Bulletproof Boy claimed a second Smoken Up Sprint with a brilliant front-running display in Saturday night’s $50,000 feature at Melton.
The veteran pacer held off a class field to win the dash over 1720m, with the result giving trainer-driver Scott Ewen’s gelding the best possible chance of securing a Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Cup start next week.
Bulletproof Boy led as expected from gate two and then sprinted home in final quarters of 26.9 and 27.8 to fend off his rivals and score from the fast-finishing Triple Eight and third-placed Helluva.
Favourite Catch A Wave was snagged back to last from his spot inside the back row, and after sprinting up to second at the 200m mark, faded late for fifth.
“He’s a freak this horse. He’s a nine-year-old and he’s going as good as he’s ever going to go. And to run a 54 half, too – that’s what sort of won him the race,” said Ewen, who raised his whip in triumph crossing the line.
“I always had a plan. If I didn’t have to go as hard in the first quarter, when (Kate Gath and Catch A Wave) came I was just going to start running and hope he’d just keep going – and he did.”
The Cranbourne horseman and his connections have had a dream run with Bulletproof Boy, who has now won 36 races including the 2021 Smoken Up Sprint.
He looks to have thrust his name right into Victoria Cup calculations courtesy of Saturday night’s victory. The final field was confirmed on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s barrier draw live on Sky Racing.
