Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Seven weeks ago, veteran pacer Hampton Banner had a losing sequence of 22, but trainer Debra Lewis has rejuvenated the eight-year-old who has now won at three of his past four starts.
Jocelyn Young has formed an excellent association with Hampton Banner, and she has been in the sulky for the New Zealand-bred gelding’s three recent Gloucester Park victories, the latest on Friday night when he was a $7.50 chance from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line in the $31,000 Minstrel’s Pacing Cup Free-For-All over 2130m.
Hampton Banner began speedily, but was unable to get to the front and he raced three wide and then in the breeze for the first lap before Gary Hall Jnr sent the $3 favourite Dalvey Robyn forward to race outside the pacemaker and $4.80 chance High Price.
Young waited until 230m from home before sending Hampton Banner forward, out three wide, and Hampton Banner and Dalvey Robyn went to the line locked together before Hampton Banner lifted strongly to win by a half-head, rating 1.56.6 after final quarters of 27.8sec. and 28.3sec.
This improved Hampton Banner’s record to 95 starts for 18 wins and 20 placings for stakes of $362,289.
“We went forward pretty hard,” said Young. “But as soon as I saw Dominus Factum going forward, I knew that we weren’t going to get to the front. I don’t know whether before Hampton Banner has done so much work and still ran on.
“Obviously, we were happy to get cover after Dalvey Robyn got to the breeze. But we were travelling pretty well without cover. This move put pressure on the leader, and I had the perfect drag into the race.”