Perennial country cups campaigner Bulletproof Boy is hoping to break a long-standing drought when he lines up in The Downtowner Warragul Pacing Bowl Cup on Sunday.
The Scott Ewen-trained eight-year-old has faced the starter at 18 country club features in his adopted state since arriving from South Australia four years ago.
The closest Ewen has come to holding up a country cup in Victoria was when Bulletproof Boy finished third last year in Mildura, with another third placing at Ararat last week.
Meanwhile, Bulletproof Boy has chalked up eight wins at Melton along with a career-best victory in the Group 2 Smoken Up Sprint.
The small six-horse field at Warragul should suit the sit-sprint racing manners of Bulletproof Boy, who is capable of reeling off slick last quarter sectionals when the race is run at a genuine tempo.
“At worst we are going to be three pairs back in the running line and then we’ll just see how the race unfolds,” Ewen said.
Ewen said the pacer is racing in peak form following his placing in the Ararat Cup.
“His run in the Ararat Cup was mammoth. He was last and 20 metres off the lead at the 400, and got beaten seven metres in a 57.2 last half around a tight track,” he said.
“There is a bit of speed inside me, and I’m hoping a couple want to find the top and provide a genuine tempo.”
For Bulletproof Boy to claim the long-overdue piece of silverware, he must outsprint joint favorities A Gs White Socks and Supreme Dominator.
A Gs White Socks has recently struck his best form since arriving at Jess Tubbs’ stable in December last year, taking out the Geelong Rocket and The Stampede at Melton prior to finishing runner-up behind Supreme Dominator at headquarters a fortnight ago.
Supreme Dominator returned to winning form when he outsprinted his rivals – including A Gs White Socks – in the Captain Sandy Free For All at Melton and is another who will appreciate the small field.
The Mark Thompson-trained Pas Guarantee is aiming to complete a hat-trick of country cup victories and is nicely drawn to find the early lead.
Earlier in the day, the royally-bred Love Gun will start favourite in the Eddie Evison Memorial Warragul Trotters Cup.
The son of Love You and Group 1-winning mare Spidergirl has won two of his past four starts for the Tubbs barn.
TUNE IN at WARRAGUL on Sunday
First Race: 12.36pm Last Race: 4.49pm
Racecaller: Rob Auber.
TrotsVision: WATCH LIVE
SEN Track: LISTEN LIVE
RSN 927: LISTEN LIVE
Winner of the Week
SIMPLY SHAZ, by American Ideal out of Simply Stunning, in the Empress Stakes at Gloucester Park on March 31.
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