Minstrel gives Roberts a first
Hail Deni Roberts. She stands tall as the first woman to drive the winner of the prestigious WA Pacing Cup.
The 29-year-old Roberts stuck rigidly to her plan of setting the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Minstrel the task of racing without cover in the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night when the Rocknroll Hanover gelding simply proved too tough and too talented for his eleven rivals.
Minstrel, a $7.90 chance, raced on the outside of the pacemaker Pinny Tiger ($4.40) before forging to the front about 600m from home and winning by a half-length from Mister Smartee, who shared favouritism at $3.80 with Captain Ravishing.
Not only was this a triumph for Roberts and the tough as teak stayer Minstrel, it also was an outstanding achievement for master trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who produced the gelding in superb condition and at his peak for his testing assignment over 2536m at his first appearance for four weeks.
The Bonds and Roberts planned to set Minstrel the task of racing in the breeze from the No. 2 barrier after conceding that he had little or no chance of getting to the front in the early stages, with brilliant beginner Pinny Tiger certain to lead from the coveted No. 1 barrier.
Jumpingjackmac ($16) mustered excellent early speed in a bid to get to the front, or to the breeze, but Roberts was in no mood to surrender the breeze, forcing Stuart McDonald to restrain Jumpingjackmac back to the rear.
“We couldn’t win if we handed up,” said Mrs Bond. “Minstrel loves the breeze, and I was confident he was fit enough, even though it was not ideal having an interrupted preparation.”
The Bonds certainly had good reason for not being concerned at the prospect of Minstrel doing all the work in the Cup. He had worked in the breeze in nine of his previous Gloucester Park wins, including the Golden Nugget in February 2021 (when he set a race record of a 1.54.7) and he also raced in the breeze when a head second to Mighty Ronaldo in the Fremantle Cup in January 2023 and when second to Catch A Wave in the Nullarbor slot race in April this year.
“This was a very pleasing result and was better than when Mighty Conqueror won the Pacing Cup for us (in January 2020),” said Greg Bond. “And that’s because Minstrel didn’t have the best lead-up (after suffering a minor colic attack and being forced to be scratched from the Stratton Cup a fortnight ago).
“Skye reads the play with Minstrel and is a bit unorthodox with him. She hoppled him this morning and gave him a good solid workout over 2400m.”
Mrs Bond said that her highly irregular decision to give Minstrel a hoppled workout on the morning of a race has worked particularly well for the pacer.
“He didn’t miss much work due to his colic attack, so we weren’t chasing our tails going into tonight’s race,” she said.
Greg Bond said that he was yet to make a decision regarding a trip to Sydney for Minstrel to contest the Interdominion championship series, with the opening set of heats due to be run on November 29.
“We will probably decide within a week or so if we want to take him to Sydney for the Inters,” he said. “It’s in the melting pot at the moment.”
Minstrel already has had one trip to race in Sydney. After winning the Golden Nugget in February 2021 he contested the rich Chariots Of Fire at Menangle in which he finished ninth behind Expensive Ego.
There was little change in the first two laps in Friday night’s Cup, with Pinny Tiger leading from Minstrel, Sangue Reale ($51) behind the pacemaker, and Mister Smartee poised in the one-out, one-back position.
Aiden De Campo had Captain Ravishing following Mister Smartee, and with 1000m to travel Kyle Symington sent $18 chance Swingband forward from the rear, flushing out Captain Ravishing three wide and giving Swingband a good trail for the final circuit.
Roberts sent Minstrel to the front entering the back straight the final time, when the overracing Pinny Tiger began to fade. Minstrel quickly established a good break on his rivals, with Mister Smartee being briefly hampered for room.
Gary Hall jnr got Mister Smartee into the clear at the 400m, and the four-year-old fought on determinedly to finish a half-length second, with all honours going to the winner. Mighty Ronaldo ($23) finished strongly, out three wide, to be an eye-catching third after being shuffled back from three back on the pegs to the rear in the back straight. Captain Ravishing was fourth.
For Roberts, this was her fourth group 1 success. She has enjoyed a splendid association with Minstrel, having driven the gelding 15 times for eight wins, two seconds, one third, one fourth and for three unplaced efforts.
“Minstrel is an absolute machine,” she said. “I thought that at the top of the straight he was going to get rolled, but he found another gear.”
Minstrel now has raced 64 times for 25 wins, 19 placings and stakes of $1,298,288. He had ten starts in New Zealand for four wins, five placings and $40,525. He made his debut --- as a three-year-old --- when he was a $13.20 chance who burst straight to the front from barrier five and then trailed the pacemaker and used the sprint lane to win in a three-way photo in a 1980m event at Addington on August 16, 2019.
Greg Bond showed an early interest in Minstrel, saying: “We liked him as a two-year-old, but he failed a vet test. Then we watched him race as a three-year-old and still liked him. Someone else tried to buy him but again he failed a vet test for the same reason --- knee issues.
“In the end, we took a punt, and I rang Davey Butt, one of the owners, and put a number (price) on him. I said ‘here’s my offer: we buy half, and you keep half --- and we will share the pain or share the gain.’
“So, Davey spoke to the other owners, and they agreed, and we’ve all been winners.”
Greg and Skye Bond share the ownership in Minstrel with Rob Gartrell, Davey Butt and his wife Catherine, Davey Butt’s parents Robin and Jackie, and Tony Hickman and his wife Penny (Robin’s daughter).
Minstrel is the third foal out of the Mach Three mare Ovaride, who raced 14 times for one win (as a three-year-old over 2200m at Ascot Park in September 2012), four placings and $10,580 in stakes.
Minstrel’s half-sister The Achiever (by Bettors Delight) had 16 starts (all in WA) for four wins, two placings and $23,671 before being retired. Minstrel’s half-brother Rollova had 51 starts for eleven wins (three in New Zealand and eight in Victoria), eleven placings and $96,828. Ovaride’s final foal is four-year-old Over The Top, who has had three starts for one win (at Alexandra Park) and one placing (a third at Menangle 14 months ago) for earnings of $7853.
Steno just holds on
Brilliant five-year-old Steno, the $1.20 favourite, gave her supporters a scare when she held on grimly to beat $20 chance Little Darling by a half-head in the $100,000 Barbagallo Norms Daughter Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
As expected, Steno set the pace from the No. 2 barrier, with Chris Lewis quite content to take the sit with the polemarker Little Darling.
Steno, driven by her trainer Jocelyn Young, travelled comfortably after a 36.9sec. lead time with opening quarters of 30.6sec. and 29.2sec. before she sprinted over the final 400m sections in 27.4sec. and 27.7sec.
Lewis bided his time before he eased Little Darling off the pegs to issue a spirited late challenge.
“We were going pretty quick in the home straight,” said Young. “I was worried about Little Darling on our back, and I should have pulled back (to keep her in a pocket). It was pretty tight on the line.”
Steno, who rated a smart 1.54.7 over 2130m, will now be set for the $150,000 Mares Classic over 2536m next Friday week when she will again clash with Little Darling and the talented four-year-old Aardiebytheseaside.
Aardiebytheseaside, the $6.50 second fancy on Friday night, finished a fading fifth after racing in the breeze.
“Aardiebytheseaside put the pressure on Steno a little bit about 400m from home, but that was the closest she got,” said Young. “I knew that she had to be really good to beat us tonight.
“Running over 2536m in the Mares Classic is not her preferred distance, but she has raced three times over 2536m, winning by three lengths from Arma Xfactor in the Golden Nugget Consolation last December, and finishing second to Aardiebytheseaside in the Empress Stakes in April this year.”
Aardiebytheseaside is trained by Greg and Skye Bond, with Mrs Bond saying: “She didn’t get around the track so well tonight, and I was a little disappointed. She wanted to hang in.”
