THE Cinderella story of a bargain-buy horse’s rapid rise up the Australian harness racing ranks will continue on Saturday night when Mallee owned Major Meister lines up in the Group 1 Ballarat Pacing Cup.
A group of owners from north-west Victoria, including Tooleybuc stone-fruit grower Enzo Mazzarella, stumped up a float fee of $12,500 plus other minor costs on arrival from New Zealand three years ago for a half-share in Major Meister.
The six-year-old gelding has now racked up nearly $250,000 in stakes earnings as he chases more Group 1 glory on Saturday night.
On the heels of winning the Cranbourne and Bendigo cups since the horse was transferred to the stables of Jason Grimson from the ill Adam Kelly, Major Meister will come up against a red-hot field of pacers in the $150,000 Ballarat race over 2710m.
Nicknamed “The Mildura Missile” after rounding up the Bendigo Cup field in scintillating fashion a fortnight ago, Major Meister has drawn poorly on the second row for the Ballarat Cup.
However, driver Cameron Hart remains confident that his new wonder charge can overcome the hurdle.
“The draw’s not ideal for us on Saturday night, but I still think he’s a massive hope,” the NSW reinsman said.
“I got a lot of confidence out of his Bendigo run when he was driven with a sit and how good he was late after he had some interference in the last lap.
“There seems to be some good pressure on the front line. There are likely to be three or four wanting to lead, which will hopefully put some good speed in the race and bring us into it late.
“Even if there’s not, he’s shown that he’s good enough to make his own luck, so we’ll have options with him.”
Last week’s Shepparton Cup winner, Cranbourne, is the $3.50 favourite on the TAB fixed-odds market for the race, while Major Meister is $6.50.
The Ballarat Cup is a stepping stone to possibly even greater riches for the Mildura Missile.
Grimson and the owners are targeting next month’s Group 1 $500,000 A.G Hunter Cup and the $1 million Miracle Mile at Grimson’s home track of Menangle a month later.
It’s absolute dreamland for the salt-of-the-earth owners, who will be on track Saturday night to watch their star pacer.
“The horse just keeps raising the bar,” Mazzarella said.
“It’s a great ride and we hope it continues.”
Hart said the Missile had pulled up well from his Bendigo Cup win.
“Jase has been ticking him over and is really happy with the horse. He hasn’t needed too much work,” he said.
“Every start he’s had for Jase, he has improved. But I really think he’ll get even better when we take him up to Menangle, where the bigger track should really suit him.
“In saying that, he can’t be going much better than he is on the Victorian tracks.”
The Art Major offspring’s Victorian grand final will be the Hunter Cup.
“That’s his big race down here, but then the Sydney carnival comes around quickly with the Miracle Mile,” Hart said.
“The Ballarat race is still a priority though. I’m feeling confident about his chances, but it’s like anything in racing. We’ll need a bit of luck and tempo in running.
“But I really think my bloke is going to measure up to the best ones.”
Grimson will have three runners in Saturday night’s race including Major Meister, Majestic Cruiser and I Cast No Shadow. The 2021 Mildura Pacing Cup winner, Mach Dan ($10), will also be in the field.
The race is scheduled to start at 9.18pm.
