Superstar pacer Mister Smartee gave further proof that he will again be a major contender for the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on December 12 when he scored a decisive victory in the $31,000 We Love Our Members Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
At his second appearance after a four-month absence Mister Smartee was a hot $1.30 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of eight, and he impressed with the ease of his two-length victory over the brilliant Captain Ravishing ($7.50), who ran home solidly after trailing the leader all the way.
After a fast lead time of 35.6sec. Mister Smartee relaxed in front with casual 400m sections of 32sec. and 30.1sec. before smart final quarters of 28.8sec. and 27.2sec. He rated 1.56.1.
“He was super,” said reinsman Gary Hall jnr. “He was really laid back in the warm-up which worried me a bit. I had no set plan and didn’t know what I was going to do. I didn’t want him to have a tough run, and when he was keen up to the gate, I thought I would get to the lead. And then he travelled very well.”
Mister Smartee, produced in fine fettle by his trainer Gary Hall snr, looks set to make a bold bid to win the Pacing Cup after he finished a half-length second to Minstrel in the big race last November. The New Zealand-bred five-year-old boasts a wonderful record of 25 starts for 19 wins, three seconds and $1,282,476 in prizemoney.
Friday night’s win brought up Hall junior’s 100TH metropolitan driving success for the season, and he leads the city premiership table from Deni Roberts (51 wins), Shannon Suvaljko (44) and Aiden De Campo (41).
The Hall camp also has a strong summer carnival hope in the lightly-raced New Zealand-bred four-year-old Sweet Pins, who improved his record to five wins and one third placing from six starts when he had a tough run in the breeze before racing away in the final stages to beat outsiders Captain Confetti and Beat The Bank in the $23,000 The Running Camel Pace over 2130m.
“I think he is a definite Golden Nugget horse,” said Hall jnr. “He did a fair bit of work and did it comfortably. He has had his issues but has always had a good motor.”
By Ken Casellas