Boojerooma Powers Home To Win 2014 Group Three Howard Ashton
Bozidar Stamenkovic's disappointment led to joy when Boojerooma upset her more fancied rivals to take out the 2014 Group Three Howard Ashton at Angle Park on Thursday night.
Stamenkovic was forced to scratch his original runner Koombooyana Kid from box one, leaving his sister, who was first reserve in the race, to not only fill the void but also collect the $25,000 winners cheque.
Boojerooma was sent out as a $13 outsider having just one career win next to her name, but the daughter of Collision and Koombooyana Star (Fortified Rush – Koombooyana) used box one with aplomb to take out the event in the time of 29.83.
Short-priced favourite Wingard was first to leave the traps from box six and quickly cut down to lead the field out of the straight the first time. Boojerooma was well away and found herself in second, nailed to the rails, as the field left the straight the first time.
Down the back straight, the diminutive Wingard seemingly had the race at his mercy as he put two lengths on Boojerooma. Nowak (4) and Punishment (2) were a further two lengths away in pursuit.
Swinging for home, Wingard was unable to shake off Boojerooma and it became obvious that he was going to have a fight on his hands. Entering the home straight, the 29kg black bitch hooked to the outside and started to wear Wingard down slowly.
She drew level with a hundred metres to go and finished strongly to overhaul Wingard and score by a length on the line. Nowak was also doing his best work at the end of the race and finished third a further length away.
The win was Boojerooma's second from seven career outings and the time of 29.83 is a personal best at Angle Park. Her prizemoney earnings have now surpassed $26,500 and the only time she has finished outside the top three in her career was in the semi-finals a week earlier when she finished fourth.
Full Results
1st- Boojerooma – Bozidar Stamenkovic
2nd- Wingard – Des Hockley
3rd- Nowak – Richard Stasiak
4th- Punishment – Carole Scott
5th- Miss Collash – Peter Sutherland
6th- Woodside Jagger – Graham Smith
7th- Regal Looper – Cameron Butcher
8th- Lexcen – Oswald Chegia
Time: 29.83
1st Split: 4.39 (6)
2nd Split: 16.84 (6)
Margins: 1 x 1
Scratchings – Koombooyana Kid (1), Dakota Premier (10). Boojerooma started from Box 1.