Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
A classic confrontation is on the cards at Gloucester Park on Friday night when superstar pacers Minstrel and Magnificent Storm clash in what should prove to be a no-holds-barred contest in the $1,250,000 TABtouch Nullarbor slot race.
Confidence levels are high in both camps as rival trainers Greg Bond (Minstrel) and Ray Williams (Magnificent Storm) admit they have a good degree of respect for each other’s horse.
Both New Zealand-bred nine-year-old equine millionaires are in the twilight of superb careers — and this week’s testing 2536m trip will see them clash for the 19TH time, with Magnificent Storm showing the way, having finished ahead of his rival ten times.
Magnificent Storm’s blistering gate speed looks certain to ensure that he will burst to the front and set the pace, while Bond, who prepares Minstrel in partnership with his wife Skye, is making no secret that the gelding’s driver Deni Roberts will go all out to exert extreme pressure on the frontrunning Magnificent Storm.
“We will be trading blows with Magnificent Storm,” declared Bond after Magnificent Storm drew the No. 4 barrier, with Minstrel on his immediate outside at barrier five.
“It appears on paper that Magnificent Storm will cross to the front, and obviously Minstrel needs to be right outside of him. Our school of thought is that probably Minstrel can’t beat Magnificent Storm for speed, so we will have to make it an honestly-run affair, and hopefully take some of the sprint out of Magnificent Storm and rely on Minstrel’s toughness to get us over the line, something similar to the WA Pacing Cup last December.
In the Pacing Cup Minstrel began from barrier two and led for the first 200m before Magnificent Storm charged to the front from barrier eight. Roberts immediately eased Minstrel off the pegs and into the breeze to apply pressure on the pacemaker.
Minstrel was a half-length behind Magnificent Storm on the home bend before finishing powerfully to get up in the final couple of strides to beat his arch rival by a half-neck, rating a slick 1.54.4 over 2536m after final quarters of 28.7sec., 27.7sec. and 27.9sec.
“Minstrel is clearly the toughest horse we have ever trained, and he is at another level to our good horses over the years,” said Bond. “We have had our plan in place for this week’s race all along, with four weeks between races.
“He has ticked every box at home and Friday night can’t come quick enough; he will run a great race. On form and what they have done, Minstrel and Magnificent Storm look the best two. However, it is not a two-horse race by any stretch of imagination.”
Williams reports that all is well with Magnificent Storm, who has excelled as a pacemaker in winning at all of his five starts this year, and he should have sufficient early speed to win the start against Victorian ten-year-old Max Delight, who has scored 22 all-the-way wins in a 160-start career of 37 wins and 52 placings.
The Michael Young-trained six-year-old Hugotastic, a comparative novice with seven wins from 24 starts, has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier and Shannon Suvaljko will be anxious to get the gelding away smartly in the hope of enjoying a perfect sit behind the expected pacemaker Magnificent Storm.
“He had the No. 1 draw in the Bunbury Cup two starts ago when he sat behind the pacemaker Magnificent Storm and finished second to that horse,” said Young.
Williams is upbeat about Magnificent Storm’s winning prospects, saying: “He is a tough horse who tries hard. I expect it to be a fast-run race and may the best horse win. He is old and is getting a bit grumpy, but he knows when to go to work.
“He galloped up the hill at home this morning (Tuesday) and his heart rate was really good. I don’t like getting over-confident, but the horse is as good as he has ever been.”
Aiden De Campo, who will be in the sulky behind Magnificent Storm, said: “We are old sparring partners and I’m expecting Minstrel to be putting on the pressure. It is good that we have drawn inside Minstrel, so we won’t have to burn to get across him. A fierce battle out in front could make the race for a swooper; it’s not a two-horse race.”
For the connections of Minstrel they are hoping that this week’s race will prove to be a case of third time lucky — after the gelding’s second to Catch A Wave in the 2024 Nullarbor and his third behind Mister Smartee last year.
Talented Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice has Mighty Ronaldo in peak form, with his latest three outings resulting in a second to Minstrel and fast-finishing efforts for a third and a second behind Magnificent Storm.
Mighty Ronaldo will have the services of Gary Hall Jnr, who drove Mister Smartee to victory in last year’s Nullarbor, and Mighty Ronaldo will create history on Friday night when he becomes the only pacer to have contested the first three editions of the Nullarbor, with this week’s ten runners combining for 242 victories, 228 placings and prizemoney of $8,117,304.