Inter Dominion winner retired

Time has been called on the harness racing career of Boncel Benjamin (Grinfromeartoear) after 95 starts, 17 wins and an unforgettable Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Grand Final triumph.

The horse’s run in the third round of ID22 heats at Geelong on December 3 will be his last, with the seven-year-old set to live out retirement under the care of owners Steve and Julie Duffy.

“He just wasn’t going good,” Steve Duffy said.

“He was working good and everything was fine, but he just wasn’t letting down like he can.

“He’s been ridden over the years, so Julie will ride him, take him on trail rides and things like that.”

The Duffys were on track to witness Boncel Benjamin’s historic Inter Dominion victory at Menangle in December 2021 when he won the race on protest over first-past-the-post Expensive Ego.

That victory, for New South Wales trainer Jason Grimson, was clearly the crowning glory of a career that started in May 2017 and took in stints at many stables along the way.

Duffy prepared Boncel Benjamin at various stages, with the gelding also spending time under the care of Michael Stanley, Tim McGuigan and, finally, Duffy’s son Ryan.

“Everyone’s ambition is to win an Inter so he’s done that and been a great horse to us,” Steve said.

“He’s the type of horse that always liked to be in work, too.

“When you did give him a spell, he’d be walking the fence just wanting to come in every day anyway. He’s like that even out there now.”

The gelding’s career was never straight-forward, with three tendon injuries resulting in many months away from the racetrack.

But the horse who shares the same name as Duffy’s late father was a proven trier and heads into retirement with earnings of $487,330.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV