Since relocating from South Australia to Newcastle four years ago, Mark Minervini has found training to be a slow burn but that is finally starting to change thanks to recent stable addition Hosier.
The former Lloyd Williams-owned galloper was bought by Minervini and a handful of stable clients earlier this year and the horse has more than paid his way after capturing Saturday’s Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2000m).
In doing so, Hosier gave Minervini his first success at Randwick and the significance wasn’t lost on the trainer.
“It’s still a bit raw,” Minervini said.
“It sounds stupid, but this is for South Australia. I reckon we get a bad rap.
“There’s a lot of good trainers and horses and jockeys that come out of South Australia, and I’ve really felt that since I’ve been up here for four years trying to prove myself. Today it has worked out perfectly.”
Minervini said he didn’t know a lot about Hosier when he bought him, but he knew he was a Saturday class horse and that was precisely what the stable had been looking for.
“We’ve got a lot of young horses and we’ve got a lot of country and provincial horses, but we needed a Saturday city-grade horse,” he said.
“I’m proud of him. He’s a quirky horse, he’s got an unbelievable temperament and I’ve enjoyed the challenge of training him.
“I think there is still plenty more to come.”
Minervini was yet to lock in a spring plan for Hosier but said he would “nominate him for everything”, including the Wyong and Newcastle Cups, and see what races proved the best fit.
Ridden by Jason Collett, Hosier ($5.50) score by 1-1/4 lengths over Military Mission ($41) with Bois D’Argent ($14) another half-head away third.
