Kiwi sprinter devastating at Doomben

3 min read
The Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) is the latest sprinter to inflict another heart-breaking Group 1 defeat on Osborne Bulls (Street Cry {Ire}) when the Brisbane specialist took inside runs to claim the Doomben 10,000.

Trained at Cambridge by Tony Pike, The Bostonian has been a revelation in Queensland and went through last year’s carnival undefeated and he’s now opened his current preparation in spectacular fashion.

As a 3-year-old, he won both the G3 Sunshine Coast Guineas and the Listed Daybreak Lover Plate during a perfect three-for-three campaign before a spell.

A return has been a long-term plan and Pike was in Brisbane during the lead-up to the Doomben 10,000, but flew back to New Zealand before the race and left the finishing touches to foreman Chris McNab.

"We will now probably head straight to the Stradbroke Handicap.” – Chris McNab.

The Bostonian couldn’t have been in better hands than those of the former Group 1 winning jockey and trainer.

"We will now probably head straight to the Stradbroke Handicap," McNab said. "He is here mainly for it and he is a horse who does race well fresh."

Michael Cahill was understandably delighted to learn Pike was bringing The Bostonian back to the Winter Carnival, eager to continue his association with the gelding.

“It’s terrific and he’s been a very good horse to me,” he said. “He was unbeaten here last winter and he raced well in the big sprints in New Zealand. I rode him work this week and he felt very sharp.”

“It’s terrific and he’s been a very good horse to me.” – Michael Cahill.

The Bostonian settled close to the pace and when the runs presented themselves he finished brilliantly near the fence.

“He began well and we had a good run behind the leaders,” Cahill said. “I had a bit of trouble getting a clear run at the top of the straight and once I got out he finished powerfully in the last 100 metres.”

Cahill’s last Group 1 winner was Russeting (Commands) in the 2009 Tatts Tiara for the late Bart Cummings and had won the Doomben 10,000 aboard Falvelon (Alannon) in 2001.

Mighty Mufhasa

The Bostonian is raced by his breeder David Archer and is out of Keepa Cheval (NZ) (Keeper), a half-sister to his former two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year Mufhasa (NZ) (Pentire {GNB}), winner of 10 Group 1 events.

All three of Keepa Cheval’s foals to race have been successful and she is in foal to Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

The Bostonian's dam Keepa Cheval is in foal to Almanzor

Godolphin’s Osborne Bulls has been so near and yet so far in four successive Group 1 events and sadly for connections he came up agonisingly short again, to make it five from five.

He settled at the tail-end of the field and wound up powerfully for rider Kerrin McEvoy, but it was too late.

"I was back with the cap catchers and it was a huge run," he said.

"I was back with the cap catchers and it was a huge run.” – Kerrin McEvoy.

Osborne Bulls added his Doomben 10,000 runner-up finishes to identical and consecutive placings in the Lightning S. Newmarket H., the TJ Smith S. and the All Aged S.

Dollar For Dollar (High Chaparral {Ire}) produced a career-best performance to run a bold third ahead of the well-fancied Nature Strip (Nicconi). He was tardily away before improving to get handy and he fought on commendably for fourth.

"To box on like he did was a tremendous run under the circumstances," Nature Strip’s rider James McDonald said.

Fan favourite Osborne Bulls came up agonisingly short for his fifth consecutive Group 1 2nd