THE paradox of choice has a happy habit of paralysing people in an increasingly insidious way.
In a world where you can have, or at least strive for almost anything, which dream do you choose?
If you’re struggling with this first-world conundrum, Scott Ewen may have the answers you’re searching for.
On Saturday night at Lords Raceway, Bendigo; which has all but replaced Melton as Victoria’s Saturday night stage since restrictions were place on Melbourne’s ‘ring of steel’, Ewen landed a laudable feat.
Approaching that evening’s feature event, the TAB Smoken Up Sprint, few knew that the Adelaide native had bravely, and blatantly, opted to leave stable star, Bulletproof Boy, out of this weekend’s Vic Cup nominations.
Having toiled for many weeks in succession with his ever-improving six-year-old standardbred, Ewen knew, or certainly sensed, that Bulletproof Boy could claim the Group 2 sprint on night one of the Vic Cup Carnival.
In football, the Grand Final is the Grand Final and there’s no standard of negotiation that will ever change that face.
In racing, trainers target their own pinnacles and drive their own destiny.
For Ewen and Bulletproof Boy, the Pryde's EasiFeed Victoria Cup was a wonderful sideshow.
The Smoken Up was something entirely different
It was, to labour the previously referenced metaphor, a Grand Final of choice rather than obligation.
And on that score, Bulletproof Boy is a premiership champion.
It’s well worth noting that the previously ruling favourite for last weekend’s Smoken Up, Max Delight, was scratched just hours before the feature event breathed life.
But there’s no denying the fact that Bulletproof Boy would likely have figured in the finish of that short-course contest had this not been the case.
Brilliantly steered by Ewen throughout, Bulletproof Boy resisted early advances to cross him before tactically relenting to Torrid Saint and taking a trail in transit.
Once it became clear that Torrid Saint would maintain the lead, Bulletproof Boy’s stocks exponentially improve.
And he did not waste his chance to strike.
In total truth, this weekend’s Vic Cup would be better for Bulletproof Boy’s presence.
For Ewen, this is inconsequential.
While many may have identified that feature pace as a steeping stone to the big dance, Ewen viewed it differently.
He saw the Smoken Up as an ultimate focus and to his eternal credit he, and Bulletproof Boy, comfortably prevailed.
Somewhere within this glorious story lies a parable of sorts.
For Ewen, however, this win was a triumph for both courageous intent and purposeful planning.
THE jury has deliberated, and these are their findings.
Majestuoso, without doubt or debate, is clearly Australia’s finest trotter.
It’s slightly superficial to suggest Andy Gath’s sizzling squaregaiter fortified his native dominance with Saturday night’s Aldebaran Park Chris Howe Trotter Free For All success.
Despite that fact, it remains tacitly true.
By charging away from Pink Galahs and Sleepee, Majestuoso made plain his superiority over any and all Australian contemporaries plying a similar craft.
With that established, further riches rapidly await.
The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.