Duffy’s dreams come true

In hindsight, Shepparton harness racing couple Steven and Julie Duffy’s stunning road to Inter Dominion glory with their former “claimer” and family favorite was simply meant to be.

Their much-loved stable star Boncel Benjamin (more on that name later!) made good on the faith the Duffy’s had that he might just be “the one” they’d spent a lifetime waiting for.

“Benjamin” didn’t let them down on Saturday night at Menangle – although his victory came in the most controversial of circumstances, becoming the first horse in the history of the race to win the Grand Final on protest.

The Boncel Benjamin story began when the Duffys paid $1650 for the Christian Cullen-bred broodmare Alleluia Lombo, owned by Kaye Hartnett.

“She is just the most beautiful mare and was in foal to Grinfromeartoear – Julie foaled her down, and obviously the result was Boncel Benjamin,” Steven said.

“I’ve always said Alleluia Lombo was the best money we every spent, even before this weekend! My name is on the ownership papers, but the horse definitely belongs to the whole family,” Julie said.

The pacer carried more than a little sentiment when he lined up in the Inter Dominion – Julie lost her mother about six weeks ago and had told everyone “mum would be sitting on Benjamin’s bridle all the way”.

And the pacer is named after Steve’s late father Boncel Benjamin, although he preferred “Bill”.

Boncel Benjamin was born and raised by the Duffys and trained by them until earlier this year.

“We decided to send him up to Sydney to see how he would go, because we thought he would like the big spaces at Menangle, in particular,” Steven said.

“I rang David Aiken who was campaigning with a few up there, but he couldn’t take him because he was about to come back home to Victoria. But he told me Jason Grimson and Jack Trainor were doing a good job and said their horses looked great.

“So we decided we’d pay up for him for a few months and keep doing that providing he was paying his way.”

Benjamin certainly kept his part of the deal. He’s now had 11 starts since being sent to Sydney, for three wins, all at Menangle, and six placings.

“It’s been absolutely unbelievable,” Steven said.

“We’ve spoken to Jason on the phone, a lot, but we only finally got to meet him last Friday.”

Steven said his dad had horses most of his life and “certainly had them from the day I was born”.

“He died in a car accident when I was in my early 20s and I always said to my mum Lorraine that if I ever got a real good one, I’d name it in memory of dad.

“We were so happy just to be there and have a runner in the Inter Dominion final – then to finish second, we were over the moon.”

The couple said they had watched the race down on the grass area so didn’t pick up on the incident that later led their driver Josh Gallagher and Grimson to lodge a protest.

“Our eldest son Jake, who is a jockey, was all over it though!” Steven said.

“He was on the phone to me straight after they crossed the finish line saying to make sure we told Josh to have a look at the film.”

The extended stewards’ review of the incident let to one of the most sensational upsets in the race’s history when Boncel Benjamin, at more than 50/1, was elevated from second to first. The outsider was awarded the race when stewards found he was denied a fair run by the leader (one of the race favorites, Expensive Ego) at the 100 metre mark of the home straight.

“When we heard the protest had been upheld, it was absolutely unreal. Someone took a video of our reaction and I have to admit it was pretty crazy! It’s gone viral!” Julie laughed.

Victorian owners Julie and Steven Duffy celebrate after Boncel Benjamin wins the #ID21 Pacing Championship Grand Final on protest! pic.twitter.com/PUJ7sZI85q

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) December 11, 2021

“We were pretty excited. We were celebrating at a pub just down the road from the track until 3am and it’s been a while since we’ve been out until that hour I can tell you. I think we were both running on adrenalin,” Steven said.

Duffy has been training horses “on and off” for about 40 years.

“I’ve always pottered around with two or three and it’s probably only been the last five years that I’ve started doing a few more. Our son Ryan got into driving so that’s when my numbers went up,” he said.
While Duffy generally prefers to be low key, he’s a handy driver himself and has also trained some talented horses over the years.

Almost El Eagle (McArdle) was an exciting pacer with 21 wins and 21 placings for $200K. He won The Lombo Final at Shepparton in 2012, as well as a Breeders Crown heat at Young, a semi-final at Menangle and a heat of the 2014 Melton Winter Championship.

Others included Village Warrior (Village Jasper) a winner of 13 races for $86K in stakes and We Dare To Dream (Live Or Die) a winner of 11 races, including the 2009 $19K George Croxford Tribute at Cobram.

While Julie didn’t have a harness racing background before meeting Steven, she has always loved horses.

“I rode at picnic meetings as a jockey for a while when I was a teenager. I was probably too young and missed being away from home so that didn’t last all that long,” she said.

“Now I try and ride all of Steven’s harness horses because we think it’s good for them. I’m also a pony club coach and go riding most weekends with a big group of friends.”

The couple have continued to breed from Alleluia Lombo, with her next foal Ubetya, a winner of three races. Duffy said a two-year-old was going nicely and a yearling showed promise. The mare is being sent to Vincent this season.

And while the couple has made some plans for Boncel Benjamin’s winner’s cheque (a spa is on the shopping list), there’s not much time to bask in the glory.

The couple made the seven-hour road trip back to Shepparton yesterday to get back to working the team and prepare youngster Wemade Freo to race in the 3yo Vicbred Super Series at Kilmore on Wednesday.

“Julie had the winning cup, the garland and the rug within arm’s reach, all the way home in the car though,” Steven laughed.

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink