Magnificent Storm winning the 2026 Fremantle Cup
MAGNIFICENT Storm deserved that one.
Yes he was helped by the scratching of arch-rival Minstrel and yes got away with a dream run in front, but the flipside is how much bad luck and how many setbacks the superstar nine-year-old has ensured through his career.
This time everything went his way … for a change.
And he punished his rivals for it with an easy win in the $300,000 Group 1 Fremantle Cup, a week after his fighting third in the $1.25 million Group 1 Nullarbor.
It was his third go at the Fremantle Cup, but his first since finishing eighth in 2023. He also ran ninth in 2022.
“You don’t get many easier runs in big races than that, but we’ll take it,” driver Aiden De Campo said. “He’s had his share of things go wrong and this time it all went his way.
“He did it well and he deserved it.”
Magnificent Storm led easily from the pole, dawdled through the first 1800m and really just dashed up the last half in 54.6 and 26.7sec to beat Golden Lode, who followed him, by 3.6m with Nullarbor winner Max Delight a close third.
Ubetcha Tigerpie, who ran fourth in the Nullarbor, sat outside the leader and ran fourth again last night.
“Yes, it was a boring race, but it was great to win as we all love him to death. It was so great for Ray (Williams, trainer), too,” managing over Rob Tomlinson said.
It was Magnificent Storm’s 48th win with another 15 placings from 78 starts and he’s banked $1,802,687.
Along with his Fremantle Cup win, he’s had four goes at the WA Pacing Cup for a win (2023), a second and two fourths, and two starts in the Nullarbor for a luckless seventh (2023) and third (this year).
The win moved Magnificent Storm into third spot on the Australian Grand Circuit table with 100 points behind Leap To Fame (160) and Swayzee (120) after three of the seven legs.
The next leg of the Grand Circuit is the $1 million Ladbrokes Inter Dominion pacing final at Albion Park on July 18.
Then comes the $250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup in October and the $250,000 Blacks A Fake and $400,000 WA Pacing Cup in December.
The only leg nine-year-old Magnificent Storm is likely to contest is the WA Pacing Cup in his own backyard on December 11.
See the Grand Circuit Points Table here.
PHOTO: Pacepix
