Tintin In America gelding wins at Gore

The Bull Pen bred and owned by Riversdale breeder Neil Timms has come a long way in a short time.

The Tintin In America five year old gelding is only in his second preparation after Timms completely forgot about him.

“He (Timms) broke him in as a yearling and forgot about him until he was a four year old.

We got him out of the paddock and started jogging him for about three months.

We thought we‘d better throw some hopples on him to see whether he was any good. We qualified him in his first prep and he went 3-02.

We threw him out and brought him back this year so it’s only really his first season of racing,” said trainer Brent McIntyre. 

The Bull Pen (2) winning his second race at Gore – Photo Bruce Stewart.

The Bull Pen is named after a Welsh holiday destination.

“A friend of mine owned a cattle stud in Brecon in Wales and they made it into accommodation and called it The Bull Pens. It’s in Clanfigangel Nat Bran. I used to work for the guy's father in the 1970s when it was a farm,” said Timms.

The Bull Pen is out of the Live Or Die mare One Ali which was trained by Ben Waldron.

“She was a high speed mare who ran quite a few placings. She would have won from a stand but wasn’t good enough from behind a mobile. She’s in foal to Raging Bull,” Timms said.

So why Tintin In America?

“I went to him because of his high speed and he was within my price bracket for that year.”

In today’s race, after the early rush, driver Maruia Parker who works for McIntyre restrained The Bull Pen into the one one. At the 300 metre mark she was travelling well enough to move out and start to challenge the leaders. And in a dogged finish, The Bull Pen got up to beat Misty Memories by a neck with another half a neck back to El Dinero.

Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing