Evergreen eight-year-old superstar pacer Minstrel is poised to win the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup for the second year in a row, with the gelding’s brilliant driver Deni Roberts declaring the New Zealand-bred gelding is in peak form.
Roberts was full of praise for Minstrel after driving him to victory in the 2536m Stratton Cup last Friday week, saying: “Comparing him with how he was when he won the Pacing Cup last year, I don’t think he has ever gone any better than he is going now.”
Minstrel was a $7.90 chance when he began from the No. 2 barrier on the front line in the big race 13 months ago when he was easily beaten out by the polemarker and noted speedster Pinny Tiger.
Roberts then made a conscious decision to switch Minstrel off the pegs and race in the breeze --- to avoid the possibility of being trapped on the inside --- and these tactics paid dividends when he dashed to the front 600m from home and went on to win by a half-length from the fast-finishing Mister Smartee, who had trailed Minstrel throughout in the favourable one-out and one-back position.
Minstrel has again drawn the No. 2 barrier this year, with Roberts leaving her options open. No doubt she will get Minstrel away smartly before determining her tactics.
She is fully aware of the dazzling gate speed of fellow eight-year-old Magnificent Storm, who will begin from out wide at barrier eight, with Aiden De Campo expected to make a bold bid to burst straight to the front and then dictate terms.
Magnificent Storm warmed up for this week’s race in wonderful fashion, winning the 2130m Navy Cup last Friday night by six lengths from dead-heaters Little Darling and Hillview Bondi, sprinting home over the final 800m in 55.2sec.
“He felt super and is sure to improve on the run,” said De Campo, who drove Magnificent Storm to victory for trainer Ray Williams in the WA Pacing Cup in November 2023 when he was driven hard from the No. 4 barrier to get past Jumpingjackmac and into the lead after 400m.
Magnificent Storm strolled to a four-length victory over Jumpingjackmac, with Minstrel (a $31 chance from barrier five and driven by Mitch Miller) racing in the one-out, three-back position before going five wide approaching the home turn and finishing third.
Minstrel is prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who won the Pacing Cup with Mighty Conqueror in January 2020.
The Pacing Cup was first run in 1913, and this week Minstrel will join a select group of seven horses who have had five or more starts in the big race. Beau Don and Village Kid appeared in seven Pacing Cups, Shattering Class in six, and Black Bertha, Dallingwood and Plunderer in five.
Minstrel’s Cup record is fifth behind Wildwest in February 2022, seventh behind Diego in January 2023, third behind Magnificent Storm in November 2023, and first in November 2024.
Roberts has formed a wonderful association with Minstrel, having driven him for 13 wins, seven seconds and three thirds, while De Campo also has a splendid record in the sulky behind Magnificent Storm, having driven him 24 times for 15 wins, three seconds and one third placing.
Minstrel and Magnificent Storm are equine millionaires who will need to be at their best to defeat another millionaire in Mister Smartee, who is prepared by Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall snr, who has won the Pacing Cup a remarkable 13 times.
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr has won the Pacing Cup a record nine times, and he will need an ounce of luck to overcome five-year-old Mister Smartee’s tough draw on the outside (barrier three) on the back line. The gelding’s recent runs have been full of merit.
Hall jnr is the trainer of seven-year-old Better Eclipse, who will be handled by Maddison Brown from the prized No. 1 barrier. The Victorian-bred Better Eclipse and WA-bred star Mighty Ronaldo have also earned more than $1 million in outstanding careers.
Better Eclipse has been unplaced at his three runs in WA but showed a welcome glimpse of form last Friday night when he ran on from seventh at the bell to finish fifth behind Magnificent Storm.
Better Eclipse has performed strongly in elite company, having won the Chariots Of Fire (1.47.6) at Menangle in February 2022, and finishing second to Leap To Fame in the Interdominion Championship final at Albion Park in December 2023.
There are two mares in this week’s Cup --- Little Darling (barrier three) and Penny Black (barrier nine) --- who face stern tests in their respective bids to become the first mare to win the Pacing Cup since Les Marriott trained and drove Pyramus to victory in 1972.
