Driven with supreme confidence by his trainer Grant Williams, Franco Jazzman began with electrifying speed from barrier five and gave a superb frontrunning display to beat Electrification and David Hercules.

He sped over the final 800m in 57.2sec. and his rate of 1.55.7 set a WA record for a three-year-old over the sprint trip of 1730m. The previous record of 1.56.4 was set by Fac Et Spiro when he led from barrier four and won a C2-C4 event at Gloucester Park on a Saturday night in August 2006.

The $200,000 WA Derby will be run over 2536m at Gloucester Park on April 16 and Franco Jazzman has some good classic background. His dam Jazz Franco is a half-sister to Franco Jonquill, who finished a nose second to Franco Heir in the 2001 New South Wales Derby, in which Young Rufus and Manifold Bay were unplaced.

Then Franco Jonquill won the Queensland Derby at Albion Park, beating Selby Bromac. He had 37 starts for 11 wins, 12 placings and stakes of $107,601.

Franco Jazzman's stylish win on Friday night came a week after Janice Franco was a fast-finishing Gloucester Park winner. Janice Franco is a full-sister to Jazz Franco.

Franco Jazzman, second favourite at 13/4, was having his second start after a spell and he now has an encouraging record of eight starts for five wins and three placings for earnings of $29,030.

He gave his rivals little chance by setting a brisk pace. David Hercules, resuming after a spell and heavily supported from 7/4 to favouritism at evens, went forward from barrier six, but was unable to seriously challenge Franco Jazzman for the early lead.

David Hercules, three wide early, then obtained an ideal passage, one-out and one-back before Colin Brown sent the gelding forward, three wide, with 750m to travel. He battled on gamely into third place, with Electrification gaining second spot after trailing the pacemaker throughout.

Arma Harris is on target for Easter Cup

Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri has no grandiose plans for Arma Harris, but has pencilled in the $40,000 Easter Cup on April 1 as a likely target for the smart six-year-old.

Arma Harris, driven by Chris Lewis, graduated to M3 class after giving a fine frontrunning display to win the Jools Diamonds Pace from Winter Retreat and Hussy Hoffa at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The New South Wales-bred Arma Harris is a foolproof standing-start performer and a stout-hearted stayer and Olivieri is convinced that he would be an ideal candidate for the 2902m Easter Cup.

Arma Harris revealed his staying potential with a Gloucester Park victory over 2902m late last year and a fighting third behind Cassie Rox in the 2970m Northam Cup last month.

Olivieri is also setting seven-year-old Nickelmeldon for the Easter Cup. Nickelmeldon had to be scratched from the Jools Diamond Pace after being stung by an insect or bitten by a spider or a snake earlier in the day. "He broke out in welts all over his body," Olivieri said. "But he should recover quickly."

Arma Harris, favourite at 6/4 on, was untroubled to set a solid pace before sprinting the final 800m in 57sec. Winter Retreat maintained his wonderful consistent form when he sustained a spirited three-wide burst to be second, while Hussy Hoffa was most impressive in charging home from tenth position at the 300m mark to be third.

"He's a tough little fella and finding the front made my job a lost easier," Lewis said. "He's a bit on and off the bit. He can grab hold and roll along and then he'll drop the bit completely and then you've got to be at him to keep up."

Arma Harris, who arrived in WA late last year with a losing sequence of 13, now has had nine starts for Olivieri for five wins and three placings. His only unplaced run was in his only start in a mobile in WA.

His win revived memories of a former Olivieri standing-start specialist in giant gelding Shellstar, who was retired after 103 starts produced 13 wins, 28 placings and earnings of $106,690. Shellstar was driven by Lewis when he won at each of his final two starts, at Gloucester Park in January 2008.

Pilularis, the dam of Arma Harris, is a full-sister to Pintara Carramar, who produced Shellstar.

Olivieri completed a training double when Lewis drove Slick Lavra to an impressive victory over Sheer Dreams and Archean Hanover in the 2130m Criminal Minds Pace.

Slick Lavra, a winner of three races in New Zealand and five in Victoria, now has had four starts in WA for three wins and a second placing. Slick Lavra, favourite at 5/1 on, started from the outside barrier and settled at the rear before moving forward, three wide, with 1200m to travel.

Slick Lavra sustained her strong burst, took the lead 300m from home and was unextended in winning by just over a length.

Has The Answers has Lord Mayor's Cup in his sights

The $35,000 Lord Mayor's Cup is the next target for Has The Answers after the powerful seven-year-old scored a runaway victory over Flaming Roadstar and Lord Guy in the $17,500 Seven News Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This gave Byford trainer Tony Svilicich his second success in this feature event on the Fremantle Harness Racing calendar, coming after Mysta Magical Mach's win last year.

And it gave reinsman Chris Lewis his third win in the race after winning with Atlanta Georgia in 2003 and Ohoka Ace in 2006. It also was the first leg of a driving treble for Lewis.

