By Glenn Davis
Chris Munce celebrated one of his biggest paydays as a trainer when Boomsara claimed the $250,000 QTIS Two-Year-Old Jewel at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Boomsara, ridden by Matt Mc Gillivray, led all the way to down the fast finishing Plumaro by one length in the 1200-metre feature.
Hopes Eternal, who was at the rear of the field with Plumaro mid-race, flashed home for third, a further 2-1/2 lengths away.
Munce had a strong affinity with the Gold Coast track before retiring from race riding a few seasons ago following a star-studded career in the saddle which included three Magic Millions Classics victories.
As a trainer he hasn’t taken long to hit his mark and is currently in the top 10 in the Brisbane trainers’ premiership.
Munce has a big opinion of Boomsara who cost $45,000 at the Magic Millions yearling sales.
“He’s a very good horse and putting blinkers on him today made the difference,” Munce said.
“He’s always shown ability but he’s improved since we gelded him.”
Munce is now likely to target the rich juvenile races during the Brisbane winter carnival with Boomsara who has now won two of his three starts.
Boomsara’s QTIS Jewel triumph boosted his prizemoney by a mammoth $152,500 to almost $175,000.
Earlier a Matt Dunn master training performance was overshadowed when former Sydneysider Mediterranean bled from both nostrils and was barred for three months following his dominant win in the Class Three Plate (900m).
Mediterranean was having his first Queensland start and his first run for more than 10 months when the four-year-old downed Aggravate by one length.
Mediterranean was formerly trainer by Team Snowden in Sydney and had not started since running last at Rosehill on June 3 last year.
The four-year-old had only started nine times before entering Dunn’s Murwillumbah stables with his only win in a Canterbury maiden in July, 2016.
The son of former top sprinter Smart Missile was part of the Newgate Farm draft when he was knocked down for $280,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions sales.
Dunn, who bought Mediterranean at an on-line auction, was hoping to qualify Mediterranean for the $500,000 Country Championship final at Randwick next month.
Racing Queensland webnews March 17