By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
A horse nicknamed “Boof” gave local trainer John Gommans a “wow” moment in last night’s Cartown Manawatu Cup Handicap Pace.
Lord Delmar claimed the night’s feature thanks to a top drive from in-form junior Harrison Orange.
Drawn five on the front line Orange made a quick start, getting the trail behind the pace-making Fredastaire. The combo then capitalized on the passing lane to make the lead and then fend off a challenge from Boudica, who had started off 20m and made a move around the field at the 600 metre mark. Lord Delmar won by three quarters of a length.
“We were ecstatic,” says Gommans, “it’s your local Cup and it’s something I’ve looked at over the years.”
“When we won it was just ‘wow’.”
Gommans trains his small team on the track and races Lord Delmar with his son Mark, who was the main reason he got back into training after stepping away from it for about a decade.
“I gave training away in 2004 and had no intention of coming back and I wouldn’t have come back but Mark wanted to get involved in horses and that’s what we have done.”
Gommans has now trained 56 winners, his first being Pernod’s Image in 1990.
Last night’s win was the horse’s fourth in 27 starts and his biggest yet.
“The penny has dropped a bit with him,” says Gommans, “when we got him he was very boofy (hence the nickname).”
“He’s a big fella and loves it when the pace is on like it was last night.”
All going well Lord Delmar will be back at Manawatu for the $20,000 Festival Cup on Sunday, March 30.
His was one of two wins on the night for Orange (along with Goorambat Art in the last) while premiership leader Michael House trained four winners, three of them driven by son Wilson.
In a great night for the junior drivers, Crystal Hackett also had a double to keep up her strong winning record of late.
