Veteran Bulletproof Boy defends crown in Bendigo Cup
by Adam Hamilton
Fairytales do come true.
Old Victorian marvel Bulletproof Boy (Art Official—My Riviera Girl—Red River Hanover) upstaged his younger and more glamorous rivals to successfully defend his Group 2 Bendigo Cup crown on Saturday night (Jan. 10).
“I thought last year was amazing, but what can I say,” trainer Scott Ewen said. “He’s a freak and so is ‘Herbie’ [driver James Herbertson]… they’re both freaks.”
Herbertson, Australia’s premier driver for the past two years, ducked and dove through the field to snare an inside run to win going away in a slick 1:51.2 mile rate for 1,720 meters.
His rivals were headed by Australia’s latest pacing sensation, Kingman, who had beaten Leap To Fame in the Victoria and New Zealand Cups in two of his past three starts.
The race was moved from Bendigo to Melton on the morning of the race because of raging bushfires in many parts of Victoria, especially in the Bendigo region.
“I’m pinching myself,” Ewen said. “We beat Leap To Fame a few starts back and now we’ve beaten Kingman. It’s just incredible.”
Herbertson was stunned how easily the 11-year-old Bulletproof Boy won.
“He felt great in the run and when the gaps came, he just picked them up so quickly,” Herbertson said. “You run out of things to say about him. He’s been a special horse to me.”
Herbertson has driven Bulletproof Boy 14 times for seven wins, two seconds, two thirds and a fourth. He’s been aboard for the two Bendigo Cup wins and the Smoken Up Sprint win over Leap To Fame.
This win was Bulletproof Boy’s 51st from 223 starts and took his career earnings to $850,316.
The win opens the door for an unlikely crack at a new $1 million bonus for Bulletproof Boy.
The bonus can be won by any horse who wins four of the six Victorian pacing “Cups” during this Summer of Glory.
“I’ll see how he pulls up before we decide if he goes to Shepparton, but I hope it’s one,” Ewen said.
Kingman will be back at Shepparton, while the great Leap To Fame and champion stayer Swayzee will be there, too.
Kingman just battled into the third spot when first-up from a spell in the Bendigo Cup.
“He just wasn’t himself tonight,” trainer/driver Luke McCarthy said. “He felt really flat. I think it was travelling down [from NSW, a 10-hour drive] on the morning of the race, but we couldn’t come the day before because of the heat wave. We thought seriously about scratching him [and not running]… maybe we should have.”
The run has prompted a change of plans.
“We were taking him back home, but we’re going to leave him down here for the week in between races now,” McCarthy said. “He’s been flying at home and didn’t feel that way tonight. I’m just turning the page on the race and focusing on Shepparton now.”
KEAYANG ZAHARA, JILLIBY BALLERINI TROT UP A STORM
The future of Down Under trotting was on full display at Melton on Saturday night.
Marg and Paddy Lee-trained stablemates Keayang Zahara (Volstead—Keayang Yankee) and Jilliby Ballerini (Majestic Son—Shesasundon) — both 5-year-old trotting mares — were barely out of second gear winning feature races.
Keayang Zahara continues to show why she is considered one of the best trotters Down Under has produced.
Last night’s effortless $100,000 Group 1 Maori Mile win was her 21st victory from just 22 starts.
It was also her 11th win at Group 1 level.
It paves the way for her to bank a new $500,000 bonus for any trotter who can win at least four of the six feature trotting races during this Victorian Summer of Glory, as long as they include the $250,000 Great Southern Star on Feb. 14.
Given the ease of this latest win, Keayang Zahara will likely be back next Saturday to try and win the second leg, the Shepparton Trotters’ Cup.
If there is a danger to Keayang Zahara landing the bonus, it would be Jilliby Ballerini.
Jilliby Ballerini bypassed the Maori Mile last night and brilliantly won the $30,000 Group 3 Bendigo Trotters’ Cup.
Despite coming off a 30-meter handicap, she won in second gear by nine meters.
It was her 12th win from her past 17 starts.
But connections will keep the two glamour mares apart as long as possible.
Jilliby Ballerini will go to the $30,000 Delvin Dancer for 4- and 5-year-old trotters at Ballarat on Jan. 24.
While Keayang Zahara will tackle the $75,000 Group 1 Ballarat Trotters’ Cup on the same night.
Glen Craven drove them both last night.
“For sheer 200 meters of speed, ‘Ballerini’ could have ‘Zahara,’ but Zahara is so strong and can hold the speed for so long,” he said.
They have only clashed once when Keayang Zahara beat Jilliby Ballerini by 2.2 meters in the Group 1 Bill Collins Trotters’ Sprint on Oct. 18, last year. They beat the rest by almost 25 meters.
Unless plans change, the one race they look certain to clash again in in coming weeks is the Group 1 Great Southern Star at Melton on Feb. 14.
RAKERO ROCKET BLASTS OFF
Former New Zealand pacer Rakero Rocket (Rock N Roll Heaven—Motu Pocket O’Jewels) ran the second-fastest mile in Australasian history winning at Menangle on Saturday night.
The 6-year-old blasted to the front in a :25.4 opening quarter and just kept rolling with splits of :27.5, :27.1, and :27.3.
The only faster mile was the 1:46.9 My Field Marshal ran to win the 2018 Miracle Mile.
Rakero Rocket was having just his second start for leading NSW trainer Jason Grimson, who won five of the seven races at Menangle on Saturday night.
Given the performance, it will be interesting to see if Grimson chases a race like the $250,000 Hunter Cup at Melton on Feb. 14.
