MARK Minervini “squared up” with apprentice William Stanley with a weekend Newcastle winner.
Stanley gave a faultless display on the Newcastle trainer’s promising young sprinter Shall Be ($2.70 favorite) to land the Benchmark 64 Handicap (900m) at Broadmeadow yesterday.
It was an important moment for both trainer and jockey.
Shall Be was Minervini’s second winner at the meeting, thus recording his first home track double since relocating from South Australia, whilst Stanley was having his first ride for him.
“I had a double at Mudgee, but this is the first time at home,” Minervini said today.
“it was a good day all round, taking three horses to the races and also winning with Ocean Joy and finishing third with Rubi’s Serve.”
Stanley, apprenticed to fellow Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, has been riding some morning trackwork for Minervini.
“I had promised William a ride, and I think he was getting a bit disappointed I hadn’t given him one,” Minervini said.
“I went and spoke with him in the jockeys’ room an hour before yesterday’s race, and told him I had been waiting for the right horse to put him on, and Shall Be was it.
“William gave him a great ride from a nice draw, and it was good to put him on a winner.”
Minervini won the opener, the Maiden Plate (900m), with nicely bred filly Ocean Joy ($5.50), and Rubi’s Serve ($3.30) wasn’t far behind winner Lease ($3.20 favorite) in the Conditional Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m).
Minervini didn’t pay a lot of money either for both his winners.
He bought Headwater filly Ocean Joy for $15,000 at the 2023 Adelaide Magic Millions yearling sale, and $8000 for Shalaa gelding Shall Be at the Inglis HTBA yearling sale the same year.
“I went to Baramul Stud to look at Ocean Joy before the sale, and liked both her and her pedigree,” Minervini said.
“She is the from the Denise’s Joy family, and I got her with one bid.
“Shall Be has now won both his starts this preparation, and is putting together a nice record.
“They don’t win three races from five starts if they haven’t got ability.
“Whilst the programs have suited us to run him at 900m both times recently, I’m confidently he will manage 1100m and 1200m.
“He is a young horse with a good future.”
Whilst Rubi’s Serve didn’t quite make it to give her trainer a first ever home treble with all three representatives, he is looking ahead to the Provincial-Midway Championships with her.
“Rubi’s Serve definitely can win more races, and the 1400m of the series suits her,” Minervini said.
“I just have to work out which route we take with her to qualify for the $1m Final at Royal Randwick on April 12.”
. Kembla Grange trainers Theresa Bateup, Kerry Parker and Paul Murray all had winners at the annual two-day Cup carnival at the Sapphire Coast.
Bateup landed today’s $80,000 Bega Showcase Cup (1600m) with Direct Fire ($5.50), ridden by Amy McLucas.
A four-year-old son of Dracarys, Direct Fire has won four of his 18 starts and been placed in seven, and has earned nearly $200,000.
Parker won yesterday’s Class 1/Maiden Plate (2200m) with $3.40 favorite Cosmos Factory, ridden by Nick Heywood, whilst Murray got a winner on each of the two days.
Chad Lever was aboard $19 chance Beauer in yesterday’s Class 2 Handicap (1600m), and Jean Van Overmeire partnered today’s Super Maiden Plate (1400m) winner, $1.40 hotpot Divine Ella.
Story John Curtis, February 2, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos
Comments