-old Tsunami Lombo had three starts in WA for no success in 2006, before being taken to Victoria where he had 32 starts for nine wins and 11 placings.
On Friday night Tsunami Lombo was three wide early before going to the front 1300 metres from home and went onto win by four metres.
The race was certainly incident packed as Bakerandthefatman who was up front had to be pulled up after 300 metres with broken gear, then 1000 metres from home Jimmy Kelly galloped interfering with seven runners to varying degrees, including that of the $3.80 second favourite Money Twitch who galloped out of contention.
The run of Nowuseeme was most impressive.
Driven by Aldo Cortopassi, Nowuseeme was inconvenienced in the Jimmy Kelly incident losing between 10-15 metres and ran on strongly for second.
After the race trainer Ross Olivieri said Tsunami Lombo was probably better suited by racing outside the leader instead of leading.
“He looked a bit funny tonight, a bit gawky, I reckon he’s better in the breeze” Olivieri said.
“Mick was thinking of sending him for a spell but I’ll see how he pulls up. I might try and talk Mick into starting him in next weeks Winter Cup.”
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Next Friday night’s Winter Cup is looming to be a classic race.
With Im Themightyquinn and Ima Rocket Star looking highly likely to start and the possibility that Friday night winners Tsunami Lombo and Rocket Reign may also go around, the $35,000 Winter feature will be a highlight of the cooler months.
After Friday night Gary Hall (snr) said that he will see how Rocket Reign pulls up after his win in the Easy For Me With DBC Conditioned Pace (2503 metres) before deciding whether or not to start him in next weeks feature.
“I thought he was a winning chance tonight but I didn’t think he was a certainty,” Hall (snr) said.
“I’ll see how he pulls up first before making a decision. I think he is a Summer horse,” Hall (snr) continued.
Rocket Reign was heavily supported on SuperTab from $4.80 into $2.00 and lost between 30-35 metres at barrier rise.
Tacking onto the rear of the field after 500 metres, Rocket Reign immediately latched onto the back of Alzona and went three wide. Sweeping to the front 1400 metres out, Rocket Reign ran home his last 800 metres in a slick 57.2 secs and won by two metres .
The six-year-old son of Sherree’s Reign was having his first start since finishing sixth behind Heeza Hudson on December 27.
Punters looking for a lead to Rocket Reigns chances however had to look no further than an hour before when Gary Bromac won over 2130 metres.
On May 30 Rocket Reign defeated Gary Bromac in a Byford 2150 metre trial by three lengths.
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PARSONEMBY started a very warm $1.40 favourite when winning the DBC Ever Tender Fillies And Mares Pace (2130 metres) on Friday night.
A model of consistency Parsonemby was having her fifth run back from a five month spell and it was her second win this campaign.
Going to the front after 300 metres, Parsonemby got away from her rivals at the 200 metre point and went onto win by a sulkys length.
The Suvaljko’s also won with Pole Dancer who overcame a backrow draw to win over 1780 metres at Northam on Saturday night.
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ROSS Olivieri recent successes with horses trained formerly trained in Victoria continued during last weeks Gloucester Park midweek meeting.
TAB One having his first start since finishing ninth at Maryborough came out and overcame a backrow draw to win over 2130 metres as a $2.40 SuperTab favourite.
Ima Spicey Lombo and Tsunami Lombo are amongst the recent winners that were trained in Victoria but have won since being taken over by Olivieri.
TAB One’s stake earnings have been taken past $35,000 with Tuesday’s win.
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TRAINER Ron Huston looks highly unlikely to take star four-year-old Jumbo Operator to Sydney for the Chariots Of Fire later this month.
Huston was speaking after he saw Jumbo Operator win over 2130 metres during the Gloucester Park meeting last week.
“He has missed a months racing and you have to be super fit and spot one to go over there,” Huston said.
“There are some nice races coming up here and I think he’ll be an ideal type for when the Inters comes to Perth in 2012.”
“I was rapt with his run tonight especially when they ran that 32.0 sec quarter upfront and he was so far off them,” Huston continued.
Success for Huston continued on Friday night when Jay Cee Ess led throughout to win over 1730 metres.
It was the four-year-olds third win in as many starts this campaign.
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MATT White continued on his winning way at Bunbury on Friday night, when he drove a winning double behind Flyin Vee and Its Full Force, both horses are trained by Andrew De Campo for whom White is stable foreman.
The previous Friday night at Bunbury, White drove four winners at the Bunbury meeting when triumphing behind Miss Poker Face, Belhelvie, Jade Bromac and Trojan Bromac, all again trained by De Campo.
Friday nights double took White to the lead in the Bunbury Drivers Premiership.
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SATANS Emissary overcame a long losing drought when winning over 1780 metres at Northam on Saturday night.
Trained and driven by John Filardo, Satans Emissary last won back on October 3 2006 – some 73 starts ago.
Saturday night’s win was only his third win in 117 starts.
