Blazing Away swooped late for a narrow victory in last year’s LR Bunbury Cup (2000m) and he prevailed in a three-way photo-finish to double up in the Cup on Saturday.
Surprisingly sent out a $51 longshot after drawing wide, Blazing Away (City Place) settled well back on the rails for Jordie Turner and took all the short-cuts to defeat Casino Seventeen (Casino Prince) by a half-head with Holy Enchantment (Playing God) a nose away third.
The David Harrison-trained warrior was racing for the 11th time this prep to emulate Paddy’s Shadow (Dane Shadow) who went back-to-back in in the 2021-22 Bunbury Cups. “He likes to have last shot at them and I thought he was as good a chance as last year,” Harrison said.
“I told Jordie to save ground. He’s only got a 250m kick and couldn’t go around them and win.”
Harrison will now target the LR Pinjarra Cup (2300m) on March 24. The last horse to complete the Bunbury Cup – Pinjarra Cups double was Lord’s Ransom (Jeune) and he did it twice in 2012 and 2008. He also won the G2 Perth Cup in 2010.
Blazing Away lunges late to win the Bunbury Cup / Photo: Western Racepix
“My horse travelled really well,” Turner told The West Australian. “We got into a reasonable spot and he did the rest although I only thought we could win at the 50m. They were stopping and he was just starting to wind up.”
Blazing Away is one of 13 Stakes-winners by former Yarradale Stud sire City Place (USA). A son of Storm Cat, he initially stood in Florida and covered over 140 mares in four books at Yarradale prior to his death in February 2018.
His dual Bunbury Cup winner is a homebred for Dandaragan-based Courtland Park owners Tony and Kerry Cockburn from their 2014 Pinjarra Cup winner Malaika (Fighting Falcon). Her subsequent foals include Northam maiden winner Mr Bling (Awesome Rock) and two colts by Maschino.
