The Paul Butterworth trained Wonder Boom has to overcome another wide barrier if he is to maintain his good record at the track when he lines up in the $100,000 XXXX Gold Newmarket Handicap (1300m) at Rockhampton on Friday.
Trainer Peter Butterworth trained Capital Gain, above, to win the 2017 Group 1 J J Atkins at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.
Wonder Boom has two wins and two minor placings from four starts at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park and is coming off a last start third at the track from barrier eight in the twelve horse $30,000 Tattersall’s Sprint (1200m) on June 21.
Butterworth said that Wonder Boom didn’t have much luck go his way in the run and only finished a quarter of a length from the winner Drumbeat’s Choice who will also be lining up in the Newmarket Handicap.
“He’s been plagued with bad barriers all his career and he’s got another awkward one on Friday,” Butterworth told Racing Queensland News Desk.
“From 33 starts, 24 of them have been on the outside or near the outside.”
“I’ve got no doubt he should have won last time but he’s a hard horse to ride and Adin (Thompson) couldn’t hold him up.”
“He got turned sideways and had to come five wide from the 600 metres.”
Butterworth has booked the in-form Matt McGillivray to re-unite with Wonder Boom who has drawn barrier nine in the twelve horse Newmarket Handicap field and is hoping the combination can add to their four wins they have already recorded together in the past.
“Matt (McGillivray) has ridden him plenty of times and knows how to hold him up until the 500 metres when he’ll go searching for a run,” Butterworth said.
“If Matt can get him to relax, I think he can win and I’m confident he can turn the tables on his last start performance.”
Wonder Boom has been ranked as one of the outsiders of the Rocky Newmarket Handicap field at $26 at Ladbrokes.com.au while the Steve Tregea trained Niccanova at $2.10 and Tony Gollan’s Natch at $3.60 dominate the top of the betting.
The post Wonder Boom has to overcome wide barrier in Rocky Newmarket appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
