BOLD Bourbon took home the 2023 Casterton FoodWorks Cup in convincing style for trainer Lindsey Smith and rider Dean Yendall, but it was a newly-crowned king of the live hedges that stole the limelight.
A large crowd witnessed a fantastic day’s racing, especially a dominant performance by Elvison in the Pullen & Co Steeplechase.
With marquees lined across the top of the hill, the race as a spectacle was at its brilliant best.
In a dashing front-running display, the Symon Wilde trained nine-year-old continued his 2022 track domination to make it four steeplechase wins in a row.
Despite being burdened with 73kgs, the gelding with Aaron Kuru on board led from start to finish, winning by a widening seven lengths.
It was a faultless display that had racetrack talk comparing his efforts of the past twelve months with past champions the ilk of Lazza and Half Moon Rising.
Racing loves a dashing jumper, and while he is not among the elite in Victoria, he is certainly the best of recent times over the iconic live hedges at Casterton.
Symon Wilde speaking to Racing.com after the event was in awe of his stable star.
“He just seems to click here, gee it was a good display.”
“I guess weight will catch up with him at some point but that was a faultless display. He just jumped beautifully.”
“It was a great race and my whole team got a real buzz out of it.”
Aaron Kuru, a former New Zealand champion rider was just as lavish in his praise.
“He’s pretty special around here, I tell you what, he’s a lovely horse to ride.”
“We schooled him here the other day and I thought he was back to his best, so Symon decided to pull the trigger on him, and he was great.”
Starting the $1.95 race favourite, he defeated Historic ($4.60) with Armansky ($7) in third placing.
Plans for Elvison are to return next month to defend his crown in the $100,000 Two Rivers Steeplechase.
Despite taking a back seat to Elvison’s heroics, Bold Bourbon’s Cup win was something you rarely see around the tight Casterton layout.
After beginning well, champion country rider Dean Yendall had to settle for a three wide positioning during running.
Normally that spells danger, but at the 400-metre mark he had all his rivals struggling as he surged to the front.
From that point he kept getting stronger, eventually winning by 1.75 lengths from 2021 cup winner, Farooq, trained by Sue Murphy.
Starting odds-on ($1.90) he made it a feature race double for punters following the favourites.
It was Yendall’s third Casterton Cup win and a first for the Warrnambool based Lindsey Smith.
The cup success completed a big day for Yendall who also won on Rivkin and Luv The Bool in earlier races.
Wilde also trained a treble, with Fabalot – also with Kuru on board – and Luv The Bool joining Elvison as winners.
Mount Gambier based trainers Michael O’Leary and Barry Carraill didn’t leave emptied handed, both taking home a winner.
O’Leary who has been training winners at this meeting for over four decades won with Maracourt in the Nutrien Ag Solutions Casterton BM64 Handicap over 1400 metres.
Leading Adelaide-based rider, Dom Tourneur, teamed up with O’Leary, while Linda Meech landed Carraill his winner with a well-timed ride on Alblazer in the McClure Earthmoving 0-58 Handicap over 2000 metres.
Passionate jumps racecaller, Rick McIntosh, also tasted success as a part-owner when Killourney trained by Paul Preusker won the first division of the Ecycle Maiden Hurdle over 3500 metre.
At the time of writing crowd numbers were not confirmed, but club President Mark Davis was delighted with the day.
“We don’t have a gate figure yet, but the club was ecstatic with how our local communities supported the day,” he said.
“The weather was perfect, the crowd was tremendous, and the racing matched both, we are delighted.”
CASTERTON CUP MEETING RESULTS
Race 1 Ecycle Maiden Hurdle 3500m
1st Killourney (Braiden Small / Paul Preusker) $9.50
2nd Abreed (Will Gordon / Andrew Noblet) $6.50
3rd Tom Foolery (Arron Lynch / John Leek Jnr) $14
Race 2 Ecycle Maiden Hurdle 3500m
1st Lucky Plutus (Campbell Rawiller / Andrew Bobbin) $8.50
2nd Gunaluva (Arron Lynch / Symon Wilde) $17
3rd Praise The Power (Will Gordon / Barry & Ali Brook) $41
Race 3 Shojun Concrete Open Hurdle 3500m
1st Fabalot (Aaron Kuru / Symon Wilde) $2.80f
2nd Count Zero (Arron Lynch / Symon Wilde) $6.50
3rd Dr Dependable (Ronan Short / Eric Musgrove) $26
Race 4 Yarram Park Maiden Plate 1200m
1st Luv The Bool (Dean Yendall / Symon Wilde) $2.80f
2nd Wonderwall (Will Gordon / Ciaron Maher & David Eustace) $13
3rd Ambello (Emily Finnegan / John Macmillian) $17
Race 5 Pullen & Co Steeplechase 3800m
1st Elvison (Aaron Kuru / Symon Wilde) $1.95f
2nd Historic (Campbell Rawiller / Steven Pateman) $4.60
3rd Armansky (Edward Keating / Andrew Bobbin) $7
Race 6 Bet365 Muntham BM70 Handicap 1200m
1st Rivkin (Dean Yendall / Pat Ryan Jnr) $2.25f
2nd Mr Marathon Man (Jeff Maund / Dean Saxon) $26
3rd The Silent Sermon (Linda Meech / Majella Ballantine) $7.50
Race 7 Nutrien Ag Solutions Casterton BM64 Handicap 1400m
1st Maracourt (Dom Tourneur / Michael O’Leary) $3.70
2nd Armstrong Bay (Dean Yendall / Symon Wilde) $3.20f
3rd Street Delight (Linda Meech / Symon Wilde) $4.20
Race 8 Casterton FoodWorks Cup 2000m
1st Bold Bourbon (Dean Yendall / Lindsey Smith) $1.90
2nd Farooq (Jacob Opperman / Sue Murphy) $19
3rd Loyal Consul (Tom Madden / Jane Baker) $81
Race 9 McClure Earthmoving 0-58 Handicap 2000m
1st Alblazer (Linda Meech / Barry Carraill)
2nd Cernan (Arron Lynch / Eric Musgrove)
3rd Gunsablazin’ (Dean Yendall / Brittany Goodwin)
3rd Prize Lad (Harry Grace / David Drever)
