Express Courier helped Keith Dryden to a winning treble at Canberra on Friday, and put his hand up for a run in the $125,000 Country Classic at Rosehill in a fortnight.
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Dryden's star galloper was too good in the Federal Handicap making it three wins from four starts since resuming, and will step up to his 2000m pet distance next start alongside stablemate Gunga Din, which will target the same race.
Matthew Dale will also consider aiming at the Country Classic with ex-Victorian galloper Royal Thunder who led throughout in Friday's Federal before sticking on for an improved second to Express Courier.
Shores Of Avalon toughed out to win the Benchmark 60 Handicap (1000m) in the last for Dryden while earlier in the day, Wandonna impressively notched a long overdue maiden win at the 15th time of asking for the stable.
But it was Tumut galloper Bouddi who stole the show at Canberra, winning the Class 1 Handicap (2000m) at $35.20 to make Kerry Weir's four-hour round trip worthwhile.
"The local Tumut-Adelong Times rang me on Tuesday and I declared him a certainty," Weir said.
"I know he only raced at Coota [Cootamundra] and Gundagai first two runs up but they were 1200 and a mile, and he's a 2000m horse. He's by Exceed and Excel out of a half to More Joyous, you couldn't get a better bred horse."
Formerly owned by John Singleton, Bouddi was passed in for $150,000 at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling sale.
He started his career at Bjorn Baker's Sydney yard, but didn't measure up and was sold via auction to Weir and his connections for just $17,000.
Friday's win came with an $11,200 pay day.
"We were bidding on another one two lots before him but it went to 25 [thousand dollars] and we pulled out," Weir said.
"Andrew Groves said to me 'This other fella here, he's well bred, he just needs a bit of time'. I said 'You're the boss'.
"He's not bred to be a two-year-old, he's all legs. That's his second prep with us, I think he had 14 runs with us last prep and won a race, and had a heap of placings. He's shaping up to be a nice stayer, touch wood."
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Bouddi won like an odds-on shot at Thoroughbred Park, finishing more than three lengths clear of heavily favoured Gary Portelli four-year-old Lord Tropicana. John Sargent's second favourite Gunaluva was five lengths further back in third.
"It was a bloody handy Class 1, that horse of Portelli's and Johnny Sargent," Weir said.
"He'll have a couple more runs and then we might put him away and look at some of those cups later on at Albury or Wagga."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
