Minstrel Photo by Pacepix
IF the Leap To Fame and Swayzee rivalry is the biggest in harness racing, then Magnificent Storm and Minstrel are a close second.
The seemingly ageless pair of nine-year-old WA stars have clashed 20 times across six years and are still the two standout pacers in their home state.
Both would still be in the top six or seven in Australasia at their best.
Yet again they headline another feature race when their “21st” together in Friday night’s $1.25 million Group 1 Nullarbor at Gloucester Park.
And the barrier draw says they will fight it out again with Magnificent Storm a slight $2.60 favourite from gate four and Minstrel at $2.80 from five.
“It looks like Magnificent Storm will be in front with us (Minstrel) outside him and they’ll trade blows from a long way out and see what happens,” Minstrel’s co-trainer Greg Bond said.
“We’ve deliberately spaced his runs in recent years and we’re very happy with him. His last serious workout at home was as good as he’s ever worked.”
It was way back on January 15, 2021 when they clashed for the first time in the Group 1 4YO Championship at Gloucester Park.
Magnificent Storm won with Minstrel second, but Minstrel reversed the result just a few weeks later at their second clash in Group 1 Golden Nugget.
Their enduring rivalry has been close with Magnificent Storm holding an 11-9 lead.
But Team Minstrel would rightly argue they’ve won the races that matter, including that Golden Nugget, the 2022 Group 1 Fremantle Cup and last year’s 2025 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup.
Magnificent Storm did beat Minstrel (third) when he won the 2023 WA Cup.
Minstrel also won the 2024 WA Pacing Cup, but Magnificent Storm missed that race.
Between them, they have won 79 races and over $3.5 million.
Remarkably, neither pacer has been able to win the Nullarbor in its three-year history.
Magnificent Storm was favourite when a desperately unlucky seventh in 2023 and injury or illness has kept him out since.
Minstrel has gone much closer. He ran a mighty third from a wide draw in 2024 and then second as favourite when he led and copped pressure from champion stayer Swayzee last year.
Magnificent Storm’s driver Aiden De Campo was thrilled with drawing inside Minstrel this time.
“That’s the main thing we wanted,” he said. “This the best draw he’s had in a big race for a long time.”
De Campo expects Magnificent Storm to be better than when he won his final lead-up race in good, but not sparkling style last Friday night.
“He was good last Friday, but he switched off a bit, which he can do when he doesn’t have horses around him,” he said.
“Ray (Williams, trainer) said he came through it really well and he’s always a horse who is a lot sharper when he backs up a week later.”
The three interstate raiders had mixed luck with 11-year-old Victorian marvel Bulletproof Boy out wide (gate eight), while NSW pair Max Delight (three) and Ubetcha Tigerpie as the lone back row runner from gate 10 fared better.
NULLARBOR DRAW
Front row: Hugotastic 1, Justcallmemiki 2, Max Delight 3, Magnificent Storm 4, Minstrel 5, Mighty Ronaldo 6, Golden Lode 7, Bulletproof Boy 8, Franco Motu 9.
Back row: Ubetcha Tigerpie 10.
PHOTO: Pacepix
