Securing his 13th consecutive Brisbane Metropolitan Trainers’ Premiership, trainer Tony Gollan sent Boomtown Boss to Victoria where the Spirit Of Boom gelding secured the first black type race of the new season, winning the $200,000 G3 VRC Aurie's Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
With the start of the race delayed after leading contender War Machine (NZ) crashed through the gates and was subsequently scratched, it was his stablemate Ndola (Justify) who jumped away the race favourite, coming off a last start win in the Listed Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final.
Jockey Mark Zahra took Arkansaw Kid forward to lead in the middle of the track with Ndola settling just off him, while another of the chances in Star Patrol appearing to travel well in third position.
Having come out of gate 2, jockey Daniel Moor came across aboard Boomtown Boss to follow Arkansaw Kid with Grahame Begg’s Royal Insignia getting a lovely trail off the back of Ndola.
Reaching the 400m mark, and both Star Patrol and Ndola appeared slightly under pressure with Arkansaw Kid still showing plenty of fight in the lead.
Darting back towards the inside, Moor asked Boomtown Boss for an effort and the Listed Daybreak Lover winner came up along the inside of Arkansaw Kid to put himself into a challenge position while Luke Cartwright and Royal Insignia were searching for a gap.
Securing a run between the leading pair, Royal Insignia went out after Boomtown Boss, but the Queensland visitor packed too much fight in the run to the line, and while the winner needed to survive a protest from the runner up due to whip use, the Spirit Of Boom gelding kept the race.
Recording the second fastest time in the history of the race, Boomtown Boss took his overall record to six wins, two at black type level, coupled with a further six placed efforts with earnings of $1,098,851 from 21 starts.
Training the winner of the race for the second time, having won way back in 2011 with Temple Of Boom, himself a half-brother to Boomtown Boss’ sire, Toyn Gollan was on course for the race victory.
“He's a very immature horse, but he loves big tracks and a bit of room and I felt for a little while he'd make a nice straight horse,” enthused Gollan post-race.
“His winter prep was just going nowhere. I was just zigging when I should have been zagging, everything was going wrong and I knew this race was on the cards, so we just backed off him, tried to get him down here early, sent him down to Ciaron and Jack and the team down here at Cranbourne.
“I've had him down here for about a month, just to really settle him in. I just thought the trip away and straight racing, I had a hunch that it would suit him.
“I knew halfway through the race I was pretty right (about straight racing). I could see how well he was travelling and I know he's got a good finish on him and a good turn of foot.
“He looks like a big, awkward galloper, but he has got a motor on in this horse and that's what I thought I could see today.
“It's good to see this horse win a race down the straight here.
Asked if he would stick around for some more races, initially Gollan had only mapped out the one race, but may need to re-think his plans.
“Whether we look at the Bobby Lewis now in a month. I'll just think about it. He's a Magic Millions horse, so I've got the end of the year to think about. But, geez, when you're winning straight races like that, it gives you good food for thought.”
Now based in Queensland, but having started his riding career in Victoria, Moor felt it was great to be back.
“It’s nice to be back and nice to get on a horse like this,” Moor said.
“Tony is the ultimate professional. Ever since I’ve been there, it’s amazing about how much information he has and the depth of what the team go through with race planning and track walking and things like that.
“He came here obviously a little unknown coming down the straight. He did wander around a bit and changed legs a lot but you just know that when he ride a Tony Gollan horse they will be prepared to the minute.”
Purchased for $180,000 from the Magic Millions yearling sale draft of Eureka Stud by Gollan Racing and John Foote Bloodstock, Boomtown Boss is a full brother to the stakes performed Tick Tick Boom and Boomtown Lass, all out of the three-time-winning Red Dazzler mare Boomalicious from the extended family of G1 winners Zavite (Zabeel) and Land Of Plenty (Stratum).
Boomtown Boss is one of 32 stakes winner for Spirit Of Boom who unfortunately passed away earlier this year at Eureka Stud.
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