NZ HARNESS NEWS
It was supposed to be a race for the well-fancied back-markers, but no one bothered to tell those starting off the front in the inaugural running of the Mt Hutt Cup at Methven on Sunday.
With some solid grass track credentials amongst them, Don Domingo, Clasina Maria, Kardesler and Franco Tai were touted as the horses to beat in the $14,999 event – which coupled as the last race in the new look Country Cups Championship.
But while those off the back played the patient game, those off the front made every post a winner and when $18.80 shot Boomer Bailey burst through the inside from three-back the fence, there was no stopping him.
While those watching tried to fathom what had just unfolded, alongside them stood the gelding’s trainer and part-owner, Graeme Telfer.
“I don’t know that happened, but it did,” he said.
“Every now and then he chucks in a performance like that, there’s not much rhyme or reason to it sometimes.”
While the win was classed as an upset, it shouldn’t have come as that much of a surprise with a casual glance back through the seven-year-old son of Live or Die’s form.
Three starts back he was second behind Acolyte in the Waimate Cup after a similar sort of run in transit and when John Dunn found the fence on Sunday afternoon he was never going to be far away from action.
“He’s been a great old horse for us, always a bit of a thrill to have him racing.
“You wouldn’t mind a stable of horses that jump out and show good manners like that all the time.”
Having the 115th start of his career on Sunday, Boomer Bailey’s victory was his 11th in his career and with 24 placings thrown into the mix as well, he’s never too far away.
Telfer owns him along with his wife Carol and he’s picked them up close to $100,000 in stake earnings.
The win pushed him right up the leaderboard for the Country Cups Championship as well but wasn’t enough to withhold Johnny Eyre from claiming the overall prize in the competition by just a point and a half.
The Mike Brown-trained gelding has enjoyed another good season on the track and although slightly down on form currently, he claims $6,000 for his effort in winning the championship.
- NZ Harness News
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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