He’s the ultimate “people’s horse” of harness racing – and now veteran pacer Bulletproof Boy is airborne, chasing a Group One dream on the other side of the country.
The much-loved 11-year-old was loaded for his flight to Western Australia this afternoon, bound for Perth’s Gloucester Park after part-owner and trainer Scott Ewen, of Cranbourne, didn’t hesitate to accept a slot in next week’s $1.25 million Group One Nullarbor.
“He flew out at 2.45 pm today (April 10) from Melbourne with nine other horses all headed Perth. He’s with some other standardbreds and thoroughbreds and the flight takes four hours,” Ewen said.
“This is his first plane flight, but he’ll be okay. When he arrives, he will spend a couple of hours in quarantine and then we’ll float him to Greg and Skye Bond’s property at Forrestdale where we are staying,” he said.
A relaxed Bulletproof Boy (centre) with two travelling buddies, headed to Perth (Photograph David Aiken)
Ewen will follow separately, returning west for the first time in decades.
“I’m booked on a separate flight. It will be the first time I’ve been in Perth for a very long time – I think it would be 20 or 30 years since I went over for a holiday to watch an InterDominion series,” he said.
“My wife Kylie has never been there so she’s really excited. ‘Bullet’ will go around in the Nullarbor next Friday (April 17) and then the Fremantle Cup the following week.”
For connections, the whirlwind ride with the tough veteran continues to defy belief.
“The ride we are having with the horse – we have to stop and pinch ourselves fairly often. It’s really unbelievable,” Ewen said.
“Early doors we knew he had a bit of zip, but he’d go a bit rough. He gradually got stronger. His mum My Riviera Girl was as tough as ever and won 18 races,” he said.
“But he’s got better in the last two years. I can’t explain it, but two years ago (at age nine) was when he turned the corner.
“If I had to have a guess as to why he’s turned it around, I’d put it down to the addition of flip flops (lightweight, flexible shoes used to improve a horse’s gait and balance) as well as the brilliant work of our chiro Christian Langeder.”
Ewen said the association with leading reinsman James Herbertson had also played a major role in the horse’s rise.
“They have really helped each other out. The horse has risen to new levels under his guidance and Bullet has taken ‘Herbie’ to compete and win some big races.
“We got the invite to the Nullarbor after his huge run in the Miracle Mile (March 14, finishing seventh after find early trouble), and when I rang James he just said he was in – I definitely didn’t need to talk him into it one bit!
“He loves the horse and I reckon it might have been one of his dreams to drive in the Nullarbor and the Fremantle Cup.”
Bulletproof Boy heads west in peak order following his latest success at Melton (April 4).
Bulletproof Boy was treated to a pampering by trainer Scott Ewen and his wife Kylie before being loaded on the plan for Perth WA
“The win was pretty good because he’d had a hard run the previous start, so we’re pretty happy with where we’re at,” Ewen said.
“I gave him a gallop before the plane flight. His next hopple run will be on Tuesday and he’ll have a solid hitout over 2400 metres.
“The two upcoming races are over the longer trips and while he loves the sprints, he’s won both the Bendigo and Ballarat Cups over long distances.”
“I think the racing pattern at Gloucester Park should suit him and the (804-metre) track won’t be a problem – SA’s Globe Derby Park is slightly bigger and he raced successfully there for six years.”
And while the immediate focus is firmly on Perth, Ewen admits everything from here is a bonus.
“We will most likely turn him out for a spell after the two WA runs, which will mean we’ll bypass the InterDominion.”
Comments