The cover that’s 2,000 kms from home

At the recent Forbury Park Trotting Club meeting held at Wyndham in New Zealand, I spotted a horse cover that was 2,000 kilometres from home.

The cover for the 1990 Bankstown City Council Four Year Old Cup was won by Almeta Boy (Inner Circle) and was being worn by one of Mataura trainer Lyndon Bond’s horses.

Bred in Tasmania Almeta Boy won twenty seven of his ninety two starts. His biggest win was in the 1990 Australian Pacing Championship. He also won the G2 West End Cup at Globe Derby Park and was second in the 1990 Miracle Mile won by Westburn Grant.

He was trained by Bob Knight and was driven in most of his starts by his son Vinny.

The gelding was brought to New Zealand in 1991 to compete in the Interdominion Series. He ran in three heats for two eighth placings and a nineth. He finished sixth in the Consolation Final won by Blossom Lady.

Almeta Boy had a tendency to jump shadows and wore one of the long bristled shadow rolls that you don’t see around anymore.

The cover was gifted by the wife of the late Leon Crawford who was a friend of Bond’s and trained out of Forbury Park for a number of years.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink