Boy Crush showed any amount of potential at Ascot earlier this year and he’s poised to go to the next level after a first-up victory for Greenfields Lodge owner-breeder Tony Patrizi and part-owner Andrew Inglis.
The Manhattan Rain colt tracked front-runner Dawn Dancer (Headwater) and then ran her down in the Afgri Equipment Plate (1000m) at Belmont on Saturday. The runner-up was coming off a hat-trick but was fair game once Boy Crush shifted outwards into clear running for Holly Nottle.
“He’s well-above average and looks a quality colt,” trainer Luke Fernie said. “He chased down a pretty fair horse today and it’s good to have him back for Tony.” (Photo / Western Racepix)
Boy Crush had won the $80,000 Magic Millions Plate (1100m) on debut at Ascot in January defeating They’reallsisters (Splintex) but she turned the tables a fortnight later before they were both elevated to Stakes company.
“He ran a super race in the (LR) Perth Stakes but was terrible in the (G2) Karrakatta Plate,” Fernie recalled. “He’s progressed and developed since then and we will set him for the Placid Ark.”
The LR Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) carries prizemoney of $500,000 and is one of the highlights of a black-type card at Ascot on November 14.
“I was happy to camp off the strong tempo set by Dawn Dancer,” Nottle reported. “He was green in the straight but I was confident he could finish it off once his mind was on the job.”
Boy Crush (3c Manhattan Rain – Crushed by All Too Hard) is a full-brother to Man Crush who has banked $944,000 to date for syndicate managed by Luke’s father Peter Fernie. His black-type strikes include the RL Magic Millions 3YO Trophy (1200m) and LR Miss Andretti Stakes (1100m).
Patrizi bought into the family with a $350,000 bid for their NZ Group 1-winning second dam Juice (Bertolini) when she was carrying Crushed at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Manhattan Rain (Encosta De Lago) is about to commence his first book at Rangeview Stud for a $6,600 (inc GST) service fee. For bookings or further details, call Rob Gray on 0409 243 461