The New South Wales-bred Steno has earned $470,047 from 21 wins and 12 placings from 45 starts.
Skylou is still learning
Skylou, winner of the WA Derby last year, is still learning, according to Gary Hall jnr after driving him to an easy victory in the 2130m Barbagallo Jaguar Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I’ve always liked the horse, but it is taking a while for the penny to drop,” he said. “His work at home is right up there with the likes of Mister Smartee. The ability is there; it’s a matter of putting it all together.
“It’s between the ears, and if he can sort that out, he will keep winning races. With a good draw he will be dangerous in a race like the Golden Nugget when it’s up tempo.”
Skylou, the $1.60 favourite trained by Gary Hall snr, began from barrier five and he worked his way past the polemarker and his stablemate Coney Island Lou and took up the running 400m after the start.
He set a solid pace with the final three 400m sections whizzing by in 28.3sec., 28sec. and 28.8sec. to win by more than two lengths from $26 chance Street Hawk, who fought on after racing without cover.
Skylou, a Sweet Lou four-year-old, rated 1.54.8 and took his record to nine wins, four placings and $220,739 in prizemoney from 18 starts.
Alcopony ends a lean run
Handy five-year-old Alcopony broke through for an overdue victory when Ryan Warwick drove him to an all-the-way victory in the $31,000 Barbagallo Lamborghini WA Pacing Cup Consolation at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bred and part-owned by Kevin Keys, Alcopony was a $6.80 chance from barrier two and he proved too strong for the two pacers who were generally expected to fight out the finish --- Wildwest ($2.25) and Steel The Show ($2.50).
Warwick stole a march on the two fancied runners by resisting a strong challenge for the early lead from Steel The Show, who was smartest to begin from the No. 3 barrier but was unable to cross to the lead, and then was forced to work hard in the breeze.
After opening quarters of 30.6sec. and 30sec. Alcopony dashed over the final 800m in 55.6sec. to beat Steel The Show by one and a half lengths, with Wildwest 4m farther back in third place.
Alcopony, who rated 1.59.1 over the 2536m, ended a losing sequence of 18 and an 11-month losing drought. His win was not unexpected, coming after excellent placings behind Steel The Show, To Fast To Serious and Tricky Miki.
He has proved a good moneyspinner, with his 75 starts producing 13 wins, 27 placings and $271,593 in prizemoney.
Egerton-Green’s best season
Serpentine horseman Dylan Egerton-Green is enjoying his best season as a trainer, and he celebrated a quinella result in the 2130m Barbagallo Maserati Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Bellezza Nera finished strongly to beat Otis.
Otis was the $3.80 third favourite, who was driven by Egerton-Green from barrier five in the $19,000 event, with Aiden De Campo driving Bellezza Nera from out wide at barrier seven.
Despite a smart win over 1730m at Gloucester Park three starts earlier, Bellezza Nera was overlooked by punters and was a $71 outsider on the fixed market who was a $54 chance on the tote.
Thomson Bay ($3.20) set the pace, with Otis in the breeze and Brickies Dream ($3.30) enjoying a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position.
Bellezza Nera raced four back on the pegs in seventh place, with De Campo saying it was a good spot. “They went really hard down the back (with a third quarter of 27.8sec.) which saw the field open up and we were able to get a run through the middle,” he said.
“Then we got into a bumping duel around the (home) corner, but we were able to get out and win. He’s a small horse and a really neat pacer.”
The WA-bred Bellezza Nera has been a handy performer for Oz-West Pacing, earning $132,221 from 11 wins and 29 placings from 88 starts. His win on Friday night gave Egerton-Green his 54TH training success for 2024, equalling his 2023 tally.
Tualou’s flying start
A flying start from the No. 4 barrier paved the way for New Zealand-bred three-year-old Tualou’s easy victory in the 2536m Barbagallo Rolls-Royce Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Sweet Lou gelding, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, was driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, who was pleased that the gelding showed signs that he is overcoming his tendency to overrace in his races.
