Boonen has champion name to live up to

​24 February 2012 - With a champion’s name and wearing world champion racing colours, it came as no surprise to see lightly-raced Ararat square-gaiter Boonen power home to win last night’s CV Batteries Vicbred Trotters Handicap at Lord’s Raceway Bendigo. In the cycling world the name Boonen is synonymous with greatness, the world champion Belgian rider has been idolised during a long and chequered career in his sport. Former Australian champion cyclist Gary Hull races and trains the trotter Boonen, naming his horse after the 2005 World Road Race Champion. “We’re a cycling family and when this horse was a foal, he was a big, strong foal and I knew we had to give him a suitable name, Boonen was an obvious choice to us. When Boonen rides he is strong, he is big and just doesn’t give in,” Hull said. Last night four-year-old Yankee Paco gelding Boonen lived up to those expectations, finishing powerfully to take out the Vicbred Trot by a 3.5 metre margin. Driven by Mark Hayes, Boonen, the $2.30 race favourite zoomed home from after being three wide late in the race to defeat Adamiska and My Archie Way. It was Boonen’s fourth win from just 11 starts and Hull has high hopes for the trotter who appears to be getting better each time he races. “Mark (Hayes) does a good job with the big horse, he needs a bit of steering around,” Hull said. Boonen not only has a champion name to live up to, he also carries a champion set of colours. “His racing colours (white, blue, red, black, yellow and green hoops) are identical to the Rainbow jersey worn by the reigning world champion in bicycle racing. “ I didn’t hold much hope of Harness Racing Australia registering them when we submitted them as our colours, but I am glad they did, cycling is in our blood and it’s great to combine it with our passion for harness racing.” Gary’s name is in the cycling record books as the winner of a couple of Australian titles on the track and now his son, 17- year- old Evan is carrying the flag. Evan can lay claim to being among the best in Australian cycling circles and has been selected to represent Australia at the World Track Titles in New Zealand in August. The harness racing bug stems from the maternal side of the Hull family with Gary’s wife Tracy, a daughter of harness racing veteran Mick Bond. “I guess you could say I married into harness racing when I married into the Bond family 29 years ago,” Hull said. “It’s been great, we love it and have had our share of success including racing the Bendigo Sires’ (Vicbred) winner Sundons Pride.” As for trotter Boonen, he has it all in front of him and just like his cycling namesake, he looks like he could be around and winning for a while yet. - David Aldred
See more photos from last night's races in the Photo Gallery