Hello Hotshot, a two-year-old filly who is closely related to former champion pacer Auckland Reactor, will command considerable attention when she makes her debut in the Bridge Bar Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Purchased in Auckland for $15,000 as a yearling, the daughter of Canadian stallion Four Starzzz Shark has had two trials at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park this month for two wins for Busselton trainer Barry Howlett, who races the filly in partnership with his wife Lyn and their son Jimmy.
She beat stablemate Rosies Delight, rating a very modest 2.7.9 in a two-horse educational trial over 1609m on August 11 before she set the pace and beat Rosies Delight by 11m in an eight-horse trial over 2185m on Sunday, rating 2.4.7, with final quarters in 28.3sec. and 29.5sec.
Hello Hotshot will be driven by Chris Lewis and should make a bold bid for victory from the favourable No. 2 barrier. Rosies Delight, a $20,000 yearling owned by the Howlett family, will start from barrier five in the field of eight with Colin Brown in the sulky. She is by Bettors Delight out of Jessies Cullen, who earned $51,305 from nine wins and eight placings from 50 starts. She is related to Pazam, a winner at 19 of her 31 WA starts in a 41-start career of 22 wins and six placings for earnings of $136,113.
The two Howlett runners are sure to be tested by the more experienced Fake News and Countess Grace, with Fake News, trained by Gary Hall Snr and to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, expected to be a short-priced favourite after drawing the prized No. 1 barrier.
Fake News has had seven starts for one win and two seconds. She had a tough run last Friday week when she raced three wide in the early stages and then worked hard in the breeze before fading to sixth behind the Mike Reed-trained Countess Grace. Three days before that Fake News trailed the pacemaker Major Artist before finishing fast to win from that filly and Countess Grace.
Countess Grace followed her fast-finishing third to Fake News with a brilliant all-the-way victory over Rocking With Donna and Majorpride over 2130m last Friday week. That was her first victory from seven starts and she looks set for a bright career. However, she will be tested from the outside barrier in a field of eight on Friday night.
Hello Hotshot’s dam May Fly (by Mach Three) was retired after racing ten times for two wins, two placings and stakes of $12,980. May Fly’s dam Bishops Blessing is a half-sister to Auckland Reactor, who was retired to stud after amassing $1,837,043 from 32 wins and four placings from 53 starts.
Bishops Blessing produced Devil Dodger, who had 231 starts for 38 wins, 61 placings and $718,692. He was third behind Russley Rascal and Five Star Anvil in the Group 1 Gt Northern Derby at Alexandra Park in March 2010 and second to Sir Lincoln in the Group 1 Emerald at Cambridge three months later before winning the Group 1 Australasian Breeders Crown for three-year-old colts and geldings at Melton in August 2010.
Hello Hotshot is also related to Taihape Tickler, a winner of 11 races at Gloucester Park, and The Parade, who earned $425,999 from 22 wins and 15 placings from 55 starts. Her wins included the Group 1 $125,000 Mares Classic at Gloucester Park in December 2016 and the Group 2 Empress Stakes two months later.
Ken Casellas