Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
The mighty Magnificent Storm notched his eighth Group feature event when he coasted to an effortless victory in the Catalano Truck And Equipment Village Kid Sprint at Gloucester Park on Friday night to cap a memorable evening for veteran trainer Ray Williams.
An elated Williams said that Magnificent Storm would be set for a treble of rich Cup events — the $100,000 Group 2 Stratton Cup on January 6, the $300,000 Fremantle Cup (January 13) and the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on January 27.
Friday night’s win completed the first treble of any kind on any track for the 77-year-old Williams, who is enjoying spectacular successes with just a team of five pacers in work at his Mt Helena property.
Williams and his wife Dot were overwhelmed at this feat, with their daughter Jodie, a dedicated and valuable assistant at the stable, describing the treble as richly deserved and a family highlight.
“It’s great,” said a typically humble Williams. “And I don’t think it has hit me yet. This is my first treble anywhere, as a driver or trainer. I have been going since I was 20, and I drove quite a few doubles among my 250 to 300 winners, many of them on country tracks.
“I’ve only been a hobby trainer, and I suppose the better class of horses I’ve been training in recent years have enabled me to enjoy such success in the past ten years or so. With my son Grant going over to the thoroughbreds it has led to me getting so many quality horses to train, with owners, primarily Robbie Tomlinson, sticking with me.”
Williams took three pacers to Gloucester Park on Friday night — and Tomlinson and a band of exultant syndicate members rejoiced wildly in the wins of Cyclone Charlotte ($8.40), Ezana ($1.70) and Magnificent Storm ($2.90), who were driven in superb style by Aldo Cortopassi.
Magnificent Storm, making his first appearance since winning the James Brennan Memorial three weeks earlier, was awkwardly drawn at barrier five in the Group 2 $50,000 Village Kid Sprint over 1730m.
But the New Zealand-bred five-year-old gave his supporters little cause for concern after Cortopassi got him away speedily and sent him to the front after 250m. After a lead time of 7.6sec. and opening quarter of 28.8sec. Magnificent Storm, the $2.90 equal favourite with the polemarker Patronus Star, relaxed with a modest second 400m section of 30.3sec. before sprinting over the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 27.7sec.
Magnificent Storm rated 1.53.9 and beat $11 chance Hampton Banner by a length and a half. Diego ($16), who raced in the breeze for much of the way, was third, with Lavra Joe ($11) sustaining a spirited three-wide burst from the rear finishing in fourth place, ahead of Patronus Star.
“Before the race I didn’t know whether to go forward or back at the start,” said Williams. “So, I said to the boys we should go forward and see what happens. And it wasn’t the grand final if he couldn’t do it. If you stay back in the pack, it makes it hard sometimes.
“He went quite quick tonight but could’ve gone quicker. Aldo said he was just cruising.” The victory boosted Magnificent Storm’s record to 37 starts for 27 wins, five placings and $589,067 in prizemoney.
“Magnificent Storm probably will have another run in December and then I’ll set him for the Stratton Cup, the Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup.”