Bombers Harness Syndicate pacer
Windyhillbomber turned in one of the most impressive performances of his career
with an emphatic victory at Bendigo on Easter Sunday night.
The Jayne Davies-trained
four-year-old upstaged boom Tasmanian Derby winner and odds-on favourite, Bo
Jasper, to salute at the attractive odds of $8.50 in the appropriately named
Happy Easter Pace.?
The striking black pacer,
affectionately dubbed ?Sheedy?, worked to the lead mid-race before running his
rivals ragged to post the seventh victory of his much-publicised career.?
All up the son of Safely Kept has
sported the famous black and red colours on 34 occasions for seven wins, 14
placings and $40,831 in total stakes.
The pacer is raced on lease by
the Windy Hill Social Club, the social and entertainment arm of the Essendon
Football Club (EFC), as part of a joint EFC / Harness Racing Victoria (HRV)
promotion.
With a majority of stakes earned
donated to charity, the concept is aimed at strengthening the relationship
between the two City Of Moonee Valley neighbours through value-added membership
and cross-promotions.
The syndicate came to fruition
some two-and-a-half years ago thanks to generous support of Echuca?s global
breeding operation Alabar Bloodstock, and their principal Alan Galloway, who
bred and owned Windyhillbomber.
So far this season
Windyhillbomber has earned $10,280.30 for charity, taking his career haul to
$24,137.04 in charitable earnings.
In late February, two local
Essendon charities, TLC for Kids and the Caroline Chisholm Society, both
received a $7,500 donation for the earnings amassed by Windyhillbomber during
his two and three-year-old career.
Davies was delighted with
Sunday?s winning performance, which takes him to within one of making his
metropolitan open age debut.
?I was rapt with the way he went,
he looked very strong throughout and gave the impression there?s more wins in
store?, Davies said.
?He?s a funny little horse, when he
tries, like he did on Sunday night, he can definitely run a big race.
?That run shows that the
ability?s there, we?ve just got to get him put his mind to it every time he
goes out on the track.
?I was surprised he didn?t lead
initially, but once he got the front I thought he?d be hard to catch.
?In the end he won very
comfortably as Chris (Alford, driver) was easing him down on the line.?
?I think he just enjoyed racing
up on the speed, so we might have to look to do that where possible.?
Davies has earmarked a C4-C5 Pace
at Bendigo next Monday or C3-C4 Pace next Tuesday night at Cranbourne as
Windyhillbomber?s next target.
**********
The return to form of
Windyhillbomber provides a much needed boost for the Bombers Harness Syndicate
who tasted the lows of racing recently with the shock retirement of fellow
syndicate member Spy Catcher.
The Bruce Morgan-trained mare,
who carried the colours of the EFC?s other social and entertainment venue, the
Melton Country Club, throughout her career, broke down in training late last
month and was retired to stud.
In 25 appearances for the red and
black, the giant four-year-old daughter of Golden Greek chalked up six wins and
five placings, amassing $13,135.69 for charity along the way.
Special credit is paid to Echuca
identity Geoff Waters, who in conjunction with Alabar Bloodstock, bred and
leased the pacer to the syndicate.
