Harness racing's bionic man is back in the winner's circle

Aldo Is Pacing’s Bionic Man

Crashing through the alsynite roof of his carport and hurtling headlong towards the concrete surface almost four metres below, Aldo Cortopassi instinctively thrust his hands out to protect his head.

He survived, but was badly battered, bloodied and bruised in that dramatic experience six months ago when he emerged with fractures to both wrists and his right elbow.

A constant reminder of that traumatic occurrence are lengthy scars, complete with jigsaw patterns of stitching along both forearms.

And now the 49-year-old Cortopassi is harness racing’s version of the bionic man who received a perfect panacea for his misfortune when he returned to action at Gloucester Park this month and at his second appearance after his rehabilitation, he drove Vinita Rose to victory in the 2130m Taste Of WA Pace on Friday night.

Cortopassi has revealed remarkable resilience and outstanding character to fight back and regain full fitness after his latest catastrophe which has left him with a metal plate in his left wrist and a metal rod in his other wrist after a bone had been cut to allow for that remedy.

He also underwent surgery to reconstruct his shattered right elbow, which he describes as his fake elbow.

Not only does Cortopassi rely on steel and titanium to keep his body in workable shape, he has three metal plates in his right shoulder (after being involved in a race accident at Pinjarra about 20 years ago) and has a steel plate around his left eye socket which was inserted during plastic surgery after he sustained three fractures in a freak race accident at Gloucester Park in April 2022.

For good measure he received rib fractures in a race fall when driving Allwoods Rocknroll at Gloucester Park three months earlier.

He was driving the same pacer when he was injured in the April accident which occurred when a horse fractured a leg and fell, causing interference to other runners, including Allwoods Rocknroll, and one of which kicked him in the face.

Cortopassi’s most recent mishap happened when he was on the roof unblocking a down pipe, and he now compares himself to mythical $6 million man Steve Austin, an American astronaut portrayed by Lee Majors in a science fiction television series.

After being laid low following his household accident Cortopassi sent his team of pacers to be prepared by Blythewood trainer Michael Munro.

“He approached me when I was injured to see if I needed a hand, and full credit to Mike, he has done a great job with them all,” said Cortopassi. “So, I have left them with him, and Vinita Rose benefits by working with his team of nice Free-For-All mares.

“Vinita Rose is a dour pacer who loves leading or breezing. Even though she ran last (behind Copy Cat Queen) last week, her run was full of merit. She made up 15 metres on the leaders and got home in just over 55sec.”

Vinita Rose, a well-supported $3.60 second fancy in Friday night’s race, dashed to the front from barrier three, relished her pacemaking role and won by 2m from the $2 favourite Our Twinkle, who fought on gamely after enjoying an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position.

The win gave Cortopassi his 1556th victory in the sulky, and the New Zealand-bred six-year-old and one of only two mares in the race, is a strongly-built pacer capable of winning more races.

She has earned $106,039 from nine wins and 16 placings from 50 starts. She is by former star pacer Vincent and is the fourth foal out of Elsu mare Crimson Glory, who managed only two wins from 49 starts in New Zealand.

Crimson Glory’s claim to fame is that her younger half-sister Sudden Change retired with a remarkable record of 298 starts for 57 wins, 75 placings and $520,030 in prizemoney. She won twice in New Zealand, twice in New South Wales, six times in Victoria and once in Tasmania (in the Group 3 2015 Tasmanian Oaks) before travelling to America where she won another 46 times.

While Cortopassi remains as an accomplished reinsman, he also enjoys his role as RWWA’s harness driving mentor and is a guiding light for the State’s up-and-coming young drivers.

“Apart from that I am doing a lot of school-based training with Year 11 students, introducing them to racing, both code,  thoroughbreds and harness,” he said.

“There is a lot more to the racing industry apart from riding, driving and training. There is stewarding, curators, farriers, judging etc. I try to see what they’re looking for and place them in the right area. Hopefully, next year we will be able to take this scheme State-wide while we are looking to introduce fresh blood into the horse racing industry.”