Has The Answers, favourite at 5/1 on, started from the outside barrier, but Lewis had no problems in dashing the gelding past Stage Coach Kid and into the lead after only 250m. From then on, it was simply a procession, with Has The Answers sprinting the final 800m in 56.2sec. and the last 400m in 27.5sec. to rate 1.56.9 over 2130m.

"Things don't get much easier than that, and they probably don't get much better, either," Lewis said. "After an easy quarter in 31.3sec. the sections on the way home were great and he has done it within himself. It's nice to have a horse who can do that and it's nice to drive a nice horse."

The win boosted the WA-bred gelding's record to 107 starts for 29 wins, 34 placings and $462,159 in stakes. And it also increased his lead in the WATA Pacer of the Year award. He has 70 points and leads from Palomine (42) and Ima Rocket Star, Smooth Shift and Rostriever Ornum (all on 38).

Flaming Roadstar has not been successful since he led and won from Smoken Up at Moonee Valley in November 2007. But he continues to race most competitively for trainer Ross Olivieri. Driven by Kyle Harper, Flaming Roadstar (16/1) raced without cover throughout and fought on with grim determination to be second, some five lengths from the winner.

Lord Guy (10/1) finished gamely from seventh, three wide, at the bell to be an encouraging third.

Brown changes his tune over Money Twitch

After driving Money Twitch in trials as a two-year-old, Colin Brown told part-owner and trainer Skye Bond that the pacer was not much good.

"And now she keeps reminding me of that," Brown said after driving the four-year-old to a tremendous victory, against great odds, in the Greys Anatomy Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The thrilling victory by a head over even-money favourite Our Mercurio brought up four wins in a row and stamped Money Twitch as one of the State's best up-and-coming pacers.

After Brown's early dismal assessment of Money Twitch, owners Greg and Sky Bond and Ian Davey (who bred the horse) sent him to Kalgoorlie where he won for trainer Michael Plozza at his final two starts as a two-year-old in the winter of 2008.

"That's where he learnt the trade and the decision to send him to Kalgoorlie certainly worked well," Brown said.

Money Twitch then won twice as a three-year-old in Kalgoorlie before returning to the city when he won five more times as a three-year-old (four at Pinjarra and one at Gloucester Park). Now, after unplaced runs at his first four starts as a four-year-old Money Twitch has won four in a row.

Money Twitch (2/1) had to overcome massive odds before scoring on Friday night. He began safely from 10m, but was badly inconvenienced when a couple of horses galloped right in front of him in the 2503m standing-start event.

He settled down 40m from the early leader My Pocket Rocket and appeared to be facing an impossible task. Our Mercurio, who was a bit scratchy at the start, raced wide early and moved into the breeze after a lap.

It was then that Brown urged Money Twitch forward, out three wide. Our Mercurio also pressed forward and took the lead 1300m from home, with Money Twitch working hard on his outside.

Money Twitch fought on in magnificent fashion and after a titanic two-horse war over the concluding stages, he gained the verdict over Our Mercurio by a head.

"He's gone exceptionally well," declared Brown. "They didn't do him any favours. He got away well, but two or three galloped in front of him, and after that check he was like a fish out of water.

"When I went up three wide I thought we were in a lot of trouble when Our Mercurio kicked up, and at that stage I was resigned to having to sit three deep and look like a mug. When Chris (Lewis) forged to the front with Our Mercurio it helped me."

Money Twitch, by American stallion Life Sign, is the first foal out of Adayspay, who had 83 starts in WA for 19 wins, 18 placings and stakes of $134,594.

It's just a cruise for versatile Gross Misconduct

New Zealand-bred mare Gross Misconduct revealed her great versatility when Gary Hall jun. adopted different tactics to score an easy victory in the Cougar Town Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

This gave Hall the first leg of a driving double and Gary Hall sen. the second leg of a training double, after his success in the opening event with Blitzem Fella.

Gross Misconduct, the only mare in the 2130m event and favourite at 3/1 on, revealed sparkling early speed and was untroubled to set the pace before strolling to a 4m victory over Yellowbrickroad, with Puhinui Rainbow a fighting third.

These were different tactics for Gross Misconduct after she had covered a lot of extra ground before finishing boldly to win at each of her first three starts in WA after arriving from Victoria late last year with a losing sequence of nine.

"She deserved to be a short-priced favourite," Hall jun. said. "But I couldn't believe how easily she did it, in the end. She was cruising on the line. I had thought that she might have put the cue back in the rack a little bit.

"This was a bit different from what we have been doing with her, and, full credit to her, she boxed on really well."

Hall jun. completed a double in the following event, the RSPCA Animal Rescue Pace, by driving 7/1 chance Calcutta Money to a thrilling victory over Bada Bing and the fast-finishing Longshoreman.

Calcutta Money, trained at York by Jeff Bull, was buried on the pegs in sixth position for most of the final lap while The Final Word led from 2/1 equal favourite Live Or Let Die on his outside and equal favourite Conrod Black poised to strike, one-out and one-back.

