Boston Garden’s Horsham slam dunk

Boston Garden demonstrated his undeniable talent when setting the pace in the heats of the Group 2 Taylor’s Palace Hotel Horsham Cup (485m) on Friday afternoon.

After finishing unplaced in the G1 Australian Cup heats the previous Saturday, Boston Garden, trained by Jeff Britton, ventured to Horsham, where he was drawn in Box 4 in the last of six heats.

Betting on the final qualifier was dominated by track record holder Soda Titan, which started $1.10 from Box 1 in a field of five, but when the long odds-on favourite blew the start, Boston Garden ($7.40) pounced.

Boston Garden (November ’19 High Earner x Phantom Mime), bred and raced by media personality George Farrugia, was off and gone, opening up a huge lead en route to clocking a Best Of Day 26.90sec.

It was Boston Garden’s second win from three visits to Horsham and eighth from 26 overall, with next Friday night’s $47,000 to-the-winner final to be his second appearance in a Group event, having run seventh in the G1 National Derby at Wentworth Park last month.

Jeff Britton supplied four finalists in the 2020 Horsham Cup, won by Tiggerlong Tonk.

VIDEO REPLAYS

HEAT 1: ZARA’S IVAN (4) was given plenty of room early and seized the opportunity, overpowering big race regular LOTS OF CHATTER (6) in 26.92sec.

HEAT 2: TYPHOON SAMMY (1) had to dig deep after being challenged throughout, eventually outlasting LALA IVORY (6) in 27.22sec.

HEAT 3: A great show of early speed saw AMERICANO MISS (2) score in dominant fashion, clocking a time of 26.93sec over FERNANDO MICK (4).

HEAT 4: The seas parted for INVICTUS RISING (3), with the versatile powerhouse charging clear in 27.21sec.

HEAT 5: OLD NEWS (1) overcame an unsuitable inside alley to finish strongly in the centre of the track, posting 27.14sec.

HEAT 6: BOSTON GARDEN (4) came out running and opened up a decisive advantage, running a BOD 26.90sec, with CRACKERJACK KEG (3) finishing second.

Other highlights from Friday’s heats included:

Andrea Dailly qualified two finalists, Zara’s Ivan and Americano Miss, as she takes aim at back-to-back Horsham Cup titles, following the win of superstar Shima Shine in 2021.
Jason Thompson will chase a fourth Horsham Cup with Traralgon Cup hero and Bendigo Cup placegetter Typhoon Sammy.
Lightly-raced Old News qualified for his first Group final at his 14^th start for Brooke Ennis, who won the Horsham Cup with Margins in 2015.

In extremely unfortunate news, the Garry Selkrig-trained Invictus Rising, a brilliant winner of the fourth heat, won’t take part in Friday night’s final after being humanely euthanised following an incident in the catching pen.

GROUP 2 HORSHAM CUP (480M)
Friday 4 March – First prize: $47,000

1 OLD NEWS (Brooke Ennis, Lara)
2 INVICTUS RISING* (Garry Selkrig, Devon Meadows)
3 CRACKERKACK KEG (Patricia Smith, Wonwondah)
4 FERNANDO MICK (David Geall, Lara)
5 BOSTON GARDEN (Jeff Britton, Anakie)
6 ZARA’S IVAN (Andrea Dailly, Anakie)
7 AMERICANO MISS (Andrea Dailly, Anakie)
8 TYPHOON SAMMY (Jason Thompson, Pearcedale)
Reserves
9 LOTS OF CHATTER (Graeme Jose, Catani)
10 LALA IVORY (Andrea Dailly, Anakie)

*to be scratched

HEAT WINNERS
(Fastest to slowest)