Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Mighty pacer Minstrel, placed in the past two Nullarbor slot races, is poised to break through and win the $1,250,000 feature event on April 17.
The superstar nine-year-old is at the peak of his powers, and he produced a remarkable effort to score an awe-inspiring victory in the $31,000 Trotsynd Join The Fun Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Definitely, he will be a top contender in the Nullarbor,” declared Deni Roberts after driving the champion pacer to an easy victory, rating 1.53.5, his fastest rate in his eleven wins from 21 starts over the 2130m journey.
Minstrel’s trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who were inducted into the WA Racing Hall of Fame on Saturday night, are planning to keep Minstrel fit and well by working him at their Forrestdale training establishment before lining up in the 2536m Nullarbor.
Minstrel, who has earned $2,050,823 from 32 wins and 27 placings from 80 starts, has never raced better at any stage of his magnificent career.
Though the opposition on Friday night was not elite, Minstrel did what very few pacers could do in any class. The $1.40 favourite began out wide at barrier No. 8 and he was urged forward, three and four wide in the early stages while noted speedster Rockandrollartist ($19) was setting a brisk pace with a lead time of 36.8sec. and a blistering opening 400m section of the final mile in 27.7sec.
Minstrel finally got to the breeze after racing wide for the first 950m when Gary Hall Jnr sent Mighty Ronaldo ($4.60) to the front. Mighty Ronaldo sprinted over the third quarter in 27.8sec. but this was of no concern for Minstrel, who finally surged to the front with 400m to travel. The final quarter was run in 28.5sec. and Minstrel scored by two lengths from Mighty Ronaldo, who fought on grandly to finish a half-head ahead of Minstrel’s stablemate Gee Heza Sport.
Roberts was lavish in her praise of Minstrel, saying: “He was the best horse in the race by a fair bit, so it didn’t bother him, doing all that work. It is so hard to have a horse at his age to race like that at that level.
“But for him and another nine-year-old Magnificent Storm to compete so well at the top level is a credit to them. They come back year after year and get better and better.”
Mighty Ronaldo is also in line for another appearance in the Nullarbor, with Hall saying: “He went super, and it was almost career best.” Trainer Justin Prentice will be eyeing the $50,000 Bunbury Cup next Saturday night for the evergreen eight-year-old.