The cult figure of Victorian harness racing, Bulletproof Boy, tuned up for the $1.25m The Nullarbor with an all-the-way win in the Hip Pocket Free For All at Melton on Saturday night.
Sent out the $1.85 favourite, Bulletproof Boy speared straight to the front and James Herbertson was able to ease the tempo in a leisurely 62.4 first half before throwing a 26.7 last 400 metres at his rivals.
On the line, Bulletproof Boy held a neck margin over the fast-finishing Fighter Command, with Bay Of Biscay four metres away in third.
Herbertson said the rising 12-year-old felt sharper this week after finishing runner-up behind Fighter Command last Saturday night.
“He was feeling a lot better about himself this week, I think you saw that when he was pretty upbeat walking around before the race,” Herbertson said.
“I think he was playing a little bit down the straight, I think he had a bit left,” he said.
The Bulletproof Boy contingent, including Herbertson, will be breaking new ground when they take up a much sought-after berth in the lucrative slot race at Gloucester Park on April 17.
“He managed to get a slot which is great and if they can get him feeling as good as he was for the Miracle Mile then we will be in with a shot, there is no doubt about that,” he said.
“It’s pretty exciting going to race for that sort of money and I haven’t been over there at all and it will be a big experience for everyone, so looking forward to it.”
Earlier in the night, it was the Chris Svanosio show to launch the meeting, with the Romsey-based horseman training the first four across the line in the Aldebaran Park Trotters Free For All.
Kerryn Manning sent Lovemeto ($3.50) forward to the lead with 1600 metres to travel and that’s the last his rivals saw of him as he cruised to the line 12 metres ahead of stablemate Gotfeelingsyouknow.
“I was able to find the front quite comfortably and he basically was in second gear the whole way, he travelled lovely and was jogging on the line,” Manning said.
“He is a class horse and has run in some pretty nice races and won some very nice races in New Zealand.
“He is certainly in the top echelon of trotters and I know he has had a lot of problems in his career and both Chris and Merv (Butterworth) have been very patient with him,” she said.
Bendigo-based reinsman Leigh Sutton landed a winning double after partnering Repelling and emerging trotter Bennie And The Jets to victory.
The Isabel Walsh-trained Repelling ($34) caused an upset when he speared across from his outside front row draw to find the lead and subsequently held off all challenges to score.
Later in the evening, Bennie And The Jets completed back-to-back wins at headquarters when he outclassed his rivals in the IRT Trot.
Bennie And The Jets ($1.70 fav) sat parked outside the leader before Sutton released the reins on the Adam Rudd-prepared seven-year-old, who careered away in the home straight to score by 15 metres.
Sutton believes the son of Quaker Jet is capable of contesting better races.
“I knew I was far in front and he got a bit lost doing his own thing but it was fun,” Sutton said.
“He just dictated the race perfectly, he’s a lovely progressive type and this horse might put me back on the map,” he said.
The Kelly Stuart-Mitchell-trained pacer Always Be Blakey appears a rejuvenated horse after beating a serious illness last year.
Always Be Blakey has now saluted twice with two placings at Melton since returning to the racetrack six weeks ago.
“We were getting him ready for the Sires and he got really crook after getting a bad allergy,” Stuart-Mitchell said.
“He was at the Ballarat Vets for over two weeks and at one stage they didn’t think he was going to come home.
It was testing and I didn’t think he was going to come back this well.”