“Previously we have been nursing him because of his characteristics of overracing,” said Egerton-Green. “Tonight, he was on the bit but not overracing.”
Tualou settled down with reasonable opening quarters of 29.9sec. and 28.9sec. before he sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 27.7sec. to win by 10m from stablemate and $12 chance Golden Lode, who finished strongly from sixth at the bell.
Another stablemate Christopher Dance, winner of the group 1 WA Derby a week earlier, was the $1.12 favourite from out wide at barrier six. He was trapped three wide early before getting to the breeze after 400m. He battled on to finish third.
Tualou showed early signs of his excellent gate speed when, at his second start, he began brilliantly from barrier five to dash to an early lead before trailing the pacemaker and then finishing strongly to win over 1700m as a two-year-old at Alexandra Park last year.
He is the second foal out of Mach Three mare Ask Again, who had 19 starts for three wins, three placings and $34,034. Tualou has now earned $59,160 from six wins and three placings from 13 starts.
Frisky Styx continues to improve
New Zealand-bred four-year-old Frisky Styx maintained his steady improvement when he was not extended in winning the 2536m Barbagallo Volvo Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was the $1.75 favourite from barrier two and gave Capel trainer Aiden De Campo a comfortable drive when he set the pace and sprinted over the final 800m in 55.6sec. to beat $26 chance Name In Lights by almost two lengths.
After easy wins at his only two appearances in New Zealand, as a three-year-old, he has now won at six of his 18 starts in Western Australia.
He is by American sire Hes Watching and is the ninth foal out of In The Pocket mare Free As A Bird, who raced 35 times for two wins, six placings and $19,783.
“He has a lot of high speed and is a quality animal,” said De Campo.
Free As A Bird’s main claim to fame is that her younger half-brother Jonny B Good earned $363,789 from 28 wins and 38 placings. He won once in New Zealand and 12 times in New South Wales in 2015 and 2016 before winning another 15 races in America.
Leading suits Hoppys Way
Hoppys Way made the most of a significant drop in class when he relished his role of pacemaker and scored a comfortable victory in the 2130m Barbagallo Aston Martin Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Though placed once from his previous five starts, he was a firm $1.70 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier but had to be driven hard to withstand a spirited challenge from $71 outsider Longreach Bay, who was smartest into stride from barrier five.
After resisting this challenge leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko was able to get Hoppys Way to relax and amble through the lead time in 38.3sec. and the opening quarters in 32.1sec. and 31.9sec. before final 400m sections of 29sec. and 28sec.
Hoppys Way, trained by Mike Reed, went on to win by just over a length from $15 chance Sugar Street, who dashed forward from sixth at the bell to move to the breeze 500m from home.
“There was a bit of pressure early from Longreach Bay, and then when Junior (Gary Hall jnr) jumped on to my back with Tommy Waterhouse, that horse was my only danger. And we got it easy with slow early sections.
“Hoppys Way is versatile over all distances, and the faster they go, the better he goes.”
Hoppys Way, purchased for $NZ65,000 as a yearling in New Zealand, has earned $220,188 from 13 wins and eleven placings from 53 starts. He has revealed his class by leading and finishing second to Tricky Miki in the 2022 WA Derby, setting the pace and finishing second to Wonderful To Fly in the group 1 Four-Year-Old Classic, and finishing fourth behind Tricky Miki in the Golden Nugget.
He is by Art Major and is out of Bettors Delight mare Joannes A Delight, whose younger full-brother Jack’s Legend amassed $1,183,002 from 44 wins and 57 placings from 159 starts. He won ten races in New Zealand, was successful once from two starts in Australia, and won another 33 times in America.
