Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
New Zealand-bred eight-year-old Mighty Conqueror, winner of the WA Pacing Cup in January 2020 and finishing third behind Vultan Tin and Chicago Bull in the big event in December 2020, turned back the clock with a fighting victory in the $23,750 Retravision Half Yearly Clearance Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The seasoned veteran, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, was a $11.50 chance who was driven aggressively by Deni Roberts, who made her intentions perfectly clear from the outset when she dashed the gelding forward, three wide, from his wide draw at barrier No. 8.
Mighty Conqueror relished the task of racing in the breeze, and his victory over the $2.25 favourite Perfect Major ended a seventeen and a half-month drought and broke a losing sequence of 15.
The win enhanced the prospects of Mighty Conqueror gaining a start in the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup next Friday week. He was having his seventh run in his current campaign (which included thirds behind Patronus Star and Hampton Banner).
“He is knocking on the door for a Cup start,” said Mrs Bond. “He has been running good races, and tonight he showed plenty of toughness. We thought we could get into the race quite easily, and going forward was the plan.
“It can be a long road getting horses back from having a sustained time off. There is nothing like race fitness, which he now has, with recent runs under his belt. He has always had feet problems, so after the big races last year I decided to give him a long break and let all his hooves grow right out to give him the best chance to hold out in this campaign. We’ve done a lot of remedial work, and the farrier has been brilliant.”
Mighty Conqueror, who finished a nose second to Ana Malak in the Golden Nugget in December 2018, and then revealing his great qualities as a stayer when he won the 2 902m Easter Cup, has earned $658,953 from 21 wins and 15 placings from 58 starts.
Roberts, who was handling Mighty Conqueror for the first time in a race, had the gelding pressing forward, three wide for the first 600m before moving to the breeze. Mighty Conqueror finished strongly to hit the front in the final 65m and win by a half-length from Perfect Major, who raced three back on the pegs before getting into the clear in the final stages.