By Adam Hamilton
EVEN Beaudiene Boaz’s biggest fan was surprised.
The four-year-old returned from a lengthy spell with a dominant and slick win in a free-for-all at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Trainer Gary Hall Sr simply shook his head and said: “That from a horse who looks like he is only about 70 per cent wound-up.
“He sat three-wide for a lap, worked his way to the front and went a 1min53sec mile rate (for 1730m).
“He’s a really special horse and I’m sure he’s going to be a major player in the Inter Dominion later in the year.”
It was his first run since a luckless third in the Group 1 WA Cup at Gloucester Park on January 15 and took his record to 22 wins from just 30 career starts.
“There’s another random draw free-for-all next week, so might back him up,” Hall Sr said.
“I’ll give him a few runs now, freshen him, then come back and wind him right up for the Inter Dominion.”
It was a Hall Sr trifecta in the race with the underrated Run Oneover finishing second and Cyamach third.
Run Oneover, who played second-fiddle to Beaudiene Boaz in so many majors last year, has kept improving and ran a mighty race after sitting parked and getting within 2.6m.
Beaudiene Boaz is into $9 for the Perth Inter Dominion in Aussie markets where defending champ Lennytheshark ($5) and his buzz stablemate Hectorjayjay ($7) head the betting.
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STILL in WA and former Kiwi juvenile Mitch Maguire looked awesome winning the state’s top two-year-old race, the Group 1 Golden Slipper, last Friday night.
The son of Sportswriter posted two wins and a third from six Kiwi runs, which culminated with his fourth in the Harness Jewels on June 4.
Mitch Maguire then moved to the strong Greg and Skye Bond barn and has brilliantly won both outings.
Driver Ryan Warwick used the pole to lead and always looked in control to win by 4.6m from the talented Major Pocket with another eight metres away to El Barcelona in third spot.
The mile rate for 2130m was a brilliant 1min55.9sec.
“He’s a mature youngster with a great attitude and we were confident when he drew the pole and was able to lead,” Greg Bond said.
Bond was asked to compare Mitch Maguire with his former top juvenile Ohokas Bondy, who won his first 13 starts in WA.
“Bondy is he benchmark, but this horse is very exciting. It’s hard to compare them, but this horse is heading in the right direction,” he said.
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REIGNING Inter Dominion champ Lennytheshark has a high profile companion in pre-training.
Trainer David Aiken said champion thoroughbred sprinter Chautauqua was alongside Lennytheshark at the water-walker facility.
“I thought we had the best horse at the place until they told me the grey horse was Chautauqua,” Aiken laughed.
Lennytheshark is not without his niggles and Aiken said the “rehab” training was crucial in the countdown to his Perth Inter Dominion defence.
“He’s on target now and we’re so lucky and excited to have both he and Hectorjayjay to take to Perth,” he said.
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FORGOTTEN star Beautide is about to return to work.
Sidelined again for much of this year with a leg injury, the dual Inter Dominion winner last week got the veterinary “all-clear” to resume training.l
“It’s great to be able to put him back into work,” trainer-driver James Rattray said.
“I’m not making any specific plans. The first aim is to get him back to the races.”
In other stable news, Rattray said Devendra would not return to Perth for this year’s series.
Devendra won two heats of last year’s series, but has been battling a degenerative foot issue since.
“He needs more time out. We’ll give him another go when the time is right, but there’s no certainty he’ll make it back to racing with the issue he has.”
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THERE was some local joy when Catchya Lefty scored one of the many upset wins of the night in the Group 1 Queensland Derby at Albion Park last Saturday night.
The Cristina Monte-trained son of Village Jasper landed the gun spot behind the leader and favourite Iceenothink and sprint-laned to win by 2.4m in a 2min0.8sec mile rate for 2680m on the muddy track.
NSW raider Match In Heaven ran a fantastic race for second, while Iceenothnk wilted for sixth.
Kiwi raider Nek Time, winner of the Gold Coast and Queensland Oaks, worked hard and stopped badly to finish a distant last.
There was a Kiwi flavour to another of the upset wins when Changover sired Changeoverme to win the $100,000 Qbred Triad final for colts and geldings for trainer Kylie Rasmussen and driver Matt Neilson.
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EMERGING star My Kiwi Mate had to pull-out everything and smash the clock to win the Group 3 Winter Championship final (1720m) at Melton last Saturday night.
The recent Harness Jewels contestant worked to the lead from gate four for Jodi Quinlan and ran blistering splits in front before just holding-off The Dapper Don along the sprint lane to win by a head.
The mile rate was a sizzling 1min52.2sec.
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HUSBAND and wife Shane and Lauren Tritton successfully raided Melton last Saturday night.
They combined with exciting juvenile gelding Blue Moon Rising to led throughout and easily win the Group 2 Tatlow Stakes in a 1min56.7sec mile rate for 2240m.
Then, in the next race, their former star juvenile Yayas Hot Spot scored one of his best wins in the Our Maestro free-for-all (2240m).
Yayas Hot Spot led, took a sit on the strong Metro Mike in a hotly-run race and then used the sprint lane to win running away by 6.4m in a flying 1min54.1sec mile rate.
The other feature on the night was the Tatlow for two-year-old fillies, which was won impressively by the Michael Stanley trained and driven Soho Angel in a cosy 1min58.7sec mile rate.
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KIWI filly My Mackenzie appreciated and drop in grade and returned to winning form in the Group 2 NSW Breeders Challenge final at Menangle last Saturday night.
The Purdon/Rasmussen-trained daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven led throughout for driver Luke McCarthy in a cosy 1min54.3sec mile.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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