Bondy’s dashing all-the-way Hunter Cup win
has furthered strengthened New Zealand’s claims of winning
the Sydney Inter-Dominion. With the opening round of
Heats on Friday week at Harold Park, Kiwi-trained pacers
hold six of the first 10 spots in the Australian-based TAB
Sportsbet’s market for the $1 million Final on March 7.
Bondy, sensationally-backed from $5.50 into $4 favourite in
the Hunter Cup, has firmed from as much as $34 to $15 to add
the Inter-Dominion Final. “He loses a bit of his
advantage in the Inter because it’s a mobile start not a
stand, but he’s still a good beginner from the gate,”
co-trainer/driver David Butt said. NZ’s top hope is Monkey
King, already a winner of the NZ Cup, NZ Free-For-All and
Miracle Mile this season.
The Benny Hill-trained star
impressively won his final lead-up race for the
Inter-Dominion in Christchurch last Saturday. Another
star Kiwi, the controversial Changeover, firmed into $7
third favourite for the Inter after toying with a moderate
field in Auckland last Friday night.
The other major Kiwi contenders are defending champion Mr
Feelgood ($13), Monkey King’s classy stablemate Baileys
Dream ($18) and the emerging Ohoka Dallas ($21).
Australia’s hopes are led by Victorian star Smoken Up
($5.50) and three-time Inter-Dominion winner Blacks A Fake
($8), who is now a 9-year-old. Bondy’s Hunter Cup win
was a phenomenal training triumph for Butt and his wife,
Catherine. “We do all the work together, it’s just a
shame the racebook over here only has my name,” David Butt
said.
Bondy was having just his second start since a
mystery illness ruled him out of the NZ Cup back in October.
The 8-year-old showed his customary brilliance from the
standing start and quickly took the lead. “I guess I
felt it was never really in doubt when he found the front so
quickly,” Butt said. “He felt really good coming off
the back (straight), and then I was really confident on the
home turn.
“It’s a great thing winning a Hunter Cup,
especially the last one at the Valley with all of the
history the Kiwis have in the race.” Smoken Up’s
trainer/driver Lance Justice certainly wasn’t disappointed
with the gelding’s seventh after working overtime. “As
much as I’ve liked Moonee Valley, Smoken Up hasn’t. He’s
always struggled round the last bend and he’ll be glad he
doesn’t have to race here again,” Justice said. “Under
the circumstances, I thought he ran a terrific race.”
The
other real eye-catcher from the Hunter Cup was the
much-improved Washakie.
The former Kiwi, who spent time in WA before joining John
McCarthy’s Queensland stable, lost at least 40 metres with a
messy start from the stand and finished ahead of five rivals
in ninth spot. “He must have broken the clock after
losing that ground, but he still finished the race off
really well,” co-trainer Luke McCarthy said. “He’s
taken the next step, and we can’t wait to get back to the
mobile racing in the Inter-Dom.”
Evergreen NSW veteran
Karloo Mick snared his ninth placing from 14 starts at Group
1 level when second to Bondy, but he’s still yet to win at
the ultimate level. Trainer Barry Lew seemed
exasperated after the race, telling bystanders he expected
Karloo Mick to “ping” off the leader’s back and win.
Former Kiwi and now WA-based pacer Im Themightyquinn turned
plenty of heads with a storming finish for a luckless third
in the Hunter Cup, but he’s not going to the Inter-Dominion.
“We all decided a couple of months back that he was a year
away from being ready for an Inter-Dom series,” driver Gary
Hall jnr said. “As frustrating as the Hunter Cup was,
it certainly showed he is right up to the best horses around
which is exciting going ahead.”
