Tony Comerford's Hell Of A Boy is tough as teak

By Glenn Davis

About 18 months ago Townsville trainer Tony Comerford feared the race track days of Hell Of A Boy were finished after the former Victorian contracted a mystery illness.

Fast forward to now and the tough-as-teak six-year-old has overcome adversity and will be lining up for start number 36 in the Open Handicap over 1460 metres at Home Hill on Thursday.

Hell Of A Boy’s career was at the crossroads in January last year when he contracted a rare illness called “Puffs”.

It struck after the gelding put together four wins and as many placings from his first 10 starts for Comerford.

Puffs is a virus which prevents horses from sweating.

While Comerford feared for Hell Of A Boy’s life, the son of Eurozone made a remarkable recovery after his temperature soared to near 40 degrees.

“He was just overcoming Puffs when he got a blood disorder as well and his temperature reached 39.5 degrees,” Comerford said.

“Because he couldn’t sweat we had to keep hosing him down to cool him off.

“He lost all his hair at one stage but once the cooler weather came he eventually began to sweat again.”  

Hell Of A Boy – a Graham Kliese mount – was nominated for the Cleveland Bay Handicap in Townsville but missed out securing a start.

“He didn’t get a run in the Cleveland Bay but he got a run in the Consolation race and was only beaten a neck by O’mudgee,” Comerford said.

“I took him to Bowen and backed him up a week later when he ran fifth to Valley Of Dreams but we think he was looking for further.

“He’s pulled up well since the Bowen run and he should be hard to beat but Home Hill is a tight track and it may be against him.”

Comerford regards himself as a hobby trainer and has a small team of four in work at Townsville.

“I work at a pump shop in Townsville but I’ve been training a long time,” he said.

“When we got Hell Of A Boy from Victoria he was only a Class 1 horse but he’s won six races for me now.

“He’s not quite up to the big winter carnival races in the north but this looks a nice race for him.”