A much-improved trackwork gallop from Victorian raider Boomwaa has reaffirmed his claims for Saturday’s $250,000 Inglis Classic at Randwick.
Hugh Bowman, who will ride the youngster for the first time under race conditions, partnered him in a solo workout on the inside grass at Rosehill on Saturday.
While satisfied with that hitout, Bowman said the Robbie Laing-trained gelding turned in a much sharper piece of work on Tuesday when he stretched out over 600 metres with a galloping partner.
Boomwaa, Vlad Duric
“He was a bit lost on his own. He went much better with a mate,” Bowman said.
“I wasn’t there to break any records, I just wanted him to do a nice piece of work.
“I certainly took a lot more confidence out of that work on Tuesday than his gallop on his own, although he only went evens on his own anyway.”
A final field of 13 will contest the rich two-year-old race, restricted to horses bought at last year’s Inglis sales.
Boomwaa is the best credentialled runner with a stakes placing in Melbourne and a victory in the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington during the spring.
He backed that up with a solid second to the highly-rated Fighting Sun at his Sydney debut earlier this month.
That was his first public appearance since his Flemington victory on November 9 and Bowman expects him to derive a lot of benefit from it.
“He’s a very physically developed two-year-old, a lovely horse. Although I didn’t ride him first-up, I’m sure he will take good improvement fitness-wise from that,” Bowman said.
“He went into that without a trial, so I’m pleased with where he’s at.”
Boomwaa has drawn ideally in barrier two for Saturday’s 1200-metre race while unbeaten New Zealander Vinnie Eagle had his task made harder after coming up with the outside barrier.
That pair are the only horses in the field who have won a race while the Tony McEvoy-trained Affirmation and Smokin Snitzel for Gerald Ryan will make their debuts in the Inglis Classic.
Bowman and Laing will chase their second significant win together this season with Boomwaa after claiming the Victoria Derby with Polanski during the spring.
