A daring plan to run and stun with veteran pacer Medieval Man paid handsome dividends when Deni Roberts drove the nine-year-old to a dashing all-the-way victory in the $50,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Easter Cup over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Medieval Man, having his first start for twelve weeks, was a $20.80 chance from the No. 1 barrier on the front line in the group 3 feature event, and this was, quite remarkably, his first appearance in a standing-start event for just over four years.
His previous 96 starts had been in mobile events, but he had shown great ability with his nine runs in stands in 2021 and early in 2022 producing four wins, three seconds and two unplaced efforts.
Roberts, one of 18 drivers to have handled Medieval Man in his 167 starts, took no prisoners and gave Medieval Man’s eleven rivals little hope as she got the old gelding away to a flying start and quickly established a three-length lead after a very fast lead time of 68sec.
The 400m sections of the final mile whizzed by in 29.8sec., 29.8sec., 28.5sec. and 28.7sec. and Medieval Man won by just under a length from $23 chance My Copy, who finished strongly after galloping badly at the start and then being able to enjoy a perfect trail behind the frontrunning Medieval Man, whose rate of 1.58.8 was, by far, the fastest recorded in the 114-year history of the Easter Cup.
This gave 36-year-old trainer Kiara Davies her first training success in a group feature event, and her 26TH win from 310 starters. She has retired as a driver but is still fondly remembered for her 19 drives with star square gaiter Sunnys Little Whiz, which resulted in 14 wins, three seconds and two unplaced runs, with the highlight being the victory in the group 1 Trotters Cup in December 2016.
Davies owns Medieval Man in partnership with her sister Patrice and father Graeme, who bred the gelding, who is by group 1 star Renaissance Man and is the second foal out of Bettors Delight mare So Crimsonandclova, who raced 34 times for six wins, eight placings and $32,253. Kiara drove so Crimsonandclova ten times for two wins (at Kalgoorlie and Harvey).
Twelve months ago, Medieval Man’s future was uncertain when he broke down with a damaged outside branch of the tendon in his near foreleg.
However, he responded well to shockwave treatment and a lot of swimming and beach work and was able to resume last November after a seven-month absence. “He then had six starts before I gave him a spell and brought him back for the Easter Cup,” said Davies.
Davies is working as a stable hand for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, and she paid tribute to them for their assistance and care.
The speed in which Medieval Man set in the Easter Cup gave the backmarkers virtually no hope of winning. Franco Mottu, the $2.25 favourite from the 40m mark, was inconvenienced at the start and raced at the rear before finishing in tenth place.
Last Hard Copy, the $3.80 second favourite from the 10m mark, galloped out for a couple of strides and raced in eighth position before being pushed wide 1200m from home and moving to the breeze. He fought on determinedly to finish third.
