WA Pacing Cup winner Minstrel and fellow Free-For-All stablemate Tenzing Bromac are set to head to New South Wales later this month to tackle the Inter Dominion.
The Greg and Skye Bond-trained Minstrel produced one of his finest performances to take out last Friday’s WA Pacing Cup (2536m), while Tenzing Bromac ran home well from the rear of the field to finish seventh.
Greg Bond said both performances warranted making the trip.
“We need to make a decision over the weekend so we can get transport organised,” Bond told Racing WA Harness.
“As long as Skye is happy to take them both, then we will go over.
“It wasn’t the most attractive option with three $30,000 heats, but there’s nothing really for them in Perth other than Free-For-All races until April.”
The Bond stable travelled Galactic Star to Melbourne for the 2018 Inter Dominion in Victoria, where he won a heat, before he finished sixth in the final.
The last horse from Western Australia to tackle the Inter Dominion was the Dylan Egerton-Green-trained To Fast To Serious in 2022.
Minstrel’s presence is a big boost to the series, after trainer Jason Grimson confirmed yesterday’s New Zealand Cup winner Swayzee wouldn’t take his place.
Defending champion Leap To Fame is also set to be a notable absentee from the series.
Bond said the star pair’s absence had some bearing on his decision to travel.
“It’s nice to know there’s no Leap To Fame or Swayzee,” he said.
“It’s changed the whole series.
“That being said, both of my horses are going well enough that they’ve earned the right to go.”
The first round of heats takes place at Newcastle (2030m) on November 29, before the series moves to Bathurst (1730m) and Menangle (2300m) on December 4 and 7 respectively.
The final also takes place at Menangle on December 14.
Bond said he was confident Minstrel would be able to stand up to the demands of the series.
“Three heats in one week won’t bother him,” he said.
“This type of series doesn’t hold any fears for a horse like him.
“Three runs in a week for Tenzing Bromac may not be ideal, but he’s a six-year-old and has the ability to be competitive.”
Meanwhile, the Bond team will be out to continue their run of feature race success when Lusaka lines up in Friday’s 4YO Championship (2130m) at Gloucester Park.
Tim Walker
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