Raupunga Lad smashes them

The Winton track today produced another harness racing star by stallion Raging Bull, when Raupunga Lad blitzed a field of maiden pacers by an impressive nine and a quarter lengths.

The win brought back memories of another impressive three year old debut winner Wildwest (Raging Bull) which won in May 2019 by twelve and a half lengths.

Sent out as a raging $1-40 favourite, driver Craig Ferguson took luck out of the equation and sent the three year old straight to the top. The horse was always on a tight rein and when he straightened up he burnt off his opposition.

Raupunga Lad was bred by Riversdale breeder Neil Timms who races the gelding out of Brent McIntyre’s Macca Lodge stable.

“You always worry when you go to the races with a nice horse because you know they have to turn up,” a relieved McIntyre said after the win. “We always knew he was a good horse, but he went super today. He just jogged it.”

RAPUNGA LAD REPLAY

Raupunga Lad is out of the Live Or Die mare One Ali which has left The Bull Pen (8 wins) and Timzee (3 wins).

“He was just sitting in the paddock until he was two and a half which is typical of Timzee (Neil Timms). He forgets about them (laughter) but anyway we broke him in and could see he was a nice horse, so we just bummed around with him.”

McIntyre rightly pointed out how much the horse has achieved in a very short time.

“We would have been racing him about four months ago, but he got crook, so we had to chuck him out which was the best thing that happened to him really.”

The plan is to continue to race the gelding at this stage.

“We’ve had a few people sitting on the side wanting to grab him but not knowing how good But he showed it today, so we’ll see what happens. Timzee’s got good money on him.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart