Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
“He is pretty scary, and I think he doesn’t know how good he is,” enthused Deni Roberts after driving Gee Heza Sport to an effortless victory in the $31,000 Ultimate Sniper Allwood Stud Farm Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
An indication of the esteem in which the gelding is held by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond is that Greg Bond has revealed that the stable intends to set the seven-year-old for the $1million New Zealand Cup, a 3200m stand at Addington on Tuesday November 11, along with brilliant eight-year-old stablemate Minstrel.
Greg Bond races Gee Heza Sport in partnership with New Zealand Hall Of Fame trainer-reinsman Colin DeFilippi, who prepared the outstanding pacer when he finished 11TH behind Copy That in the 2022 New Zealand Cup when he began from barrier six on the front line, raced four back on the pegs and was blocked for a clear passage until late when he battled on along the sprint lane.
DeFilippi, who trained and drove Kyms Girl for her victory in the 2001 New Zealand Cup, prepared Gee Heza Sport for his seven wins and nine placings from 46 New Zealand starts, including six wins from 26 appearances at Addington.
Gee Heza Sport is a grand stayer who is unbeaten in stands in WA, scoring over 2631m at Pinjarra last October and then over 2503m at Gloucester Park in November.
Minstrel, who has not raced since finishing second to Mister Smartee in the 2936m Fremantle Cup on May 2 this year (with Gee Heza Sport finishing in third place), is unbeaten in five starts in stands in WA.
Gee Heza Sport was racing first-up after a six-week break on Friday night when he was the $1.20 favourite from the No. 3 barrier in the 2130m mobile event. He settled down in fourth spot before Roberts dashed him forward to take up the running after 270m.
After a modest lead time of 37.2sec. Gee Heza Sport was able to amble through the opening 400m section of the final mile in an extremely slow 32.4sec. This was followed by quarters of 29sec., 28.3sec. and 27.7sec. with Gee Heza Sport winning by 5m from $81 outsider Longreach Bay, who led early before enjoying a perfect trip behind the pacemaker, who rated 1.56.8.
This took Gee Heza Sport’s record to 57 starts for 14 wins, 12 placings and $497,281. He has amassed $345,431 from his seven wins and three placings from eleven starts in WA.
“This was a perfect first-up run heading into next Friday’s Winter Cup,” said Roberts. “It was nice and easy with no one wanting to come around to put the pressure on. He would have gone a lot faster if I had asked him.”
Australian winners in the 121-year history of the New Zealand Cup have been Steel Jaw (1983), Lightning Blue (1987), Aeden Rooney (2015) and Swayzee (2023 and 2024).
Roberts, who landed a treble at Gloucester Park on Friday night, did not rest on her laurels. She travelled down to Narrogin on Saturday night where she had five drives, including a win with $3.70 chance Loch Tay for trainer Mike Williams.