Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
New Zealand-bred gelding Diego has strong claims for the title of the Cups King. The seven-year-old has had four starts this year — all in rich Cup events for three wins and a third placing.
Gifted driver Maddison Brown is looking forward for another big-race success when Diego contests the $50,000 Aaron Bain Racing Governor’s Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Diego, prepared by Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr, will begin from the No. 3 barrier on the front line in the 2130m Governor’s Cup and his clash with such outstanding pacers as Jumpingjackmac, Minstrel, Magnificent Storm, Lavra Joe, Patronus Star and Glenledi Chief, and others, is sure to produce plenty of exciting action.
In January, Diego led and won the Group 2 $100,000 Stratton Cup from Gambit and Mighty Ronaldo, he led and finished a close third to Mighty Ronaldo and Minstrel in the $300,000 Group 1 Fremantle Cup, he set the pace and won the Group 1 $450,000 WA Pacing Cup from Jumpingjackmac and Mighty Ronaldo, and last Monday week he led briefly early and then trailed the pacemaker Glenledi Chief before finishing strongly along the sprint lane to win the Group 3 $50,000 Pinjarra Cup from his fast-finishing stablemate Jumpingjackmac and Patronus Star.
Brown drove Diego in three of those events but was unable to take the drive in the WA Pacing Cup after suffering concussion a week earlier in a race fall at Gloucester Park. Gary Hall Jnr was in the sulky for the Pacing Cup victory.
Three is an awkward draw,” said Brown. “He is a great frontrunner, and I daresay that we will be coming out (fast) and if he leads I won’t be handing up.
“Whether he leads and races with cover in this strong field, he will be hard to beat. He has beaten all the other horses before, and he is in great form, leading into the $1 million Nullarbor Slot race on April 14.
“In the Pinjarra Cup Diego was racing first-up (for almost six weeks) and Senior (Hall Snr) decided that it would be difficult to lead all the way over 2700m, so my instructions were to surrender the lead to either Minstrel or Glenledi Chief, whichever one was there (on my outside) first. We weren’t worried about not being able to get clear and sprint home because we would be able to take advantage of the sprint lane.”
Diego gave an example of his sit-sprinting ability when he dashed through along the sprint lane to surge to the front 130m from home before holding out Jumpingjackmac, who finished with a powerful burst.
Friday night’s Cup will be an important lead into the Nullarbor Slot race for Diego, Magnificent Storm, Jumpingjackmac, Minstrel and Lavra Joe.
Aldo Cortopassi, who will drive the Ray Williams-trained Magnificent Storm, said that the six-year-old who will be appearing for the first time since racing without cover and finishing fourth in the WA Pacing Cup on January 27, was thriving.
Magnificent Storm, a winner at 27 of his 41 starts, has drawn the outside barrier (No. 10) in the field of twelve. “In the random draw someone had to draw nine,” said Cortopassi. “I didn’t want it to be us, but it is what it is.
“Magnificent Storm is fit and healthy, and I was super impressed when I drove him at Byford last Saturday morning. I couldn’t fault his work; it was super. I’m not sure yet what the plans will be from the outside barrier. There is a nice race coming up in four weeks.”
Deni Roberts, fresh from a double at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening and trebles on the two previous Friday nights, said she was pleased with Minstrel’s effort when he raced without cover before winning a 1730m Free-For-All from Hampton Banner last Friday night, rating 1.54.
“Barrier five is an okay draw, and it should be a great race with horses getting ready for the Nullarbor,” she said.
Apart from Minstrel, champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond will be represented in Friday night’s Cup by Patronus Star (Dylan Egerton-Green, barrier eight) and Glenledi Chief (Gary Hall Jnr, barrier four). Both pacers are racing keenly and are capable of figuring in the finish.
Hall Snr is hoping that his runners Diego and Jumpingjackmac (Stuart McDonald, barrier seven) will continue their fierce rivalry after Jumpinjackmac had finished strongly to be a close second to Diego at his past two starts — in the WA Pacing Cup and the Pinjarra Cup.
Star WA-bred five-year-old Lavra Joe (a winner at 28 of his 55 starts) will be making his first appearance since he was checked and broke before finishing tenth in the WA Pacing Cup. The Ray Jones-trained gelding will start from the inside of the back line with Chris Lewis in the sulky.
Lavra Joe warmed up for Friday night’s event in a two-horse trial over 2100m at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park on Wednesday of last week when he began speedily, set a fast pace and dashed over the final 400m sections in 28.9sec. and 27.8sec. to beat his sole rival Batavia Reactor (an eight-year-old with three minor wins from 35 starts) by 182 metres, rating 1.55.8.
Trainer-reinsman Chris Voak was delighted when Sangue Reale drew the prized No. 1 barrier, saying: “He’s a good each-way hope. His Pinjarra Cup run (when eighth) was terrific. He ran home in 27.8sec. and 27.9sec.
“His form dipped when last at his two previous starts, when he had some issues. He is better now and he felt terrific when I worked him today (Tuesday).”
Capel trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo said that he was pleased with the run of Handsandwheels when seventh in the Pinjarra Cup. “Barrier twelve is not a bad draw for him, but we will need a good, solid pace,” he said.