Hall was able to ease Calcutta Money off the pegs with 350m to travel, but the gelding was still hopelessly blocked for a clear passage. Finally, Calcutta Money got clear with about 100m to go and he stormed home to get up and win by a head.

"Half-way around the home bend I was starting to think about me next drive as it looked like we were going to go to the line full of running," Hall said. "But the heavens opened up and when he got the run he sprinted well."

Calcutta Money, whose Victorian-bred dam Marie Therese won five races and recorded 24 placings in South Australia before being unplaced at her only four starts in WA in 2002, has been a wonderful moneyspinner for Bull, earning $99,534 from his 15 wins and 23 placings from 87 starts.

Bada Bing was gallant in defeat. He came from fifth (three wide) at the bell to take the lead in the final 60mk before being overtaken in the final stride. Longshoreman surged home from seventh at the bell to be a very close third.

Blitzem Fella surges home from last

Blitzem Fella, a renowned standing-start specialist, proved his versatility and staying prowess with a smart victory in the Today Tonight Claiming Pace, a mobile over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Trained by Gary Hall sen. and driven by part-owner Shayne Cramp, Blitzem Fella (8/1) started from the outside barrier and was 11th and last after a lap.

Blitzem Fella was still last at the 1200m mark before he sustained a spirited three-wide burst to hit the font 220m from home. He then fought on doggedly to win by 1m from Headhunter (16/1) who finished boldly from ninth at the bell.

The Victorian-bred Blitzem Fella adjusted perfectly to mobile racing after his previous seven starts had been in stands and his previous eight wins had also been in stands.

This was the five-year-old's 12th win from 48 starts and he should continue to race competitively. His dam Rainbow Blitz was unplaced at her four starts, all as a two-year-old in Victoria in 2001, but her dam, the New Zealand-bred Fellatina was an honest performer who had 42 starts in South Australia for 13 wins, 14 placings and stakes of $41,433.

Fellatina is a half-sister to Knight Rainbow, who finished second to Golden Reign in the 1993 Australian derby at Moonee Valley. Knight Rainbow, who had 85 starts for 22 wins, 16 placings and earnings of $243,693, is now the sire of 40 winners.

Nine-year-old Davisons Destiny, the even-money favourite in Friday night's event, was prominent early before being shuffled back to last at the bell. He ran on from last at the 650m to finish a fair fourth. He was claimed for $10,000 by his former owner Merv Butterworth and will do his future racing in Queensland.

Brother and sister combine in fine style

Eight-year-old Renascenturion, making his first appearance in a metropolitan-class event, was two lengths behind the second-last horse after 500m and was still last after a lap before storming home to snatch victory from Constantly Perfect and the pacemaker Libby El in the 2130m Brothers And Sisters Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Lightly-raced and having only his 28th start, Renascenturion was a well-supported 5/1 chance who was driven in dashing style by Vance Stampalia for his sister Tonia, who trains the horse at Gnangara.

So this certainly was an omen winner in a race named The Brothers And Sisters Pace.

Renascenturion, having his third start after an absence of 17 months, made amends for his first-up second placing at Bunbury late last month when hr set the pace and crossed the line in first place before losing on protest to Bubbles And Bling. He then finished an encouraging second to Gross Misconduct at Gloucester Park.

Renascenturion is a full-brother to Renascentur, a wonderful performer for Tonia Stampalia who retired late in 2007 after 20 wins and 43 placings for stakes of $169,502 in a 139-start career.

Constantly Perfect (9/1) maintained his consistent form for trainer-driver Sam Torre. After settling down in seventh place, the gelding moved forward to be third, three wide, at the bell and he finished with his usual determination to fail by a neck. Barabas (13/4) raced without cover for much of the journey and was still in second place with 100m to travel. He then wilted to finish ninth.

Advancing years no hindrance to Stumpygullyroad

Age is not dimming the spirit of small Meckering-trained gelding Stumpygullyroad, and the nine-year-old, the oldest runner in the Desperate Housewives Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, unwound a typical barnstorming finish to get up and win from Rostriever Ornum and In The Force.

"He's just a little opportunist," said reinsman Nathan Turvey who followed the last-lap three-wide run of the 7/4 favourite In The Force.

"He's got only a short sprint and I was lucky that the favourite dragged him all the way into it."

This gave Stumpygullyroad his 14th victory at his 145th start for Meckering owner-trainer Garry Elliott. Boosted by 39 placings, the gelding's earnings have reached $96,122. He has won six times at Gloucester Park, three times at Kellerberrin, twice at York and once each at Northam. Busselton and Wagin.

Rostriever Ornum (4/1) charged past Star of Memories and into the lead 500m after the start and he made a bold bid for victory before being overhauled by Stumpygullyroad.

Davy Maguire (7/1) worked hard in the breeze in the middle stages and got his head in front briefly 300m from home before fading to fifth.

In The Force settled in last position and moved to fifth at the bell before fighting on doggedly to finish a very close third in front of the fast-finishing Miss Shanley.

Ken CASELLAS