Tony Gollan’s strategic decision to send Boomtown Boss south has yielded immediate success, with the Queensland sprinter securing the season’s inaugural black-type event, the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
Following a disrupted Brisbane winter carnival, Gollan opted to give the gelding a spell after the Eye Liner Stakes before transferring him to Ciaron Maher’s Cranbourne stable to prepare for a campaign on the renowned Flemington straight.
This manoeuvre proved astute as Boomtown Boss, a $13 outsider, delivered a resolute performance to narrowly defeat Royal Insignia ($8.50), with Arkansaw Kid rounding out the placings.
Gollan highlighted that the expansive Flemington circuit was always anticipated to complement the gelding’s racing attributes.
“He profiles as a horse who loves big tracks and a lot of room so I felt that for a little while he would make a nice straight horse,” Gollan stated.
“During his winter prep, he was going nowhere and when I zigged I should have zagged, everything was going wrong.”
“I knew this race was on the cards so I backed off him (after the Eye Liner Stakes) and sent him to Ciaron’s (Maher) at Cranbourne to really settle him in.”
“I thought the trip away, and with straight racing, I thought it would suit him and through the race he was travelling alright.”
Pre-race tension mounted when the initial favourite, War Machine, was withdrawn after breaching the starting gates. Further controversy erupted post-race, as connections of Royal Insignia lodged an objection against winning jockey Daniel Moor, citing excessive whip use.
While stewards conceded the whip use was excessive, they determined it did not impact the outcome, allowing Boomtown Boss to maintain his victory by a neck.
Moor acknowledged that the gelding was still adapting to the rigours of straight-track racing.
“He came here a bit unknown down the straight and he did wander about a bit and change legs a lot, but you just know that when you’re on a Tony Gollan horse that they are well prepared,” Moor commented.
This triumph marked Gollan’s second win in the Aurie’s Star Handicap, following Temple Of Boom’s victory in 2011.
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