Boon excited by new recruit Bockos Buster

Buster delights Boon

Kevin Boon has high hopes for Bockos Buster ahead of his 79th East Anglian Derby semi-final at Yarmouth on Wednesday.

The August 2023 whelp impressed when landing his heat in fine style and showed tremendous early speed to turn in front after taking a bump out of the boxes.

A well-bred son of Ballymac Best and Ballymac Ariel, he arrived at Boon’s kennel from Liam Dowling in the summer and has won three of his four starts since crossing the Irish Sea.

His handler thinks he is very useful and believes he could be the best dog he has had for some time.

“He is good,” said Boon.

“He’s got great early and he is learning, as he’s only had four races for us and he has won three of them. He did a 5.08 sectional at Yarmouth last month which is phenomenal

“I have to thank Graham and Bev (Lochead) for buying a dog of that quality from Liam Dowling.

“It’s great for me because the last time I had anything in my kennel as good as that was Shaneboy Freddie and Murrys Act. It gives you that little bit of a lift as you know you’re going out there with something good.”

Still improving?

Bockos Buster is still relatively lightly raced and Boon was quick to reply when asked if he thinks there is more to come from him.

He added: “Definitely. I’d love to qualify on Wednesday and then I think he can put in a big race in the final.”

“I’ve known Yarmouth for many years and to be good around there, you need three or four looks because when you’ve got pace likes he’s got, you must learn to run those first two bends. 

“You can move off so easily and he has been doing that, but he drove the bends fantastically well last week and that’s what we’ve been looking for from him. 

“The worst thing that he is doing at the moment is anticipating the break too early and he completely missed it on his third run for us (23rd August), but hopefully that is his blip out of the way”

Happy with the draw

Boon was pleased to see his dog allocated trap three in the semi-finals and Bockos Buster is likely to be a warm order for the contest.

He continued: “I was very happy with the draw. He was out in trap five last week and he came straight inwards, so I’d say trap three would be perfect for him. 

“But you have to give full respect to the dogs you’re racing against because I’ve seen it too many times in this game that you think you’ve got the best dog in the race and you can be taken out at the first bend.”

Boon doesn’t have any firm plans for him after the East Anglian Derby yet but he believes his charge will get further in time.

“He is only an August 2023 whelp and I think he can get stronger, “ explained Boon.

“I’ve put a bit of weight on him the last two or three weeks and he’s handling it perfectly, so he might just stay that bit better.

“I know Yarmouth is only 462m but what a lot of people don’t realise is that it’s like a true 480m-plus. They’re long straights and when you think you’ve won a race coming off that last bend, I’ve been there many, many times and seen dogs pick us up, and we’ve picked up dogs too.”