Bulletproof Boy wins his fourth Smoken Up classic

Veteran marvel Bulletproof Boy (Art Official) defied his eleven year old status when he scored an unprecedented fourth harness racing success in the Listed Smoken Up sprint at Melton on Saturday evening.

The Smoken Up Sprint is run a week before the Victoria Cup and this obviously suits Bulletproof Boy who had previously won the classic in 2021, 2023 and 2025.

However it was a close run thing as Bulletproof Boy had to come off the second row.

Fighter Command who is ranked as one of Victoria’s main hopes in the Victoria Cup was sent out favourite and driver Jason Lee took advantage of his good barrier to eventually take the lead from the New South Wales visitor Our Sunset Delight.

BULLETPROOF BOY 10 OCT REPLAY

Fighter Command looked to be running within himself as he run his third quarter in 27.5 seconds. But James Herbertson was winding up Bulletproof Boy out wide and the evergreen pacer kept going to hold off a determined by Our Sunset Delight who finished runner up ahead of Fighter Command.

James Herbertson who’s had a great association with Bulletproof Boy was emotional after the event.

He got a nice little run through and then when Jase (Jason Lee on Fighter Command) went to the front, I thought one-one was beautiful as long as Emma’s one (Sir Jimmy) in front of us could take us far as we needed it to, and luckily it got us a fair way.

But the way this old horse felt throughout the run, he was just enormous and I just keep on saying it he’s just so good over the short, he’s so dangerous. That last half, he’s still able to come three wide and mow past them. So he’s just great. But it’s been a tough week. I lost my grandfather (Mick Clover) this week, so it’s been a tough week. He loved this horse and he’d be pretty happy with that one.

Trainer Scott Ewen has Bulletproof Boy entered for next week’s Group 1 Victoria Cup and despite the fact that he’ll be meeting some of the best pacers in the land he should never be discounted in whatever he races in.

 

For complete race results, click here.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink