Hell Of A Boy continues fightback from career threatening disease

By Glenn Davis

They don’t come much tougher than Tony Comerford’s former Victorian, Hell Of A Boy.

The five-year-old will be chasing win number seven in his 26th start when he backs-up in the Open Handicap over 1200 metres in Townsville on Tuesday.

Comerford has given the green light for Hell Of A Boy to back-up a week after his fast finishing third to star sprinter Yes Dream over 1200 meres at Cluden Park last week.

Hell Of A Boy arrived in Comerford’s stable around 18 months ago after the son of Eurozone had won one race in six starts for his previous trainer Jerome Hunter.

Since his arrival in North Queensland, Hell Of A Boy has proven to be a great money spinner, winning a further five times but it hasn’t been without drama.

Hell Of A Boy put together four wins and as many placings in 10 starts in his first campaign for Comerford before he was struck down with a mystery illness in January.

It was later discovered he had contracted a severe case of the “puffs”, a rare virus which prevents horses from sweating as well as an auto immune disease.

Comerford believes Hell Of A Boy was lucky to survive after his temperature soared to near 40 degrees.

“He won in January this year and we put him out in the paddock for a month when he got the puffs,” Comerford said.

“He really struggled and he then got an auto immune disease and went right off.

“He was boiling and his temperature got to 39.5 degrees when he couldn’t sweat so we had to keep hosing him down.

“He lost all his hair at one stage before eventually he started to sweat again once the weather turned.”

Hell Of A Boy recovered from last year’s setback to win second-up over 1200 metres at Cluden Park in October.

Since then, the gelding has started four times without winning but has placed at his past two appearances.

“He ran well two starts ago when second behind Trevor Rowe’s horse Smart Image and I did nothing with him after that run and he backed well behind to finish third to Yes Dream last week,” Comerford said.

“He’s stepping up to 1400 metres but he’s got a good record and he’s won three times over the distance.”

Comerford has retained regular rider Bonnie Thomson for Hell Of A Boy and rates topweight Echo Point and the Georgie Holt-trained Siren Rock as the main dangers.