66yo trainer looking for first win

Devonport harness racing’s Shane Boon will be chasing his first win as a trainer in Devonport on Friday night, where he prepares two runners on the seven-race card.

Boon, 66, only took out his trainers license in September and has been a part of the industry for many years as a stablehand, owner and driver.

“It’s something I have wanted to do for a while, I was with Geoff Smith for about 13-years as a stable hand and he gave me a great opportunity and then I thought I would like to have a go myself and make all the decisions as I was always going back to Geoff and we would work it out together.

“It is a fairly big step being on your own and although I haven’t got a winner I am enjoying it,” said Boon who prepares his team at the training facilities of prominent owner-breeder Mick Maxfield.

Boon took out his drivers license during his time with Geoff Smith, where he drove a winner from a small number of drives, but his time was cut short after being involved in a nasty race fall in Devonport on Boxing Night 2016.

“I ended up getting seven plates in my back and a couple of screws and stuff like that,” Boon recalled.

“I never really wanted to drive, but we were always having trouble getting drivers at the trials and I was with Geoff and I said a bloke ought to get his trial license.

“One thing led to another, and the next thing I was on the track driving,” explained the former reinsman who took over 12-months to recover after suffering a medical episode two weeks after being discharged from hospital.

The best of Boon’s chances to find the winners circle for the first time as a trainer on Friday appears to be Im Rock Solid, who lines up in the John McKenna Race Night Vet Mobile, where he has drawn barrier three.

“He is a funny horse, he is one of those horses you can take down to the track and shout and scream at him, and he only does what he wants to do but when he goes to the races and gets out there with other horses, he turns it on.

“He got put ODM at the last Devonport meeting so he has had a few bad draws since, first-up in Hobart he ran out of his skin and then in Launceston the other week he couldn’t get into it,” said the trainer, who has booked Mark Yole for the drive.

Boon also has five-start maiden Baldasarre engaged in the Collins Homes Mobile, where the three-year-old gelded son of Stonebridge Regal has drawn wide on the track over the 1930m.

“He is still green as grass and is still learning. I will give him a few runs and then turn him out. I think he will be a better four-year-old as he just hasn’t matured yet,” said Boon.

The seven-race Devonport card will be televised on Sky Racing 2 and TasracingTV, with the first race commencing at 17:35 local time. To view the fields click here.

By Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing