BOUNDTOBEMAD is proving she’s anything but that after a career-best performance in top company at Menangle on Sunday.
The two-year-old filly finished third in the group one $125,000 NSW Breeders Challenge final, eight metres off Australian record holder Heavens Trend.
While her name suggestions the daughter of Sportswriter may be hard to handle, trainer Steven Harris knows it couldn’t be much further from the truth.
“Her track work and her attitude doesn’t really match her name,” Harris said.
“She’s probably one of the nicest horses I’ve ever had.
“When you get her out on the track she’s just a true professional.”
The Old Junee horseman is no stranger to racing in group ones, however things were a little different with this filly.
Harris mostly races horses he owns himself but was given the training responsibilities by owners Troy Saddler and Roy and Sarah Brazulaitis when Dean Cernoviskis headed to Queensland just before she debuted at Wagga in May.
She’s also run the fastest, after clocking a personal mile rate of 1:53.4 on Sunday.
With Heavens Trend equalling Lettucerockthem’s record mile rate of 1:52.1 in the semi-final, Harris wasn’t confident going into the race but couldn’t be prouder of his little filly.
“We went down there with no big expectations because looking at the times this crop of two-year-old fillies are running, they are clearly the fastest – or the track is getting shorter,” Harris said.
“All those fillies are nice fillies are for them to be running those low 50s (mile rates) is just amazing.”
Still yet to win a race, her best effort is a second behind Gotta Bewitched on debut, Harris believes she’s continuing to improve with racing.
“(At Wagga) she was lost and didn’t really know what she was doing but one thing that she’s done has been taking that next step mentally and physically,” he said.
“They were running those fast sectionals there but you wouldn’t have thought she was running them – she seems to get over the ground quite well.”
He’s looking at the $50,000 NSW Breeders Challenge Blue as her next assignment in a fortnight, but has options including the $30,000 Ready To Run Stakes later in the year.
A graduate of the trialling sale at Menangle, Harris believes most of her manners comes the education given to her by former Riverina horseman Ross Pike.
“It’s a real credit to Ross and you can just tell she’s been through Ross’ system,” Harris said.
“She’s very easy to get along with and she’s very well educated. It makes my job a lot easier.”
