Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred six-year-old Born To Boogie made an outstanding debut at Gloucester Park on Friday night when she ran her rivals ragged in the 2130m Better Your Bet With TABtouch Pace.
Her all-the way victory as the $1.20 favourite and rating a smart 1.55.9 revived memories of her half-brother Glenferrie Hood, who shone for trainer-reinsman Chris Brew in his first 22 starts, all in WA between 2012 and 2014.
Those 22 runs produced eight wins and six placings, including victories at his three starts as a two-year-old, at Pinjarra and twice at Gloucester Park, and at his first start as a three-year-old, at Narrogin. He went on to finish second to Northview Punter in the Group 3 Caduceus Club Classic, and three starts after that was third in the group 1 WA Derby behind Alta Christiano and Macha.
Glenferrie Hood, who retired last year with an imposing record of 162 starts for 46 wins and 23 placings for stakes of $538,110, then continued on his merry way, notching three wins in Victoria, seven in New South Wales and 28 in Queensland.
Born To Boogie, purchased in New Zealand as a yearling for $11,000 by Merv Butterworth’s Butterworth Racing Syndicate, won at five of her 26 starts in New Zealand where her final appearance was at Invercargill last September when she finished second to Nota Bene Denario over 2200m.
She impressed at her West Australian debut on May 17 when she was slow to begin in a stand at Pinjarra before flashing home from the one-out, one-back position with a final 400m in 26.6sec. to beat Louie The Horse by five metres.
On Friday night The Rock N Roll Heaven mare Born To Boogie, prepared by Ross Olivieri, was untroubled to set the pace from the No. 1 barrier and went on to win by 17 metres from Blockjorg.
Reinsman Chris Voak said that he had no doubt that Born To Boogie would improve with racing and should develop into a leading contender for the rich feature events for mares in the summer months.
“She won with the earplugs in after carving out very solid sectionals,” he said. “It was contrary to her first-up win when they went very slow and sprinted home. Tonight, she showed the quality I thought she possessed.”
by Ken Casellas