Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
There was a certain amount of gloom in the Bond camp in May and early June this year when Mad Monday lost form and finished ninth, fifth and tenth at his final runs before being sent for a winter spell, after winning at his five previous starts.
But he has resumed racing recently in a blaze of glory for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond with dazzling victories in a heat and the final of the Group 2 Four-Year-Old Classic.
And the owner-trainers are full of enthusiasm, with Bond declaring Mad Monday is a happy horse again and poised for a powerful effort in the $200,000 Retravision Golden Nugget over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is jumping out of his skin,” said Bond. “He had been feeling his feet and now Skye has done a lot of work with his feet and his shoeing, and whatever she has done with him has done the trick.”
Ace driver Deni Roberts is thrilled with the way the Victorian-bred pacer has performed at his past two starts, saying: “He’s fast; he’s tough and is turning into the complete package.”
Mad Monday revealed sparkling gate speed from barrier four when he set the pace and won the 2130m Four-Year-Old Classic by a length and a half from Runkle Crunch, rating 1.54.7 after final quarters of 28sec. and 27.3sec.
Runkle Crunch, who began from the immediate outside of Mad Monday, raced in the one-out and one-back position and fought on determinedly.
This week Runkle Crunch has the initial advantage over Mad Monday. He will begin from the No. 3 barrier, with Mad Monday at No. 6.
Runkle Crunch, trained and driven by Aiden De Campo, showed his class with his victory in the WA Derby last year, and his recent form has been outstanding. Two starts ago he led from barrier two and won the Group 3 Four-Year-Old Championship over 2130m, rating 1.53.2 and beating Lincoln Lou and Belly Up decisively.
“He will over the 2500m which I think is his best trip,” said De Campo. “He has all the makings of a good 2500m horse; he relaxes well and has a bit of toughness about him.
“Plan A on Friday night will be to rev him up out of the gate, and hopefully he gets to the front. He has shown good gate speed at his past couple of starts.”
De Campo won the Golden Nugget in December 2019 when he drove the Ryan Bell-trained Shockwave to victory by a head over Patrickthepiranha. Bell won the race again when Jack Callaghan drove Waverider to a nose victory over Justcallmemiki last year.
The Bonds have won the Golden Nugget three times, scoring with $81 outsider Himself in December 2016, Ana Malak ($1.30) in December 2018, and Minstrel ($11) in February 2021.
The Bonds had six runners in the 2018 Golden Nugget, with Ana Malak leading from the No. 1 barrier and winning by a short half-head from stablemate Mighty Conqueror, who was followed home by stablemates Fizzing (third), Bright Diamond (fourth), Bettor Aim (fifth) and Thisbeachrighthere (tenth).
Bell will be seeking another Nugget victory as he pins his faith in the speedy Lazi Dais to follow in the footsteps of Shockwave and Waverider. Lazi Dais, driven by Liam Elliott, won a Nugget preview last Friday night when he took the lead after 300m and sprinted over the final 400m sections in 27.6sec. and 27.7sec. to beat Captain Stirling by two lengths, rating 1.54.2 over 2130m.
Lazi Dais will start from the No. 2 barrier, with Lincoln Lou at barrier one for trainer Michael Young and driver Emily Suvaljko.
“The draw certainly gives Lincoln Lou a chance,” said Young. “He beat Golden Lode in the Manea Classic in Bunbury earlier this year, and two starts ago he sat back in the field in the moving line when second to Runkle Crunch in the Four-Year-Old Championship.
“Lincoln Lou is a very good sit-sprinter who also has excellent gate speed, and he will lead early and only take a sit behind either Runkle Crunch or Mad Monday. If neither of those two leads, he will hold the lead.”
There could be early fireworks if Reinette charges forward from barrier four. She began brilliantly from the No. 8 barrier to burst straight to the front in the Nugget preview last Friday night before relinquishing the front to Lazi Days after 600m. She fought on gamely to finish third behind Lazi Dais.
Cyclone Jordy fared badly in the random draw, and he faces a stern test from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line. He is prepared by Gary Hall Snr, who has won the Nugget four times, as a driver of Valley Champ in 1993 and the trainer of The Gold Ace (2011), Beaudiene Boaz (2015) and Mister Smartee (2024).
Gary Hall Jnr, who drove The Gold Ace, Beaudiene Boaz and Mister Smartee for their wins, said: “It looks tough for Cyclone Jordy from out wide. I’ll be hoping for a fair bit of speed on which would help his cause.”