Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Brilliant colt Ten To The Dozen will fly the flag for Western Australia when he contests the $500,000 Gold Bullion final for two-year-old colts and geldings at Menangle next Saturday night.
Champion trainer Greg Bond, who prepares Ten To The Dozen with his wife Skye, was delighted with the colt’s dashing victory in the $50,000 APG WA Gold Bullion final for two-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night and he has nominated the youngster for the rich national final.
“Ten To The Dozen is booked to fly out of Perth to Sydney on Wednesday night, and Luke McCarthy will drive him in the 1609m classic,” said Bond.
“It will be a hit-and-run trip, provided the flight goes ahead as scheduled. I don’t think that Ten To The Dozen will be out of his depth in the big race.”
Ten To The Dozen is by Art Major and is the first foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Nolessthanperfect, whose 17 starts (all in WA) produced five wins (four at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park track and one at Gloucester Park).
The speedy colt has been most impressive in winning at his past four starts and he has earned $48,693 from his four wins and two placings from seven starts. He was purchased for $65,000 at the 2022 APG Perth yearling sale and races under the banner of Team Bond and Rob Gartrell’s Running Camel organisation.
Ten To The Dozen was the $1.80 favourite from the outside barrier in the field of four in Friday night’s 1730m event, with the Justin Prentice-trained Manhattan Moon the $2 second fancy from the No. 2 barrier.
Deni Roberts got Ten To The Dozen away to a flying start and the colt was not extended in setting the pace and sprinting over the final 400m in 27.1sec. in winning by a length and a half from Manhattan Moon, who trailed the pacemaker.
“He is pretty special,” said Roberts. “He is still green as grass, but he is definitely learning the caper, with his gate speed a real asset. He is also versatile; he can sit and really sprint home, too.”
Later this year Ten To The Dozen will be prepared for the Group 2 $100,000 Pearl Classic on August 18, the Group 1 $225,000 Westbred Classic on September 15 and the $150,000 Golden Slipper on September 29.