Bullion Boy suited by drop back in grade

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Lindsay Gough is hopeful a drop back in grade can help overcome a set weights disadvantage for the lightly-raced Bullion Boy at Doomben on Wednesday.

The seven-year-old Bullion Boy - a Georgina Cartwright mount - lines up for only his 15th start in the Class 4 Plate over 1350 metres.

Bullion Boy has had a few setbacks throughout his career, the latest when he was forced to the paddock after winning a 1600 metre Benchmark race at Eagle Farm in late December.

“He had a few problems early in his career including one day when he banged his head and had some time off,” Gough said.

“The latest problem we had with him was when we found him lame in his stall after he won at Eagle Farm two starts back in December.

“We didn’t see anything happen but we think he must have lashed out and kicked something in his stall a week after his Eagle Farm win.

“We had his hind leg x-rayed and it found he had a crack in the sole of his hind leg and he needed three months off.”

Bullion Boy showed the injury had not affected his career on the track when he resumed with a fast-finishing second to Mudgee sprinter Compelling Truth at Doomben on August 31.

“His first-up run was very good as he was slightly held up for a run in a leader dominated race,” Gough said.

“It was 1200 metres last time and that’s not his go as he’s looking to get out to a mile and he’ll be a lot better suited over 1350 metres.

“It’s a drop back in grade from Saturday class to a Wednesday race but that’s off-set a bit as he’s not that well off in a set weight race.

“His last run was full of merit and he’s looking for more ground so he should be hard to beat.”

Gough has a good reputation with injury-prone sprinters and is back home after a successful Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival. 

“We took three horses up north and won the Cairns Cup and ran second in the Cairns Amateur Cup with Mahagoni,” Gough said.

“He was very unlucky not to have won the Cairns Amateur Cup when he copped interference on the home turn.”