Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Veteran pacer Minstrel is at the top of his game, and he reinforced his standing as a major player in the $1,250,000 Nullarbor slot race next Friday week when he gave another powerful performance to win the $50,000 Governor’s Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven assertively by Deni Roberts, the seven-year-old New Zealand-bred Minstrel, the $7.10 fourth favourite, raced three wide for the first lap and then in the breeze before finishing with great determination to get up and beat his stablemate and pacemaker Tenzing Bromac ($10) by a head, rating 1.54.6 over the 2130m, with final quarters of 28.4sec. and 27.6sec.
Minstrel, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, has had an outstanding lead up to the Nullarbor, with six wins and a half-head second placing from his past seven starts.
Roberts was full of praise for Minstrel, saying: “I didn’t plan to race three wide for the first lap but I expected that it would happen. From barrier six there was plenty of speed beneath me and I knew that I wasn’t going to get to the breeze straight away.
“So, I had to park out there a little bit until they sorted themselves out, and once the speed backed off (after a fast lead time of 35sec.) we got there (to the breeze), and that’s where he does his best work.
“Down the back when Ideal Agent came up (out wide) Minstrel grabbed the bit and balanced up nicely. And when I asked Minstrel for an effort Tenzing Bromac typically went with him, and at the top of the straight I thought he had me, but Minstrel dug deep like he always does.”
It was a brilliant performance at Minstrel’s first run for 32 days. “He has done a fair bit of racing and obviously the way he has to be driven is quite tough, and I don’t think he needs to be backing up every week,” said Roberts. “We have quality horses and the facilities at home to keep our horses fit.”
Minstrel, a Rocknroll Hanover gelding, has amassed $835,938 from 24 wins and 18 placings from 60 starts.
The Ray Jones-trained Lavra Joe also ran a splendid trial for the Nullarbor. He was the $4.20 favourite from barrier No. 5, and he was the smartest to begin but was unable to cross Tenzing Bromac, who forged forward from barrier four.
After a lap Lavra Joe gained a perfect trail in the one-out, one-back position but he was blocked for a clear passage until the final 150m when he ran home with a powerful burst to finish third, a neck behind Tenzing Bromac.