Fitzroy Boy bandwagon bus aiming for Brisbane trip

By Jordan Gerrans

The Fitzroy Boy bandwagon bus will roll into Jandowae from Goondiwindi this Saturday with eyes on travelling further to Brisbane later this year.

Popular bush galloper Fitzroy Boy is in the form of his life and will contest a Battle of the Bush qualifier at Jandowae on Saturday.

The Goondiwindi-trained gelding was unlucky to not qualify for the Final on his home track two starts back as he was beaten by just over a length.

Fitzroy Boy is owned by a contingent of 16 Goondiwindi locals, who all own the same percentage share of the sprinter.

Fitzroy Boy’s trainer Barry Sheppard anticipates the ownership group from the border community will all descend on the city if the consistent gelding can qualify for the big dance.

“If he wins, the syndicate that owns him will be there,” Sheppard said.

“They have a bus load going over to cheer him on at Jandowae.

“There is more than 10 of them and they follow him around everywhere he goes.”

The six-year-old gelding is a seven time career winner from 30 starts.

Three of those victories have come in his last five trips to the races.

Veteran horseman Sheppard refers to Fitzroy Boy as an “immature little fella” in previous preparations, but says that is all over now.

As well as the three recent wins, he has also finished in the money twice with his worst result being a fourth place finish in 2023.

“He is going really well this time in,” he said.

“I am really happy with him. I think giving him time has helped, he has really matured and put a lot of weight on this time in.

“We have had a few short preparations but him but now we have got him going.”

The son of Fast 'N' Famous has mostly raced in Benchmark grade races this year and faces the step up to an Open Handicap over 1200 metres on Saturday.

Fitzroy Boy won on the dirt at Flinton in early April and will need to do it again on Saturday with Jandowae a dirt surface.

“The alley is a worry,” Sheppard said of drawing barrier 11.

“It will be a good test for him but he ran well in the Battle of the Bush qualifier here, he ran second to Moscini.

“He likes his home track of Goondiwindi. But, he can handle the dirt.”

Brisbane-based apprentice Lilli Barr has retained the ride for the BOTB heat after winning on Fitzroy Boy twice already this year.

“The last seven or so months she has really picked up,” Sheppard said of Barr.

Sheppard qualified the now-retired Essaka for the Country Stampede Final of 2020 with the mare finishing fifth in her second last race start.

The experienced conditioner was hopeful of also targeting Elusive Eagle from his stable towards the BOTB qualifiers but the gelding has not had enough non-TAB starts to be eligible.

The 73-year-old prepares a small team of three gallopers and rides much of his own track work.

“I shoe them, I ride them and I feed them,” he said with a laugh.

“I do everything at the moment.”

Sheppard will also have A Pretty Penny from his stable heading to Jandowae on Saturday as the mare chases her second career victory.

“It is just trial and error with her at the moment,” he said.

“She won her maiden at her first start in a race but since then she has done things wrong.”

The Jandowae BOTB qualifier has attracted a strong field of 11 runners.

Mount Isa will also host a BOTB heat on Saturday, with seven from the North West set to face the starter.

The Battle of the Bush will feature 16 qualifiers (two per country region) across the state, with the final heats to be staged at Barcaldine on June 10.

Click here for more information on the Battle of the Bush Series.