Trained at Lara by David Geall, Ferdinand Boy (box 8) flew out of the traps and made every post a winner in a mind-boggling 24.75 second — eclipsing the 24.77 mark, set by Hard Style Rico in a Shepparton Cup heat last year. (Hard Style Rico went on to win the final.)
Ferdinand Boy ($4.50) defeated the Jason Thompson-trained Catch The Thief ($3.60 fav) — whose effort was enormous after missing the start — by 1.3L, with Correy Grenfell’s Tiggerlong Tonk ($5.70) a further 1.1 lengths away in third.
A recent winner of the Shepparton Classic, Ferdinand Boy (Jan ’19 Fernando Bale x Nayla Swift) — bred and owned by Geall’s wife, Rose — notched his 16th win from 29 starts.
It was also his fifth win from seven starts over 450m at Shepparton, and his sixth win in seven starts from box 8. The $47,000 first prize spiralled his stakes to $108,880.
Ferdinand Boy has drawn comparisons with close relations, Group One stars My Redeemer and Up Hill Jill — both also trained by Geall.
“He’s the best I’ve trained up to 450m, but they (My Redeemer and Up Hill Jill) could step up on the big stage. Ferdinand Boy is starting to do that,” Geall said.
So, what’s next for Ferdinand Boy?
“I’ve been trying to talk my wife into the Maitland Cup, but the Ballarat Cup's got to be on the cards as well.”
Meanwhile, on a phenomenal card of racing, Equalizer provided Pearcedale trainer Thompson with some consolation with a powerhouse performance in the Cup Night Match Race (450m).
In a sensational sideshow to the cup, Equalizer ($1.30) matched strides with Group Two Warragul Cup winner Aeroplane Eric ($2.30) until gaining the ascendancy turning for home and forging away for a 2.7 length win in a slick 24.89.
Renowned for his paralysing finishing bursts, Equalizer snared a $10,000 winner-take-all purse and registered his 13th win from 32 starts. His prizemoney totals $88,860.
A bona fide star of the sport, Equalizer was runner-up to Aeroplane Eric in the Warragul Cup, runner-up in the Group Two Cranbourne Cup and a finalist in the Group One Temlee and Silver Chief.
Meanwhile, Junk Food Junkie, trained by Jessica Sharp at Avalon, won the inaugural Tony McGrath Memorial (450m), which honours the late Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club president.
— Peter Quilty
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