Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Reinsman Aldo Cortopassi was thrilled with Magnificent Storm’s unlucky first-up unplaced run in the Governor’s Cup at Gloucester Park last Friday night and is confident that the champion six-year-old will prove hard to beat in the $50,000 Bunbury Cup at Donaldson Park on Saturday afternoon.
“He felt the best he has since his four-year-old days,” said Cortopassi. “Ray (trainer Ray Williams) has him ticking over perfectly. If he had been able to get clear last week, he would have given them a scare.
“We were getting a nice run through them, but apart from Diego the rest were tiring in front of us. He was trying to force his way through the others, but had nowhere to go. He just savaged the line.”
Magnificent Storm, a winner at 27 of his 42 starts, will start from the No. 2 barrier on the back line in the 2569m Bunbury Cup. “It’s not a bad draw, and we will have options,” said Cortopassi, who has fond memories of training and driving 7/1 chance Jaccka Seelster when the New Zealand-bred six-year-old galloped at the start of the 2003 Bunbury Cup and recovered to dead-heat for first with the 66/1 outsider White Star Rocky in the 2990m stand.
Last week’s run in the Governor’s Cup was the first appearance by Magnificent Storm since he finished fourth behind Diego in the WA Pacing Cup on January 27.
He will be having his first start at Donaldson Park, whereas several of his rivals, notably Lavra Joe, Mighty Ronaldo and Handsandwheels have excelled on the Bunbury track.
Lavra Joe has raced six times at Bunbury for five wins and a third placing; Mighty Ronaldo’s four starts on the track have resulted in two placings and two victories, including his win over Vultan Tin in the Bunbury Cupo 12 months ago; and Handsandwheels has raced at Donaldson Park 13 times for five wins (including the 2019 Bunbury Cup) and four placings.
The Ray Jones-trained Lavra Joe will be handled by his regular reinsman Chris Lewis and will start at barrier seven on the outside of the front line. Lewis appears certain to use Lavra Joe’s excellent gate speed in an all-out bid to burst to the front and then set the pace. He is sure to prove hard to beat.
Gary Hall Jnr will drive the Michael Young-trained The Mustang, who ran home strongly, out six wide, to finish sixth in the Governor’s Cup. The Mustang is ideally drawn at barrier No. 1 on Saturday.
“I’d say The Mustang will lead early, and then I could sit on Lavra Joe, and then have the last shot at him,” said Hall.