News & Media

02 May 2008 Draper Looks for Quinella In Sires

Seventy-four-year-old Narrogin farmer Jim Draper holds the whip hand in the $20,000 J and L Fruit and Vegetable Distributors State Sires Series for four-year-old horses and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

He trains Jack Cantell and Boot Man, who have been in excellent form on Great Southern tracks and look set to fight out the finish of the 2130m event even though both geldings fared badly in the random draw.

Grant Williams will drive Boot Man, who will begin from No. 7 and Nathan Turvey will drive Jack Cantell, who will start from barrier eight.

This should prove the definitive test between the Armbro Intercept geldings. Turvey drove Jack Cantell (8/1) to a thrilling last-stride victory by a head over 7/4 on favourite Adda Double Dip in the two-year-old leg of the Sires in July 2006. Boot Man, a 20/1 chance and driven by Shane Butterworth, ran home from eighth at the bell to finish third.

Then Boot Man turned the tables when he started at 20/1 (and at 36/1 on the tote) and thundered home from tenth at the bell to win by just over a length from Jack Cantell (6/1), who finished powerfully from the rear in the three-year-old leg last May. Adda Double Dip, the 2/1 on favourite, led and finished fourth.

Williams drove Boot Man and Turvey was the driver of Jack Cantell.

Boot Man and Jack Cantell are the most experienced runners in this week's event. Boot Man has had 50 starts for four wins, 21 placings and earnings of $86,185. Jack Cantell has had 47 starts for 14 wins, 13 placings and $141,920.
Jack Cantell, a versatile pacer, has been unplaced at his past three starts in good company on Great Southern tracks. He won at Narrogin at two of his three previous starts.

Turvey has driven Boot Man to wins at Narrogin last month and last Friday night. Boot Man simply does not know how to run a poor race. Draper bred him from Runya, a mare he bred and raced with success on country tracks.

Chief rivals for Boot Man and Jack Cantell appear to be the inexperienced Morgan Valance, Jay Factor and Barden Tee.

Morgan Valance, trained by Peter Anderson and driven by Morgan Woodley, impressed at his fourth start when he surged home from eighth at the bell to win easily from Jay Factor over 1730m at Gloucester Park last Saturday night.

Jay Factor put up an outstanding performance to race three wide throughout and fight on from sixth at the bell. He is perfectly drawn at No. 1 in Friday night's race. Barden Tee has been unplaced at his past four starts after winning three races earlier in the season. He will have admirers from barrier two.