Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond have timed Minstrel’s preparation for the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup to perfection, and the New Zealand-bred six-year-old ran a splendid trial for the big race on November 10 when he romped to victory in the $31,000 Westerntrilogy.com.au Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven by Deni Roberts, Minstrel, the $1.40 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier, defied a spirited early challenge for the early lead from $13 chance Diego and raced fiercely to set a brisk pace before careering away to win by two and a half lengths from the fast-finishing Mighty Ronaldo ($14), with the Bond-trained Himself ($5.50) finishing a close third after trailing the pacemaker throughout.
Having his second start after a five-month absence, Minstrel reeled off quarters of 29.7sec., 29.8sec., 28.2sec. and 28.2sec. to record a smart 1.55.6 rate over the 2536m, the journey of the WA Pacing Cup.
“He got on the nickel and travelled really strongly, and to his credit he finished it off very well and ran a super time,” said Greg Bond. “Deni didn’t even pull the plugs, and we’re very happy.
“His first run after a spell wasn’t that good but it wasn’t that bad, and he has shown tonight what he can do when he is on the rail. And when he is on the rail and can run times like he did tonight he will go well in the big races.
“When he won the Golden Nugget (in February 2021, beating Magnificent Storm and Patronus Star) he set a race record, from the breeze. It’s good that he has hit his straps, leading into the Pacing Cup.
“We will probably nominate five or six of our Free-For-Allers for the $100,000 Brennan Memorial next Friday night. And then there is the $100,000 Stratton Cup two weeks later, with the Pacing Cup a fortnight after that.”
Minstrel won the Fremantle Cup from Patronus Star last January and has finished fifth behind Wildwest in the 2022 Pacing Cup and seventh behind Diego in the 2023 Pacing Cup last January.
A winner of four races in New Zealand, Minstrel has raced 37 times in WA for 14 wins and ten placings and has earned $652,829 in an illustrious 48-start career.