Racing WA Harness

30/10/2026

29/10/2026

Tonight is the $200,000 Group 1 Garrard's 3YO WA Derby MS Pace!

I'm Stealthy NZ ($2.10) heads the market, but with talented rivals including Havtimeformiki NZ and Kotare Rimu NZ, the state's premier three-year-old feature is set to be a thriller.

29/10/2026

Richly talented New Zealand-bred pacers Im Stealthy and Havtimeformiki have clashed in races four times, with Im Stealthy winning every time and Havtimeformiki recording three seconds and one third placing.

On the surface these facts point to Im Stealthy continuing his dominance over his arch rival when they meet in the $200,000 Garrard’s WA Derby over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Further strengthening Im Stealthy’s prospects is the fact that he has drawn the better of the two three-year-olds. He will begin from the No. 5 barrier, with Havtimeformiki more awkwardly drawn at barrier seven.

Gary Hall jnr had the choice of driving Im Stealthy or D Mac, who are prepared by legendary trainer Gary Hall snr, and he opted for Im Stealthy, even though D Mac fared better in the random barrier draw at No. 3.

“I have picked Im Stealthy because he is a bit more versatile than D Mac, who probably needs to find the front,” said Hall jnr.

“I’m glad Im Stealthy has drawn inside of Havtimeformiki, so we will be planning to go forward and try to stay in front of that horse, even in breeze.”

Im Stealthy goes into the group 1 Derby with outstanding credentials --- nine wins from 12 starts --- while D Mac has won at four of his12 starts, including a smart all-the-way victory over proposition Joe and El Mystro two starts ago, when he rated 1.54.5 after final 400m sections of 27.3sec. and 27.2sec.

A week after that victory D Mac was the $1.60 favourite in the group 3 Western Gateway over 2536m when he set the pace before fading badly to finish tenth, with Im Stealthy running home strongly from the favourable one-out and one-back position to win by 2m from Havtimeformiki, who performed superbly.

Havtimeformiki began from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line and raced wide before moving to the breeze after 250m and then forging to the front 550m from home and failing to hold out the fast-finishing Im Stealthy, who rated 1.54.1 after the 400m sections of the final mile were run in 29.9sec., 28.2sec., 27.4sec. and 27.8sec.

Hall jnr said that D Mac and Im Stealthy have been working together and were primed to perform at their peak on Friday night.

“I would put a line through D Mac’s latest run (in the Western Gateway last Friday week),” he explained. “He wasn’t happy and he didn’t travel well to the course. He had a bee in his bonnet and went accordingly. Since then, his work has been awesome.”

D Mac will be handled by Stuart McDonald, with Hall snr seeking his seventh win as a trainer in the WA Derby, following the successes of Alta Christiano (2013), Beaudiene Boaz (2015), Chicago Bull (2016), King Of Swing (2018), Major Trojan (2019) and Skylou (2023). Hall jnr has also driven the Derby winner six times.

Champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond hold a powerful hand in Friday night’s classic with five runners --- Kotare Rimu (Dylan Egerton-Green), Skinny Dippin (Liam Elliott), Havtimeformiki (Deni Roberts), Manuka Bay (Tom Nally) and Proposition Joe (Kyle Symington).

The Bond stable has won the Derby with Richard Henry (2005), In The Force (2009), Seel N Print (2011), Patronus Star (2020) and Christopher Dance (2024).

Roberts has a high opinion of Havtimeformiki, who has raced 13 times for four wins, five seconds and one third placing.

“He is one of the best horses in the Derby, but he has a tough gate and is going to need a bit of luck,” she said. “It looks pretty hard on paper.”

Two of the Derby runners --- Kotare Rimu and Soho Trump --- will be appearing at Gloucester Park for the first time.

Kotare Rimu, to be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, is favourably drawn at barrier two. A winner of four races in New Zealand, he made his Australian debut in a heat of the Victoria Derby at Melton three Saturdays ago when he began from the back line and was shuffled back to tenth 650m from home and then ran home strongly, out three wide, to finish fifth behind Enjoy Life.

Soho Trump, trained and driven by Mick Stanley, has shown excellent potential during his 17-start career of eight wins and four placings. He finished eighth behind Dynamitedan in the 2760m Victoria Derby two Saturdays ago.

He began from the back line and settled down at the rear before moving to fourth at the bell. He was third with 400m to travel before wilting over the final stages to finish seven lengths from the winner.

View the field here: racingwa.com.au/rwa/meetings/harness/2026-10-30/GLOUCESTER%20PARK/GP301026/race/5/GPM30102603

29/10/2026

Gary Hall Snr prepares the favourite in Friday night's Group 1 WA Derby at Gloucester Park and joins the Racing WA TV Studio for the weekly harness segment.

29/10/2026

Evergreen superstar pacing marvels Minstrel and Magnificent Storm will continue their intense rivalry when they resume racing after beneficial spells in the $31,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The nine-year-olds are the veterans in the field of twelve and they should fight out the finish in the first stage of their preparations for the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup over 2536m on December 6.

Minstrel, winner of the past two WA Pacing Cups, will earn favouritism on Friday night after drawing the No. 4 barrier, with Magnificent Storm out wide at barrier eight. Both champions possess excellent gate speed and there is a possibility of plenty of fireworks in the early stages.

Deni Roberts, who will drive Minstrel for trainers Greg and Skye Bond, said she was extremely excited to have the multi-millionaire back in action.

“He loves the 2500m and his work on Monday was really good,” she said. “It would’ve been nice for him to have one easy run, but he is used to having tough runs.”

Aiden de Campo, who drives Magnificent Storm for trainer Ray Williams, said: “It is not an ideal draw for him, first-up. And on paper it looks tough to beat Minstrel.”

Magnificent Storm possesses dazzling gate speed, but it is problematic whether de Campo, after consultations with Williams, will set the champion alive at the start.

The Bond stable will also be represented by WA Pacing Cup prospects Golden Lode (Kyle Symington) and We Walk By Faith (Will Rixon) who will share the back line with the Michael Young-trained Hugotastic. These three runners are capable of unwinding strong finishing bursts.

The Bonds and Roberts are also looking forward to having another Pacing Cup hopeful Heres Herbie back in action after a six-month absence. He will begin from the outside barrier (No. 8) on the front line in the $30,000 San Simeon Pace over 2130m.

Heres Herbie, a New Zealand-bred seven-year-old, has raced 68 times for eleven wins, 14 placings and $196,908. He impressed greatly at his first two Australian appearances earlier this year when he scored effortless victories over 2130m at Gloucester Park.

He raced without cover before winning by more than three lengths from Sweet Pins, rating 1.54.3 on April 17, and a fortnight later on May 1 he began from the back line and charged to the front after 650m before racing away with final quarters of 28.3sec. and 27.6sec. and beating Chaase Me by just under eight lengths, rating 1.55.

“I’m very excited at having him back,” said Roberts. “It’s a tough draw but this looks a very suitable race for him, and he should have them on class. He is right up there with the best of our horses.”

View the field here: racingwa.com.au/rwa/meetings/harness/2026-10-30/GLOUCESTER%20PARK/GP301026/race/4/GPM30102609

29/10/2026

Can an interstate visitor upset WA’s best three-year-olds?

Sydney reinsman Will Rixon believes local stars Im Stealthy and Havtimeformiki are among the best three-year-olds in Australia, but he’ll be hoping to spoil the party when he partners Ideal Beach in Friday night’s $200,000 Garrard’s WA Derby at Gloucester Park.

With the Derby approaching, Rixon has labelled the WA trio as future Grand Circuit performers and says the local crop can match it with the best from around Australia and New Zealand.

Read the full story on our website: https://racingwa.com.au/news/2026/10/29/good-will-hunting-group-1-glory-in-wa-derby

29/10/2026

Prominent equestrian competitor and an experienced equine nurse Tamara Waller is hoping to celebrate her first metro-class victory as a trainer when Classical Ellie starts from the coveted No. 1 barrier in the opening event, the 2130m Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Kyle Harper had the choice of handling Classical Ellie, Alwaysbfrank and Brewery Lane, pacers he has driven to victory at each of their most recent starts, and he has given punters a valuable lead by choosing to drive Classical Ellie.

Classical Ellie impressed when she surged home from the rear to win from Graceful Shark and Dunkalledy over 2185m at Pinjarra three Mondays ago.

The Chidlow-based Waller (44) is in her third season as a trainer and has given Classical Ellie 23 starts for four wins and four placings, and Mister Constitution has raced seven times for her for two wins and one placing.

“At her latest start Classical Ellie sat near last and the final 800m was run in 57.9sec.,” said Harper. “They went pretty slow early, and I remember coming in for the bell that we were in a fair bit of trouble. But she looped them and put them away comfortably.

