Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Astute trainer Ray Williams is blaming himself for Magnificent Storm’s first-up failure last Friday night and he is looking for the veteran champion to bounce back by winning the Kersley Free-For-All over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Nine-year-old Magnificent Storm reappeared after a ten-week absence when he began out wide at barrier eight on the front line in a 2536m event and he endured a tough run on the outside of the frontrunning Minstrel before fading to finish eleventh, nine lengths behind Minstrel.
“He got away from me,” said Williams. “I had him too bright and he was a bit fat, and he pulled hard, something he never does.
“I have changed his diet, and his work has been good this week. He is eating all his feed, his legs are good and he is bright. If he doesn’t go well this week, I’ll be scratching my head.”
Ace driver Aiden De Campo is also looking for Magnificent Storm to return to his best. “After the race I told Ray not to panic,” he explained.
“He just got a bit fresh and pulled pretty hard, which is not him and was unusual especially over 2536m, and that’s not what you want, pulling outside of Minstrel.”
Mighty Ronaldo (barrier three), Maximum Rock (four) and Harrison John (eight) appear to be among Magnificent Storm’s chief rivals on Friday night.
Mighty Ronaldo, to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr for trainer Justin Prentice, has been plagued by unfavourable draws and the wonderful eight-year-old has managed only three placings from eleven starts this year.
However, Hall believes that the Alta Christiano gelding is capable of a forward showing, saying: “I’d be surprised if he is not in the top three.”
Maximum Rock, trained by Chris Voak and to be handled by Chris Lewis, is racing in fine style and is capable of causing an upset. He led from barrier five when a half-head second to Harison John over 2536m last Friday week.
Harison John, to be driven by Deni Roberts for trainers Greg and Skye Bond, revealed strong staying potential when he raced wide early and then in the breeze before fighting on to beat Maximum Rock.
Hall will be seen in action in the first seven events on Friday night, and he said he expected Franco Motu to be his best winning chance, with the lightly-raced New Zealand-bred gelding starting from the back mark of 30m in the 2503m Barbagallo Aston Martin Handicap.
Franco Motu should appreciate a drop in class, following his fading seventh (off 40m) behind We Walk By Faith five weeks ago when he dashed to the front in the middle stages and dropped back over the final 300m.