The ageless Bulletproof Boy has put himself in the firing line to more than double his stake earnings by the end of the summer after successfully defending his Bendigo Cup crown.
Harness Racing Victoria moved the meet to Melton from Bendigo after the state government declaring a state of disaster for fire-affected areas including Greater Bendigo, as a result of extreme weather, fire dangers and challenging road access conditions.
Superlatives were flowing for the Scot Ewen trained 11-year-old and the steering prowess of leading reinsman James Herbertson after the race.
“Between him and James they’re both just freaks,” Ewen said.
Bulletproof Boy’s legion of supporters availed themselves to the $11 on offer as Herbertson perched himself on the back of the $2.10 favorite Kingman two horses back in the running line.
Herbertson saved ground and angled back towards the pegs heading off the back before urging Bulletproof Boy through along the sprint lane reeling in the Petracca over the concluding stages in a mile rate of 1:51.2. for the 1720 metres.
“He’s amazing isn’t he, an 11-year-old and I keep on saying it he just keeps raising the bar and how far he can raise it in the next six weeks we’ll wait and see,” Herbertson said.
Should Bulletproof Boy take out another three of the six legs of the Summer Of Glory, including the A G Hunter Cup, he will earn his connections a $1m bonus.
Herbertson said he was quietly confident approaching the home straight.
“I was quite happy with how he was travelling throughout and when we got to the 300 (metres) all the good horses were being tapped up and Bullet was still cruising along and happy to be there,” he said.
“It felt really easy for him and I’m just over the moon for the horse.”
Ewen said there was a slight concern of race fitness prior to the race.
“I was a bit worried that it was three weeks since he’d had a run but I gave him a couple of runs this week and a canter on Thursday and he just went sensational,” he said.
Ewen was reminded of the lucrative bonus on offer during the Summer Of Glory.
“I might have to go to Shepparton (Cup) now,” he said.
“As long as just runs good races and I thought if we win a cup or two if we’re lucky and he’s won one already so beautiful.”
A cup winner at his 223rd start, Bulletproof Boy has now banked more than $850,000 in prize money from his 51 wins and 52 placings.
