MARK Minervini was on the ball!
King’s Duty’s 62kg impost at Scone on Friday, the Newcastle trainer was adamant how he should be ridden in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m).
Courtesy of an inside barrier, Minervini instructed jockey Ash Morgan to take full advantage of that and make his rivals chase him.
“Ash was thinking about riding him conservatively a few pairs back because of his big weight,” Minervini explained on Saturday.
“But I didn’t want him throwing away a good barrier.
“You’re a genius if you are right, and a mug if you’re wrong.”
Minervini certainly wasn’t the latter. Skilfully handled in front, King’s Duty ($4.80) returned to the winning list, defeating fellow Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ pair Eclair Encore ($1.95 favorite) and Exceedaqa ($6.50).
It was Minervini’s second winner of the season – Dubai Flyer was his first at Newcastle on August 24 – and there have been 12 minor placings interspersed.
King’s Duty, a five-year-old son of Exosphere, posted his third victory at his 19th start.
“He has been in and out of the wilderness, and hasn’t yet fulfilled the ability he showed earlier on,” Minervini said.
“King’s Duty worked from a wide barrier to lead on debut when he scored over 1150m on the Beaumont track in January last year on a heavy track, and then later in the year also led on the Beaumont track in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m) when resuming and was just caught by Sydney Bowler, who won at Randwick at his next start.
“He is fit and I had no concern backing him up after his close fifth in the Jungle Juice Cup (1350m) at Newcastle last Saturday.
“The Scone race was the perfect opportunity to allow him to get into a rhythm and roll along, and that’s how he likes to race.
“Ash rode him well under his big weight, and the horse did a really good job.”
Whilst it’s been a relatively quiet beginning to the new season for Minervini, King’s Duty wasn’t his only bright spot in the last few days.
Former Sydney sprinter Dehorned Unicorn delighted his trainer with his first-up third in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1000m) at Warwick Farm last Wednesday.
“His first four runs after we bought him online were all on wet tracks, and three of them were heavy,” he said.
“Dehorned Unicorn doesn’t handle that type of really wet ground, and was much better getting back on to a good surface.
“He will go to the Choisir Handicap (a Benchmark 100 Handicap, 1100m) at Randwick on Tuesday week, and I might run Quick Tempo in the same race.
“He won at the same meeting 12 months ago, and is ready to resume.”
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Provincial trainers Kristen Buchanan (Wyong) and Nathan Doyle (Newcastle) also were successful at Scone on Friday.
Buchanan clinched her sixth win of the season when Rennata ($2.70 favorite) took the Super Maiden Handicap (1200m), and Doyle his 13th when Keep At ‘Em ($5) broke through in the Maiden Plate (1400m).
Ironically, leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees had to play “second fiddle” to all three fellow provincial trainers by finishing second and third each time.
Aside from Éclair Encore and Exceedaqa chasing home King’s Duty, Lees’ Alliri ($7.50) and Powerful Dragon ($15) filled the minor placings behind Rennata, and now retired triple Group 1 winner Le Romain’s younger half-sister Miss Romain ($10) and Like Lukey ($2.80 favorite) finished behind Keep At ‘Em, ridden by Lees’ apprentice Ben Osmond.
Story John Curtis, October 26, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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