Former star apprentice jockey Michael Grantham has bright prospects of landing his most important winner as a harness racing reinsman by guiding the ultra-consistent The Bucket List to victory in the $35,000 group 3 Christmas Gift at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The 20-year-old Grantham will drive the New Zealand-bred six-year-old for his uncle, Pinjarra trainer Michael Brennan, and the gelding has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of starting out wide at No. 7 on the front line in the 2130m feature event.
The Bucket List is certain to start favourite after being the fastest of the three heat winners last Friday night. He rated 1.56 when he sustained a powerful three-wide burst from fourth at the bell to win by almost a length from the pacemaker Our Major Mark, with a head to Im A Peregrine.
The other heat winners were Fernleigh Rebel (1.56.3) and Bronze Seeker (1.56.7). Fernleigh Rebel will start from barrier two on the back line, with Bronze Seeker on his outside.
Grantham, who rode 97 winners before increasing weight forced his retirement as a jockey in 2012, has a close affinity with The Bucket List, who he has driven four times for two wins and two thirds. The Bucket List has been a model of consistency throughout his 46-start career which has produced 13 wins, 12 seconds and six thirds for $157,336 in prizemoney. Since arriving in WA from New Zealand eight months ago he has had 13 starts for seven wins and six placings.
By Christian Cullen, The Bucket List is the first foal out of the American-bred mare Saddle Ridge (by Artsplace). The mare’s second foal is the Mach Three gelding Extreme Machine, who won twice at Alexandra Park in November-December 2013 before being sold to America where he has proved highly successful for owner Joseph Muscara, trainer Darren Cassar and reinsman Eric Goodell.
The Bucket List is sure to have to do plenty of work from his wide barrier in an open event in which the powerful Hall and Bond stables will each be represented by three runners.
Gary Hall sen. will be pinning his faith on Algranco Under Fire, Soho Lennon and Mohegan Sun, while Greg and Skye Bond’s runners Jumbo Jet, Phoenix Warrior and Our Major Mark will be popular with punters.
Algranco Under Fire will start from the coveted No. 1 barrier and Clint Hall is sure to make full use of the gelding’s good gate speed. Algranco Under Fire trailed the pacemaker Fernleigh Rebel when an excellent second to that pacer in a qualifying heat last Friday night.
Hall sen. will be looking to one of his runners to give him his sixth winner in the Christmas Gift. He has been successful with Nixons Creed (1993), Allioop (2004), McRaes Mate (2007), Livingontheinterest (2012) and Toretto (2013).
The Bond stable has won the Christmas Gift with Motu Treasure in 2010 and Russley Rascal in 2011 and Jumbo Jet, Phoenix Warrior and Our Major Mark are racing keenly and are capable of winning. Perhaps the best of the trio will be Jumbo Jet, who will be driven by Colin Brown from barrier four on the front line.
Jumbo Jet ran home solidly from sixth at the bell when third behind Fernleigh Rebel and Algranco Under Fire last Friday night. Jumbo Jet gave a superb performance at his previous outing when he thundered home from the rear to win from Phoenix Warrior and Smokey The Bandit over 2100m at Bunbury.
Fernleigh Rebel is in line to complete a hat-trick for 87-year-old Wanneroo owner-trainer Ken White after sparkling all-the-way wins over 2130m at his two most recent outings when he relished staring from the No. 1 barrier on each occasion. He will start from the No. 2 barrier on the back line on Friday night, which will not prove an insurmountable problem. He can unwind a sparkling late sprint.
Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri will be looking to Im A Peregrine to give him his second win in the Christmas Gift, following the success of Savette in 1992. Im A Peregrine will be driven by the in-form Stuart McDonald, who will be toying with a plan to take the early lead from the No. 3 barrier.
Im A Peregrine is not only a smart frontrunner, but has shown plenty of strength in races in which he has worked hard in the breeze. He raced without cover and fought on grandly when third, less than a length behind the winner The Bucket List in a qualifying heat.
Bronze Seeker has struck a purple patch for Byford trainer Peter Anderson with fast-finishing wins over 2130m last Friday night and on Sunday afternoon.
Chris Lewis will handle the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old who will start from the outside of the back line. Bronze Seeker is a smart sit-sprinter capable of making his presence felt.
The Christmas Gift is one of the very few WA feature events which has eluded Lewis and the champion reinsman would dearly love to right that wrong on Friday night.
by Ken Casellas