Oh Boy, he’s good

Mon, July 26 2010

DEJA VU struck Fannie Bay yesterday as Palmyra Boy outgunned a quality field to notch back-to-back successive Metric Mile victories.

The striking grey produced a record-breaking performance to provide jockey Jan Cameron and trainer Neil Dyer with their second Mile win in as many years.

Palmyra Boy ($14) sliced 0.05 off the 1600m track-record set by Brad Star in 2007 to win the $40,000 Day Five feature race by two and a quarter lengths over his more illustrious stablemate Hawks Bay. And just as he did in 2009, Palmyra Boy punched his Darwin Cup (2000m) ticket, and might just prove a force to be reckoned with come Monday week.

Having trained the quinella it was little wonder Dyer was delighted, even though Hawks Bay ($5.50 into $3.60) went into the race as the more fancied runner.

"I had $50 on the quinella, I just don't know what it paid," Dyer said. "That's a big effort by him to break the track-record, he deserves his run in the Cup now doesn't he?

"I'm proud of both of them. There's probably a doubt that Palmyra Boy can run a hard 2000m, while Hawks Bay got a nice run under his belt and it will do him the world of good for the Cup."

Yesterday's success illustrated what a wonderful rapport the seven-year-old gelding has with Cameron, formerly of New Zealand, who is indeed a quality jockey.

Having forged a winning partnership 12 months ago, Cameron has followed Palmyra Boy during preparations in South Australia and Alice Springs, so it came as no surprise she was beaming.

"Marvellous, that was an unbelievable effort because while last year was a good field, this year was tougher and his form hadn't been quite as good as it had been 12 months ago," she said.

"He's a funny horse and needs the blindfold to get into the gates.

"One of the barrier boys did a great job to get it off and we jumped well.

"I had to scurry him up early to keep the other ones out and after Vanessa (Arnott on Club Liquid) came across he came back to me and settled.

"I was happy to roll off her back coming to the turn and we were always travelling good.

"I peeked around a few times because I didn't see any shadows coming, but he gave me a good kick and hit the line well."

Hawks Bay (Paul Shiers) will certainly have his share of admirers on Cup Day following a strong effort, while Shout Out Loud (Paul Denton) battled valiantly for third.

Club Liquid led and stuck on to finish a good fourth in front of the two eye-catchers Activation (Carl Spry) and Granzig (Nathan Stanley), who finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

Carrying 61.5kg, the 2009 Darwin Cup champion Activation hit the line well, a nose in front of this year's Alice Springs Cup winner, Granzig, who is ticking along nicely.

The disappointments were eighth-placed Gnaeus Equus (Brendon Davis) and Utility (Scott Hillebrand), who finished a conspicuous last.

Story Courtesy Gregor Mactaggart  - NT News