The Boss Man landed a knockout blow in today’s Zonzo Estate Yarra Valley Trotters Cup to deliver the silverware to Junortoun trainer Scott Dyer and reinswoman Ellen Tormey.
The seven-year-old son of Bacardi Lindy (out of Sundon mare Oh Yes Indeed) came off 10m in the Group 3, $20,000, 2650-metre standing start event and clocked a rate of 2:03.0 – the fourth-fastest race time ever.
“Once Ellen pulled him out today, off he went,” Dyer said. “He’s that sort of horse. Once you pull him out he tows you in to the race.”
Dyer had plenty of praise for Tormey’s drive and said her intimate knowledge of the gelding held her in good stead.
“I’m rapt for her. She drove him very well … He’s the sort of horse you need to know a fair bit and Ellen gets along with him well.”
Stepping away well from the tapes The Boss Man settled one-one, which eventually became one-two when El Paco marched to the breeze inside the final mile.
Leader Lord Liam trotted through his first half in 61.9secs and appeared certain to have a good kick left, but when Tormey took her charge three-wide down the back it was almost game over by the quarter pole.
The Boss Man rounded up the leaders with absolute authority, pinching a 10m-or-so break at the bend before coasting to the line with 8.9 metres to spare on runner-up K D Muscles (Kate Gath), with Aleppo Sunrise (Haydon Gray) a further 5.1m back in third.
The last 400m was covered in 28.3secs, so the winner’s bettered 56.9secs home.
Dyer said the Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Trotters Sprint at Tabcorp Park Melton was potentially a short-term aim for The Boss Man.
VIDEO: RE-LIVE THE BOSS MAN’S WIN
“I’m more than happy to take him to Melton to take on Keystone Del in the mile race. I know it’s a huge step up but he’s got to start racing them if he’s to take that next step,” he said.
Asked if there was one race more than any other he’d like to win Dyer replied, “I’m a bit old-school, so I just take it one race at a time.”
It has been an eventful experience training The Boss Man, Dyer said, the 17-time winner overcoming a serious illness caused by a suspected spider bite a year ago.
“He nearly died,” Dyer said. “It was a bit like Love Ina Chevy. He’s had to overcome a fair bit.”
The Boss Man leads the Maori’s Idol Trophy series (Victoria’s trotting country cups premiership) on five points, one clear of El Paco and Majestic Ess Jay.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
