Leviathan New South Wales owner Michael Boots certainly had a night to remember last Saturday evening.
The Leeton based businessman has, in recent times become one of the biggest owners in Harness Racing Australia wide, with a vast number of horses performing for him right across the nation.
Mick is well known for supporting a vast number of stables, buying, and breeding well-bred stock and giving them to many different trainers to give them the opportunity to chase success with his stock.
Two of his established stars Swayzee and Captains Mistress were successful in taking out Group 1 features at Melton on Saturday night.
Swayzee defied all challengers to score his second AG Hunter Cup defeating his half-brother Leap To Fame by a half neck, while Captains Mistress produced a dashing display by leaving a top field of mares in her wake in the $150,000 Queen Of The Pacific.
Both horses are trained by Jason Grimson who trained a quartet of winners on the night, all driven by Cam Hart who bagged five in the gig.
In a post-race interview after the win of Captains Mistress, Boots was in awe of what his duo had just achieved.
“It is just awesome.”
“Jason has done a great job with both of these horses, he is the master horseman, and Cam drives them so well - they are a great combination.”
“To think what Swayzee has achieved in the era of racing he has, is incredible, and Captains Mistress just continues to impress here in Australia since coming over from New Zealand.”
But the night was not done and dusted for Boots as a few races later his Free For All pacer Hi Manameisjeff took out a listed race at Melton.
Then, back home in Sydney unbeaten three-year-old Hollywood Strip showed his class in the Simpson Memorial at Tabcorp Park Menangle, the win giving the colt automatic entry into the New South Wales Derby on March 14.
Hollywood Strip has only had six starts for Boots and trainer, driver Brad Hewitt, banking more than $140,000 in stakes and tasting Group 1 success last season.
Sent out as a drifting favourite in the listed classic, punters obviously showed some hesitation over the colt being first up from a spell, but he proved Hewitt’s judgement was spot-on by leading throughout for a five-metre win in a fast 1:50.4.
