Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
The powerful Greg and Skye Bond stable has been a dominant force in the rich Golden Nugget Classic in recent years, winning the $200,000 feature event with New Zealand-bred four-year-olds at three of the past six runnings of the Group 1 race.
The latest bright star to emerge from the Bond camp was unveiled at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Justcallmemiki made an outstanding Australian debut, setting the pace and coasting to an effortless victory in the Group 3 Hoist Torque Australia Chandon Four-Year-Old Classic.
It was a splendid performance at his first outing for 17 weeks and stamped him as an excellent contender for the Golden Nugget in December.
The Bonds achieved a remarkable triumph when their New Zealand-bred runners filled the first five placing in the 2018 Golden Nugget, with Ana Malak beating Mighty Conqueror, Fizzing, Bright Diamond and Bettor Aim.
The race was not run in 2020, and in 2021 the Bonds won the Nugget with Minstrel, with his stablemates Patronus Star finishing third and Howard Hughes fifth. In 2022, the Bond-trained Himself won, with his stablemate Tenzing Bromac finishing third.
The Bond camp did not have a runner in 2023, and last year their only runner, Lusaka, finished strongly into third place behind Mister Smartee.
Justcallmemiki joins other Bond-trained New Zealand-bred four-year-olds Christopher Dance, Tualou, Vegas Strip and Golden Lode, and WA-bred geldings Thelittle Master and Thenu Came Along as prospective Golden Nugget candidates this year.
Justcallmemiki, driven by Deni Roberts, was the $1.80 favourite from the No. 1 barrier in Friday night’s 2130m classic, and he was smartest to begin before ambling through the lead time on a very windy night in a dawdling 39.4sec. before easy opening quarters of 30.9sec. and 30sec.
It was an Indian file affair in the small field of five before Stuart McDonald eased Christopher Dance off the pegs from last position to move forward into the breeze. Justcallmemikie accelerated with final 400m sections of 28.4sec. and 27.9sec. to win by 8m from the fast-finishing Waverider ($5.50), with Thenu Came Along in third place, and Christopher Dance, the WA Derby winner last November and reappearing after a spell, in fourth place.
“The wind was very strong and was, in part, responsible for the slow lead time,” said Roberts. “His gate speed was very good, and it was him on his own as I didn’t ask him to get out. So, that was promising.”
Justcallmemiki is a gelding by Always B Miki and is the fifth foal out of former smart Mach Three mare Famous Alchemist, who raced 51 times for 16 wins, 16 placings and $351,805 which included 34 starts in WA in 2013 and 2014 for trainer Gary Hall Snr for eleven wins and ten placings. She won the Group 3 WASBA Breeders Stakes in May 2014 after finishing second to Leda McNally in both the Norms Daughter Classic and the Mares Classic the previous November.