Max Delight continues to marvel with stirring $1.25 million Nullabor success

Veteran pacer Max Delight (Bettor’s Delight) perfectly handled by Will Rixon upset the big guns with a strong finish to take out the Group 1 $1.25 million 2026 Tabtouch The Nullabor at Gloucester Park on Friday evening.

The race was considered a match between the two best Western Australian pacers Magnificent Storm and Minstrel ahead of the Eastern states contingent of Max Delight, Ubetcha Tigerpie and Bulletproof Boy.

While Hugotastic showed enough pace from the pole to lead both Magnificent Storm and Minstrel quickly got into stride with Magnificent Storm as expected leading and Minstrel right up alongside him. This gave Max Delight the one out and one back trail with Ubetcha Tigerpie one out and two back in the running.

There was a sense of anticipation as both Magnificent Storm and Minstrel were locked together in the back straight as to who would prove to be the better stayer. Minstrel started to falter on the final bend as Magnificent Storm gained a vital three metre break on straightening.

But Max Delight who was right behind the leaders pounced to the lead half way down the straight only to hold off a late desperate challenge from Golden Lode who had come from third last.

The ten year old gelding kept going by Rixon held on to beat Golden Lode by a neck with Magnificent Storm running a fighting third ahead of Ubetcha Tigerpie.

Minstrel who eventually started favourite ended up in sixth just under seven metres from the winner.

MAX DELIGHT 17 APR REPLAY

Max Delight is truly a credit to his trainer David Aiken widely regarded as one of the nation’s best conditioner of horses. In a long career as a trainer he has won just short of 2,600 winners including 34 Group 1 successes.

Max Delight must have dismayed his supporters when he finished a distant third in a Menangle trial before he boarded the plane to Perth but obviously Aiken knew what he was doing. Max Delight has now won 38 races since he started his career winning at his debut at Goulburn as a two year old way back in March 2018 and he’s now banked just over $2 million in prize money for his owner Michael Maxfield.

And credit should also go to Rixon who drove a superb race securing a coveted trail and make his winning run at the right time. The 25 year old reinsman achieved his fourth Group 1 success as a driver.

A clearly delighted Rixon expressed it all after the event.

The plan was to get the running on and then get the one one on Minstrel. But it did cross my mind at the winning post that Aiden didn’t come out hard to stay between them and force my way to the front but thought about and thought we’d get pressured if we lead either way.

The best spot in the race was on the back of Minstrel and probably I had to go a touch early. The whole race he travelled so sweetly for me and they ran solid and it didn’t feel they were going as hard as they did. I had this feeling coming over here would spark him up a little bit and in the warm up I knew he did he’s been racing a little bit lazy in some of his races back home so just when I warmed him up and gave him a really good sprint up I thought we’d be in for a shot.

Team Bond’s second string runner Golden Lode came from well back to just miss out and the five year old has shown that he has reached the big time and is sure to be prominent in the forthcoming features.

At this stage all of the eastern states runners will take their place in next week’s Group 1 $300,000 Fremantle Cup who are sure to issue another spirited challenge to the local stars.

For complete race results, click here.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink