GREAT HARNESS HORSES 1960-1980
NO. 27
BOLD BIAMI
There are often bargains to be had at yearling sales and this DEFINITELY was true at the 1970 sale of the Parramatta Livestock company. A colt by the imported Stormyway from Brown Lulu did not get many people excited and was knocked down for the bargain price of just $500. Named Bold Biami he became one of the best juvenile pacers this country had seen. Owned by Mr. W. McKenzie and Mrs. L. Reynolds, Bold Biami was trained and driven throughout his career by Bill Reynolds from the Newcastle region.
He had his first start later that year at Penrith, finishing 4th, and two days later ran 2nd at Maitland. Taken to Dubbo in the new year for the Debutant Stakes he won his heat on 8-1-71 and the next day won the final. A month later he had his first start at HP, finishing 7th to Royal Calypso. Two weeks later he won at Cessnock off 24 yards and then travelled to Cowra where he won the heat and final of the Golden Slipper Stakes. He then went ‘home’ to Cessnock and won the N.E. Sapling Stakes. Back to HP for the Country 2yo Championship, he finished 4th to Andy Kash and three weeks laterran 4th to Local Ayr. In May he ran 2nd to Nicotine Prince in a heat of the NSW Sapling Stakes and the following week finished 7th in the final. In his final HP start for the season he finished last to Local Ayr in the Edgar Tatlow Stakes before travelling to Queensland.
On 26-6-71 he won a 2yo event at Albion Park and two weeks later was beaten just 1½ yards by Nicotine Prince in the Qld. Sapling Stakes. At his last start as a 2yo he came off 12 yards to win another 2yo race at AP. His first season of racing produced 17 starts for 8 wins and 3 placings which was a pretty good effort but was nothing compared to what he would achieve as a 3yo.
Resuming on 22-11-71 after a four month break, he easily won a Parramatta 3yo event from Royal Topaz and two weeks later at Bankstown won again, this time from 12 yards behind. A week later he went back to Parramatta to beat his old rival, Local Ayr, and 3 nights later won his first race at HP beating Local Ayr once again. He then travelled to Bathurst early in the new year to contest the W.D.T.A Cup, winning his heat by 25 yards, but it was in the final that he made people sit up and start to REALLY take notice, as he beat the VERY good pacer, King Frost, by 16 yards. It was his 7th consecutive win. Wins number 8, 9 and 10 came in the heats and final of the Maitland Inter City Pace. In the first heat he beat Just Too Good by 12 yards, in the second set of heats beat Royal Calypso by 8 yards and in the final beat Just Too Good once again. He was now unbeaten as a 3yo, had a win streak of 10 consecutive wins, and was beating some pretty good horses very
easily.
Win number 11 came on 3-3-72 in the North East Districts Derby at Maitland, but 6 days later his win streak came to an end when he was beaten a nose by Tuapekas Garry in the Hawkesbury Derby. He then contested the NSW Derby at HP, running 2nd to Nicotine Prince in his heat. In the final the following week, Nicotine Prince led with Bold Biami leading the outside runners and doing all the hard work. Nicotine Prince ran 3 lengths clear on the home turn and looked all over a winner but got the ‘wobbles’ half way down the straight with the challenges coming from everywhere. With Bill Reynolds driving furiously, Bold Biami just got up to beat Nicotine Prince by a nose, Adios Victor was a head away 3rd with another head to Jason King. It was a fantastic race and a terrific finish. So close was the finish that Hondo Grattan who finished 6th was less than a length from the winner!
He then took on the all aged pacers at Maitland in a FFA and won easily before going back to HP for the 3yo sprint championship, the R.C. Simpson Sprint. Starting at the very good odds of 6-1, Bold Biami was placed behind the leader, Nicotine Prince, most of the way, but got clear half way down the straight to just win by a nose. He had now had 15 starts as a 3yo for 13 wins and 2 seconds!
A week later he ran 3rd in the Country 3yo Championship behind Hondo Grattan and King Frost and followed that with a 7th, from 12 yards, in a heat of the 3 & 4yo Championship. At his next start he ran 2nd in a Newcastle FFA, but that was the last time he would be beaten as a 3yo. On 19-5-72 he easily won the Newcastle Country Pacing Championship and2 weeks later took on the all aged pacers at HP. Despite having a hard run outside the leader he still prevailed and beat his older rivals well. He then easily won a Maitland FFA before travelling to Queensland.
On 1-7-72 he won the Qld. Derby at AP from Pacefast and 2 weeks later was back at Maitland to win another FFA. His last start for the season was in a Wyong FFA which he won unextended. As a 3yo Bold Biami had 24 starts 19 wins and 4 placings.
Given a 3 month spell, he resumed on 6-10-72 in a heat of the HP Spring Cup and finished a close 3rd behind Bay Foyle and Nicotine Prince. Three days later he easily won a Parramatta FFA before returning to HP for the second series of heats of the Spring Cup. He won this heat and, despite going into the Cup with 9 wins from his last 10 starts, started at 5-1 for the final. He got away safely and went to the lead fairly early. From there he was never headed and won comfortably from Just Too good and Nicotine Prince. A week later he easily won a Maitland FFA.
Given a 2 month ‘breather’, he headed to Perth for the Pacing Cup carnival. On 16-12-72 he won his first heat in track record time, rating 2-4 1/5 for the 12 furlong race, beating the very good local pacer, James Eden. In the second set of heats he could only finish 6th and in the final heat came 5th. The extremely hot weather and the very hard track was playing havoc with him and he was racing below his best. In the final he finished 5th to James Eden. Two weeks laterhe was at HP for the Australia Day Cup carnival finishing 6th in the first set of heats. A week later he beat Dillon Light in the second night of heats and went into the final at a very safe 3-1. From his 12 yard handicap he was away safely and was quickly sent around the field to lead. The race was over from that point on. He comfortably beat Dillon Light by 5 yards with Hondo Grattan 6 yards further away 3rd. It was a top win against a very good field.
It seemed that he would be a major player in the upcoming Inter Dominion starting in just 3 weeks time at HP, but his 12 yard handicap in this VERY strong series was his downfall. He finished 2nd on the first night behind Just Too Good, to whom he gave 12 yards start, 3rd on the second night behind Hondo Grattan who he gave 12 yards start and 2nd on the final night of heats to Yankee Rhythm. In the final he finished a close 5th behind the all conquering Hondo Grattan who, from the front mark, went through the series undefeated. A week after the series finished he FTF in an Invitation event won by Adios Victor.
A week later he ran 2nd in a HP FFA and the following week finished 6th in the Hurricane Stakes won by Apollo Eleven. He then went back to Qld. for his last three runs. On 15-6-73 he ran 2nd in a Tweed heads FFA, then won an AP FFA and at his final start won another FFA at Tweed heads. As a 4yo Bold Biami had 22 starts for 9 wins and 6 placings. He never raced again.
Shortly after he sustained an injury and was retired to stud. His career record was 63 starts for 36 wins and 13 placings.
He was one of the best 3 and 4yo pacers seen in this country. After he won the 1973 Australia Day Cup the Sydney formguide Trotguide said “There seems no doubt now that Bold Biami is the master of Hondo Grattan”. Within 4 weeksof that statement, however, Hondo Grattan was the undefeated Inter Dominion Champion, courtesy of a 12 yard start from Bold Biami who was given the handicap after winning the two main lead up races at HP, the Spring Cup and the Australia Day Cup. Who knows how the series would have gone if he had been off the front?
Bold Biami only graced our tracks for 3 seasons but during that time he left an indelible mark and is still remembered as one of the great young pacers of the 1970’s, a period that was awash with absolute top class horses.
He was also ANOTHER of the class of 1968, a season that produced little Hondo 58 wins, King Frost 62 wins, Nicotine Prince 34 wins, Adios Victor 30 wins and Jason King 24 wins. To win 19 of his 24 starts as a 3yo against these horses really says it all about this horse. He was the best horse ever produced from the Hunter region of NSW until 3 years later a giant killer of a horse with a “sleepy” name went one better, and he, Rip Van Winkle, will be the subject of a story later on.
By Jim Hogan
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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