Im Stealthy’s Record Run

Crack New Zealand-bred three-year-old Im Stealthy warmed up for the $200,000 WA Derby next Friday week in grand fashion with a record-breaking victory in the Group 3 $50,000 Western Gateway over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Driven by Stuart McDonald for master trainer Gary Hall Snr, Im Stealthy, the $5.80 third favourite, began speedily from barrier six and raced without cover for the first 250m before enjoying a perfect passage in the one-out, one-back position and finishing powerfully to hit the front 50m from the post and winning by 2m from the $5 second fancy Havtimeformiki.

The final three quarters were run at breakneck speed (28.2sec., 27.4sec. and 27.8sec.) and Im Stealthy rated a slick 1.54.1 to set a race record, bettering Lavra Joe’s 1.54.4 when he beat Pinny Tiger by just under seven lengths in the 2021 Western Gateway. Im Stealthy went close to equalling the 2536m track record of 1.54, set by four-year-old Himself when he won the 2022 Golden Nugget from Jumpingjackmac and Tenzing Bromac.

This gave Hall a record eighth victory in the Western Gateway, and it was McDonald’s second success in the classic, following his win with the Hall-trained Eloquent Mach in 2019.

Hall’s other runner in Friday night’s race, D Mac, was the $1.60 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier. D Mac set a fast pace and was kept honest by Havtimeformiki, who began from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line and raced four wide early before surging forward into the breeze.

Deni Roberts sent Havtimeformiki to the front 550m from home and the gelding fought on superbly to finish second, with D Mac fading to finish tenth.

Im Stealthy has been most impressive and will go into the Derby as a major hope with a record of nine wins, one third placing and stakes of $111,831 from twelve starts.

“He got the right run tonight, but you still have to be good enough to take advantage of it,” said McDonald. “I always though he was good enough, and he finds more when he gets challenged.

“When he has led or raced in the breeze, he has never had anything to push him along. He is a good horse and I’m sure he will rise to the occasion. Havtimeformiki was insanely impressive and he will be mighty hard to beat in the Derby. Much will depend on the barrier draws.”

Havtimeformiki is trained by Greg and Skye Bond, whose second-string Derby hope Proposition Joe ($14) maintained his excellent form in finishing third on Friday night after racing three back on the pegs and being hampered after the off-side tyre of his sulky was punctured in the back straight in the final lap.

Havtimeformiki, winner of the 2100m Battle Of Bunbury three starts ago, has clashed with Im Stealthy four times from his past five starts for three seconds and one third placing behind that gelding.

“Give us a (favourable) draw in the Derby, is all I ask for,” said Roberts. “Taking nothing away from Im Stealthy, I consider they’re on a par, as good as each other. If Havtimeformiki draws well, he’s a good chance, and I think he has just proved that.”

Big Plans For Copy Cat Queen

WA-bred five-year-old Copy Cat Queen enhanced her prospects in the rich feature events for mares next month when she overcame an early setback before racing keenly in the lead and winning the Group 3 $50,000 The Schrader Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo was a little concerned when Copy Cat Queen, the $2 favourite from barrier two, was beaten for early speed by Sugar Delight, who burst straight to the front from the No. 4 barrier.

But De Campo breathed a sigh of relief when Will Rixon was happy to relinquish the lead after 400m and take the sit behind Copy Cat Queen, who was able to run the opening 400m section in a comfortable 30sec.

“In front, she seems to get a bit too keen,” said De Campo. “I just wanted to let her do what she wanted to do. But every time Delightful Peg ($2.45) got to Copy Cat Queen’s girth she would grab the bit and get going. I think she is better sat up but when you’ve got a chance to lead, you lead.”

De Campo plans to start Copy Cat Queen in the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 6 and the $150,000 Westral Mares Classic a fortnight later, with high hopes of improving her splendid record of 48 starts for 18 wins, ten placings and stakes of $348,523.

