MINERVINI’S BIRTHDAY SPICED WITH A FIRST-UP VICTORY

THE cheers could be heard from Adelaide!

Newcastle trainer Mark Minervini celebrated his 60^th birthday in the best possible way by winning the closer at Muswellbrook yesterday.

The South Aussie expat returned to his home State for a family shindig – and it became even better when Smiling Prophet took the Rusty Spanner Sprint (1000m) first-up at $6.50.

Ridden by Christian Reith, the six-year-old mare upset $1.35 hotpot Saratoga Power to post the sixth win of her career.

Smiling Prophet had not raced since mid-March, and Minervini today said his mare had the right form to be hard to beat in country grade.

“Her last two runs were in town when she ran fourths at Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens in Midway Benchmark 72 Handicaps,” he said.

“Smiling Prophet has had a few little niggles, and I gave her a good break.

“She has come back well, and I’m sure that she can make her mark in town this preparation, especially at a Canterbury Friday night meeting.”

Minervini paid $35,000 for the daughter of Divine Prophet at the 2021 Inglis HTBA yearling sale in Sydney, and she has now earned just over $205,000, with six minor placings to go with her wins.

“Smiling Prophet looked like a runner when I bought her,” he said.

“She is strong, and has a good temperament.

“I gave her three trials to get her ready, and was confident she would be very competitive.”

The cheers almost got louder, but unfortunately stablemate Rubi’s Serve ($6.50) couldn’t quite emulate Smiling Prophet, and finished second in the Rosehill closer today.

Ironically, Tommy Berry, who rode the winner Hyperbolic ($7) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m), was aboard Rubi’s Serve at her last start when placed at Newcastle a fortnight ago, and recommended to Minervini to put visors on her for today’s assignment.

Fellow Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle won the Muswellbrook opener with three-year-old filly Vittozzi ($1.65 favorite), ridden by his apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, and the Newcastle connection continued in winning vein at Canterbury last night.

Leading trainer Kris Lees landed the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m) with Tasoraay ($6.50), ridden by stable apprentice Will Stanley, and Paul Perry took the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1550m) with Forecaster ($5.50), ridden by Adam Hyeronimus.

Tasoraay began well and ran along in front, and courageously found more when challenged strongly by Doyle’s $20 chance Divo in the straight to fight back and win narrowly.

Forecaster also took up his favored front-running role under Hyeronimus’ guidance, and held out Lees’ Éclair Encore ($3.90) for another Newcastle quinella.

Gosford trainer Greg McFarlane was the other provincial winner at Canterbury, and has a nice horse on his hands in Bremel.

Ridden by Tom Sherry, Bremel ($5.50) defeated Fiorenza ($7.50) and $151 bolter Miss Orth, a stablemate of the winner.

A daughter of Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, four-year-old Bremel has now won four of her only five starts.

. HOOFNOTE: Only one race was able to be run at the Kembla Grange meeting today.

A power outage affected the racecourse as horses in the second race were at the start, and they were returned to the raceday stalls.

Further power outages occurred and then a full power failure, resulting in the remainder of the eight-race program being called off.

The entire meeting was subsequently abandoned, however trainers with acceptors in the lost races are now able to nominate for meetings at Warwick Farm on Wednesday and/or Gosford on Thursday.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, NOVEMBER 29, 2025 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS