Boaz the boss at Gloucester Park
Trainer Gary Hall compared Beaudiene Boaz with former champion Im Themightyquinn after the Kiwi import stylishly won tonight's Snax Catering WA Derby Prelude Pace (2130m) at Gloucester Park.
Beaudiene Boaz ($1.04), driven by Hall's son Gary Jr, set a solid pace and rated 1:57 in drawing away to beat Denny Crane ($14.80) by 8m.
Assassinator ($11) finished 6m back in third place.
Hall Sr says Beaudiene Boaz, unbeaten in five WA starts, "is as good as any three-year-old I've trained".
"Beaudiene Boaz is a better three-year-old than Quinnie was when he joined our stable at that age," Hall said.
"Quinnie was a hard pulling youngster who took time to become a genuine racing proposition. He impoved sharply as a four-year-old.
"In contrast, Beaudiene Boaz is very professional. He's settled and has the attitude of a mature pacer. The colt was unextended tonight and has a big future."
Hall Jr backed his father's high rating of Beaudiene Boaz.
"This colt is very exciting," Hall Jr said. "I had pre-race nerves, knowing our expectations of this horse."
Hall Sr said Beaudiene Boaz was aimed at a series of feature events.
He is set for next Friday's Caduceus Club Classic, followed by the Western Gateway and WA Derby.
"I won't be tempted to take him to Eastern States races," Hall Sr said.
"He will be kept here and set for Inter Dominion Championships. The Inters will be run here for the next three years and I won't risk travelling him to other states."
Hall said three-year-old American Boy had arrived from New Zealand to join his stable and would also be a Derby starter.
"He won at his only start over there," Hall said. "American Boy has settled in well."
Hokonui Ben, who won last season's WA Pacing Cup for Hall, will return to his stable.
The gelding was transferred to trainer-reinsman Aldo Cortopassi soon after his cup victory. He was also a winner for Cortopassi.
"Hokonui Ben's now back with us and is having an eight-week spell before resuming work," Hall said.
Champion reinsman Chris Lewis scored an all-the-way win with the Ross Olivieri-trained Dynamite Dude in tonight's Mulberry Estate Autumn Championship (2130m).
Dynamite Dude ($1.70) defeated Crombie ($27.50) by 3.5m and Northview Punter ($5.80) was a further neck back in third place.
Dynamite Dude, who registered a 1.55.7 rate, will now be spelled.
Olivieri plans to give the gelding a long break before he begins preparation for the Inter Dominion series in November and December.
"It was a good performance by Dynamite Dude," Lewis said. "He was pressured early but comfortably held rivals at the finish."