Ventura’s speed surprises Hall
“It was a bit of a shock going that fast from the breeze,” explained trainer-reinsman Gary Hall jnr after driving Ventura to an easy win in the $21,000 Barbagallo Leaders In Motoring Excellence Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Ventura, having his first start for Hall and making his first appearance for 23 weeks, was a $4.50 chance from the No. 2 barrier, and after making a brief but unsuccessful challenge for the lead 600m after the start, he continued to race in the breeze before getting to the front with 400m to travel and win by two and a half lengths from the $2.40 favourite Whataretheodds.
Ventura rated a fast 1.52.8 rate over 1730m after $18 chance Runningonempty had begun like a shot from the outside barrier (No. 9) and had dashed over the first three 400m sections in 28.3sec., 28.5sec. and 28.5sec. before the final quarter went by in 28.8sec.
Runningonempty upset most predictions that Whataretheodds would be first out from the No. 1 barrier and would set the pace. Kyle Symington wasted no time in getting Whataretheodds off the pegs in the first lap to take an ideal trail in the one-out, one-back position behind Ventura.
Whataretheodds ran home solidly to finish second, without threatening Ventura.
“The key was Whataretheodds getting crossed from barrier one and not leading,” said Hall. “If he had led, we probably would have run second to him.
“Then, in the run, Ventura was travelling so nicely that I was quite confident.”
The New Zealand-bred Ventura won twice from 15 New Zealand starts before arriving in WA and entering Nathan Turvey’s stables.
Ventura shone for Turvey, with 15 starts for him producing seven wins and two placings.
Turvey then had a few problems with Ventura, who was getting fierce and pulling hard, resulting in Turvey asking Hall to have a go with the gelding’s preparation.
Ventura is by New Zealand sire Gold Ace and is the sixth foal out of Zitura, who had 61 starts for nine wins, 19 placings and $114,990. Zitura also produced Livura, who excelled on the racetrack before being retired with a fine record of 118 starts for 23 wins, 41 placings and stakes of $261,006.
Turvey, Peter Ensel and Michael Rowe purchased Livura for $45,000 in March 2016, and the gelding had 92 starts for his new owners for 19 wins, 33 placings and $218,069.
Ventura is following in Livura’s footsteps, and his 13 WA starts have resulted in eight wins and two placings to take his career record to 28 starts for ten wins, seven placings and $73,289.
Gee Heza Sport Is A Star
Six-year-old gelding Gee Heza Sport arrived unheralded in Western Australia from New Zealand in July with a losing sequence of 30.
But now in the space of three weeks he has emerged as an exciting prospective star performer, with a first-up second followed by an incredible track record-breaking performance at Pinjarra and a dazzling victory in the $25,000 Barbagallo Ferrari Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Gee Heza Sport is prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, with Mrs Bond enthusiastically declaring the gelding has a bright future.
“He has relished our system and has a great future, particularly with the gate speed to showed tonight before rolling off the quarters so easily. He will have a couple more starts before heading to the paddock.”
Star driver Deni Roberts was suitably impressed with Gee Heza Sport, saying: “He was pretty fast in the warm-up and then showed very good gate speed. He has a very good turn of foot.”
Gee Heza Sport was the $1.04 favourite from the No. 2 barrier, and he was unextended in setting the pace and winning by five lengths from his stablemate and veteran performer Galactic Star. He rated 1.56.7, with final 400m sections of 28.4sec. and 27.7sec.
At his previous outing Gee Heza Sport rated 1.55.6 to set a Pinjarra track record for a stand over 2631m, with final quarters of 28.1sec., 28.3sec. and 27.7sec. That ended a 26-month drought and broke a losing sequence of 30.
He is by American sire Sportswriter and is the third foal out of Just Rose, who raced 34 times for six wins, two placings and $38,309.
Gee Heza Sport has had 49 starts for nine wins, ten placings and $189,688. In fairness to his long losing sequence in New Zealand it must be pointed out that he contested 18 group feature events and raced against several champion pacers, including Copy That, Self Assured and Swayzee.