“At her previous start she was held up for a run and was unplaced behind Sister Cherie at Gloucester Park. She shows glimpses of brilliance but probably lacks a bit of something. Knee knocking is her biggest downfall but on the rail at Gloucester Park she should overcome that problem.

“Her gate speed is good but not brilliant, and if she is able to lead, she would be very hard to beat.”

Classical Ellie is by American sire A Rocknroll Dance and is the first foal out of Bettors Delight mare Abetta Tiny Dancer, who raced 75 times for ten wins, 21 placings and $53,749. After two wins on Victorian country tracks Abetta Tiny Dancer won eight times in WA --- four at Busselton, two at Collie and one each at Gloucester Park and Pinjarra.

One of Classical Ellie’s chief rivals is expected to be the enigmatic Curadh, a five-year-old trained and driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, who said: “He has a tricky draw (barrier six) and has a tractability problem.

“But he has good ability and if he puts it all together, he can win. Hopefully, he can get to the front.”

Egerton-Green said that Sister Cherie (barrier six; race two), Captain Stirling (barrier seven; race three), Grand Couteau (barrier nine; race eight) and A Precious Gem (barrier seven; race ten) all had tricky draws but still had each-way claims.

“Sister Cherie is racing the best she has ever raced, and if she gets a nice run should finish in the top few,” he said. “A bit of speed on early would suit Captain Stirling, and if he had drawn better, even on the back line I would say that he was a god chance. But don’t write him off; he knows how to win.

“Grand Couteau and A Precious Gem are racing very well and they should go well.”

View the field here: racingwa.com.au/rwa/meetings/harness/2026-10-30/GLOUCESTER%20PARK/GP301026/race/1/GPM30102606

29/10/2026

Grace Ella is, by far, the least experienced three-year-old filly in the Garrard’s At Gloucester Park Pace on Friday night, but her trainer and driver Aiden de Campo is confident she will prove hard to beat.

“I really like her,” said de Campo. “Her first two runs were just fair, so I gave her a bit of a break for her next start when she was very good (winning at a 1.56.5 rate over 2100m at Bunbury two Saturdays ago).

“She worked hard at both ends and has come on well from that win. She has good gate speed and if she finds the front she will take some beating.”

Grace Ella made her debut at Pinjarra on September 7 when she raced without cover early and then set the pace before finishing a close third behind Ginger Snaps over 2185m.

A fortnight later she led and won by two lengths from Ginger Snaps over 2130m at Gloucester Park. Her next outing was 25 days after that when, from barrier three at Bunbury, she made an unsuccessful challenge for the early lead and then was eased back to enjoy a good sit in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before sprinting home strongly to win from Better Together and Strong The Striker.

The best performed runners in Friday night’s event are Cinch and Im Category Five, who have each won five times. Cinch, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, will be driven by Tom Nally, with Deni Roberts opting to handle stablemate Not So Sweet, a winner at two of her 15 starts, from the No. 1 barrier.

The Colin Brown-trained Im Category Five was a $71 chance when she raced in fifth position three back on the pegs before running home solidly to finish third behind Manuka Bay and Cinch over 2130m last Friday week.

de Campo has engaged Kylah Madden to drive The Bettor Side in the 2130m Your One Shop Stop Pace to make use of her novice claim and gain a reasonable barrier draw.

The Bettor Side, making his third appearance after a spell, will begin from barrier No. 4 and looks capable of fighting out the finish. He impressed first-up at Pinjarra on October 12 when he surged home from the rear to finish a head second to Float My Boat.

The Better Side began out wide at barrier eight last Friday night when he raced at the rear and was forced five wide approaching the home turn and finishing an encouraging sixth behind Troubadour.

“Now I expect him to run a lot better this week,” said de Campo, who explained that his brilliant mare Copy Cat Queen was facing a stern task in the Norms Daughter Preview in which she will begin from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.

“She is working and racing super, but it looks hard for her from the wide draw. Her stablemate Up And Alive (to be driven by Madden) should be a very good place chance after starting from the inside of the back line.”

Delightful Peg, trained by Gary Hall snr and to be driven by Gary Hall jnr, will be a short-priced favourite after drawing the prized No. 1 barrier.

“There is good speed on the outside of her, and we will be looking to hold them and lead,” said Hall jnr. “She is racing very well and even if she gets crossed, she will still be a good winning chance.”

View the field here: racingwa.com.au/rwa/meetings/harness/2026-10-30/GLOUCESTER%20PARK/GP301026/race/10/GPM30102602