NZ HARNESS NEWS
The Big Boss is on the move, leaving Ray and Tracee Faithful’s Ascot Park establishment at 5:15 this morning (Thursday), bound for Canterbury.
Having made a huge impact a couple of years ago when arriving on the southern scene, the star of the American Ideal gelding had waned by the end of last season.
Even his improved results this season were punctuated with problems.
“He won from a stand a couple of starts ago but every other time, made a mess of them,” said Faithful.
“There weren’t a lot of mobiles coming up for him here but lots of them up the road so he’s going to Mark Jones.”
The six-year-old by American Ideal is raced by Northern Southland enthusiasts Ken (Scotty) Scott, David (Noddy) Orr and Orr’s wife, Jane.
Orr said that when he was president of the Northern Southland Club, Otago Daily Times racing writer Jonny Turner referred to him as the big boss. The name appealed to Scott and it stuck.
Scott first saw The Big Boss as a foal, when his breeder Ray Ancich was selling.
Scott wanted the foal, Orr bought into it and Jane got her share as a birthday present.
Faithful recalls The Big Boss as a weanling, seeing him pace free legged and keeping up with his mates, who were galloping.
One stormy night sometime later, Faithful was staying with Orr and the next morning The Big Boss was on the wrong side of the fence.
The three-year-old had a big gash in his knee, it couldn’t be stitched, so the Orrs attended to it daily until it closed up.
He eventually found his way to Faithful, who tried hopples on The Big Boss throughout his development but in the end decided he was better without them.
After finishing second on debut and winning at his second start, the gelding’s biggest statement came at his third in April 2016.
From the outside of the second line in a C1 mobile 2700, the free-legger was in front after 400 metres.
Gaps were appearing at the 800 with Mark Purdon aboard the All Stars’ Major Ben getting closest.
But at the line the margin was a length and Blow A Cloud, who later that year won a Group 3 at Menangle in 1:50.7, was nine-and-three-quarter lengths away in third.
The fourth to arrive was another nine-and-a-half lengths further back.
The Big Boss stopped the clock at 3:18.2, shaving more than a second off Highview Tommy’s Southland record.
Bonnie Joan lowered it last year but the boss’s time remains the best by a male pacer.
At Addington for the Cup meeting and a mobile 2600, he punched out to lead then stumbled and broke, extinguishing his chances.
All Southland will have their fingers crossed, hoping it will be third time lucky.
“He won’t find it easy but should be competitive,” Faithful says, “and if it all goes well in the next couple of months he might head to Mark’s stable in Menangle.
“If it doesn’t, plan C is to come back here.
“He’s a lovely horse but so frustrating; he might make me start drinking again.”
- NZ Harness News
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