Serpentine trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green will also be hoping to gain a start in the feature events for mares with his promising WA-bred five-year-old Grand Couteau, who has won twice from four appearances after an eleven-month absence.

Grand Couteau, the $2.70 favourite from the No. 1 barrier in the 2130m Barbagallo Italian Fireworks Night Pace, ambled through the lead time in 37.4sec. and opening 400m section in 31.1sec. before increasing the tempo with quarters of 28.9sec., 28.4sec. and 28.4sec. and winning by a neck at a 1.56.5 rate from the $3.40 second fancy Mikis Pride, who ran home strongly from ninth at the bell.

Brad Lynn enjoyed his 150TH training success when his son Toby drove ten-year-old Major Express to a smart victory in the 2130m Book Your Christmas Function Pace over 2130m.

Brock Johnson (40) landed his first metro-class winner, and the tenth of his career, when he drove $7.80 chance Bee Bee Beroc to victory in the 2503m TABtouch Punters Club Handicap.

Bee Bee Beroc trailed the pacemaker Sky Eagle ($10), and Quiggley ($9) appeared certain to win when he was in front, two lengths clear of Bee Bee Beroc with 70m to travel, before he broke into a bad gallop and dropped back to finish sixth.

The Victorian-bred Bee Bee Beroc, trained by Johnson’s father Garry (73), won four times in Victoria and now has had 78 starts for the Johnson stable in WA for seven wins, 24 placings and $88,676.

Hold The Ammo ($12), trained and driven by Lindsay Harper, was hopelessly hemmed in in sixth position, four back on the pegs, 400m from home before getting clear on the home turn and finishing strongly to win the 2130m Enjoy The Tastes Of WA Pace by a half-length from $9 chance Ima Fivestar General, who surged home from last at the bell.

We Walk By Faith Shows His Class

Five-year-old We Walk By Faith, a recent newcomer to the stables of Greg and Skye Bond, is emerging as a major player in the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on December 11.

He was the $2.50 favourite from out wide at barrier seven when he gave an excellent staying performance to race in the breeze before winning easily from the pacemaker Hotly Pursued ($6) in the 2130m Kids Eat Free Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

We Walk By Faith was driven with great confidence by Deni Roberts, who declared: “He is very exciting; he is the complete package and is such a dude. He wears no gear and he goes around and does whatever you want him to do. He is a perfect Gloucester Park horse who is so versatile and is tough and fast, and I’m excited to see how good he is.”

We Walk By Faith has impressed at winning at three of his four starts in WA and he boasts a splendid record of 46 starts for 12 wins, 11 placings and $635,092.

However, Roberts will not drive him in the Pacing Cup. “I’m planning to drive Minstrel in the Cup,” she said. “He is getting near the end of his career, and I’ve always told him that I would ride it out with him. He is not far away (from resuming racing), and he is sound and is working well.”

It is easy to understand why Roberts has such a soft spot for nine-year-old Minstrel, who has amassed $2,100,323 from 32 wins, 19 seconds and eight thirds from 81 starts. She has driven Minstrel to victory in the past two Pacing Cups,  beating Mister Smartee in November 2024 and conquering Magnificent Storm in December 2025.

Roberts also has a high opinion of Mad Monday, who resumed after a spell on Friday night when he gave a brilliant performance to score a runaway victory in the 2130m Happy Eighth Birthday Noah George Four-Year-Old Classic Prelude.

Mad Monday, the $2.50 favourite from out wide at barrier seven, worked hard before forging to the front after a lap and dashing over the final quarters in 28.5sec. and 27.3sec. and winning by more than four lengths from Koojan ($51), rating 1.54.5 and taking his record to 27 starts for 11 wins and five seconds for stakes of $181,008.

Roberts said that she was planning to drive Mad Monday in the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic next Friday night and the $200,000 Golden Nugget a fortnight later, ahead of smart stablemates Our Crunch Time and Belly Up.

by Ken Casellas for Gloucester Park