By Adam Hamilton
LUKE McCarthy said it’s his best moment yet
Bling It On’s breathtaking win first-up from injuries most thought would end his career was one of the best stories our great sport has produced.
It was June 17, this year when Bling It On crashed to the track at Albion Park and so badly mangled his knees, the first focus was on just saving the reigning Hunter Cup winner.
Weeks later, when the superstar pacer was out of the woods, McCarthy showed me the graphic photos of Bling It On’s front knees.
“You saw the photos … how bad the knees were … I didn’t think he’d race again,” McCarthy said.
Imagine his emotion when Bling It On, first-up since the fall, unleashed a withering finishing burst from back near last to blow his rivals away in a scorching 1min50.8sec mile at Menangle last night.
“It was such a thrill just to get him back to the races. I was quietly confident he could regain his best form in time … his work had been really encouraging at home,” McCarthy said.
“I told the owners he’d need a few runs after his time out and that he was carrying a bit too much weight, but then he comes out and does that. You can only shake your head.
“Given he’s done that, and felt so sharp doing it, there’s no reason he can’t get back to his Hunter Cup form. He felt like he already was and I know there is a lot of improvement to come.”
A defence of his Hunter Cup crown at Melton in early February is the first major target.
“He’ll go to another Menangle free-for-all in two weeks, then to the Shirley Turnbull Memorial (Boxing Day) because it’s 2700m and I want to get a staying run into him before going to Melbourne,” McCarthy said.
“Then he’ll have another free-for-all run at Menangle in mid-January. He’ll go Melbourne, possibly even for the Ballarat Cup before the Hunter Cup as well.”
The extra layer to the Bling It On story is the fact he’s already served or booked to serve over 100 mares this season.
“He’s been popular,” McCarthy said. “As Dad (John) said, he’ll probably get another 30 bookings off the back of this comeback win.”
McCarthy said Bling It On’s recovery and successful comeback had been a huge team effort.
“So many people have played a role,” he said. “I’ve got to give special mentions to Mark McGarry, the Albion Park vet who cleaned him up so well on the night of the fall then the team at Gatton University, who did the most amazing job,” he said.
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