MINERVINI’S “COOL BUY” A WINNER AT WYONG

MARK Minervini didn’t need any convincing to buy a Rubick youngster at the 2023 Adelaide Magic Millions yearling sale.

The Newcastle trainer returned “home” and paid a “cool” $40,000 to secure him because of the success he was having at the time with another son of the stallion, the now retired seven-times winner and Group 3 placegetter Quick Tempo.

“This horse reminded me a lot of Quick Tempo, and I felt he was worth the gamble even though he cost twice as much,” Minervini said today.

Named He’s Cool, the four-year-old gelding broke through at Wyong yesterday in the Super Maiden Handicap (1100m).

Ridden by Newcastle apprentice Will Stanley, He’s Cool ($5.50) easily defeated debutante and local favorite, Kim Waugh’s three-year-old filly Frostisen ($2.50), to collect a $28,400 purse.

Aside from getting his first win on the board, Minervini was especially pleased given it hasn’t been plain sailing with He’s Cool.

“He’s been a bit of a slow maturer, but was a sick horse at the end of his last campaign last winter when he contracted a bout of pneumonia.

“Fortunately he recovered, and it was essential to give him a good spell,” Minervini said today.

“He’s Cool ran fourth first-up in a pretty strong Maiden Plate (1106m) at Port Macquarie earlier in the month (won by fellow Novocastrian, Kris Lees’ Night Agent), and took nice improvement from that run.

“He looked nicely placed coming back to the provincials yesterday, and it was good to see him get the job done.

“I feel He’s Cool has a bit of ability, and I don’t think it will be his last win.”

Meanwhile, Minervini is having another crack at qualifying stablemate Rubi’s Serve for the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.

“She will go to the Kembla Grange Qualifier (1400m) on March 21, which is for provincial horses only,” he said.

“At this stage Rubi’s Serve will be my sole PMC candidate, although I haven’t given up hope of also getting Tickle Me Pink there.

“She was just beaten at the Beaumont track last Monday after making the running, and will contest a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m) at Newcastle on Saturday.

“Tickle Me Pink probably needs to win that race to lift her benchmark rating.”

Rubi’s Serve (also by Rubick as the name implies) finished fourth to Welcometobarbados in a Newcastle Qualifier (1400m) on March 1 last year before being unplaced behind subsequent Final winner Matcha Latte in another home track Qualifier 19 days later. 

As Rubi’s Serve has now had 20 starts, Minervini has held her back in an attempt to qualify for the 2026 Final.

She was runner-up to Hawkesbury mare Hyperbolic (one of the leading fancies for this year’s series) in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) for fillies and mares at Rosehill Gardens in late November.

Meanwhile provincial trainers had a picnic at yesterday’s Tuncurry TAB meeting.

Three Newcastle trainers (Steve Hodge, Dale Wagstaff and Damien Smith) along with Gosford’s Adam Duggan were victorious.

Hodge made it two win a row at the track with $2.70 favorite Lika Remi (Serg Lisnyy) in the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1200m), after she had posted her first success in a Maiden Plate (1000m) there on January 17 on a heavy track.

Wagstaff followed by scoring with Ken’ker (apprentice Liberty Smyth) in the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1400m), and Smith rounded off a Newcastle treble by taking the Class 1/Maiden Plate (1600m) with $7.50 chance Keinbah’s Warrior (Peter Graham).

Central Queensland native Smyth rounded off a good weekend by also winning at Port Macquarie today on $2.90 favorite Markwell Music in the Showcase Maiden Plate (1000m).

Smyth returned to the scene of her maiden triumph on another favorite Dwayne ($1.75) for her boss, trainer Nathan Doyle, on January 6.

Duggan produced debutante King Of Vegas (Luke Rolls) to land the Maiden Plate (1000m) on debut as a $5.50 chance.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, FEBRUARY 22, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS