Ferdinand Boy On Target For The Arrow

CUPS king Ferdinand Boy goes into Sunday's The Arrow match race series at Healesville "probably two runs away from breaking 19 seconds".

CUPS king Ferdinand Boy goes into Sunday's The Arrow match race series at Healesville “probably two runs away from breaking 19 seconds”.

That's the opinion of his trainer Dave Geall as the Fernando Boy and Nayla Swift superstar heads towards the match race clash with in form Quinlan Bale.

The four match races have brought together a fabulous line-up but Geall had a warning about his winner of 50 of 89 race starts.

FIELDS AND FORM HEALESVILLE SUNDAY

“He will still be underdone,” said Geall. “He put up a fantastic run at Goulburn in the Southern Stars, getting dragged down but still running third.

“He pulled up with lacerations on a back leg. He is such a courageous dog to overcome all that and still run third.”

He resumed for a second to another The Arrow aspirant Kepal at Healesville last Sunday.

“I didn't really expect much from him, but he went much better than I expected,” said Geall.

“It was a very promising effort. He had not trialled well in the lead-up to his return. But he is also not much of a trial dog.

“His target will be the Healesville Cup of course.”

Ferdinand Boy ran second to Zambora Lou in The Arrow last year and then went on to win the Healesville Cup. He has a career best of 18.88 at the straight track, easily the best of the eight runners in Sunday's The Arrow.

Geall reports he has been approached by 10 breeders wanting to use Ferdinand Boy at stud.

“Of course we will cater for them,” he said. “We are just waiting on his DNA.

“He has achieved a hell of a lot on the racetrack with all those country cups but he will be very difficult to retire.

“He is just like those others in this family, Where's Demonica, Up Hill Jill, My Redeemer and his mother Nayla Swift.

“All of them just wanted to be race dogs. I rarely trialled any of them. They just wanted to race.”

Geall said Ferdinand Boy would likely race on for another year.

“The Pink Diamond Veterans next year would be a nice swansong,” he said.

“He has been a remarkable dog. Taking on sheer speedsters like her does every time he races is very tough.

“There is much less margin for error in those races.”

Ferdinand Boy takes on Quinlan Boy, unbeaten in two Healesville starts including the state final of the Nation al Straight Track. He will head to Richmond next week for the grand final.

In the other matches:

Kepal comes off a last-start Healesville win win over Ferdinand Boy to take on the scorching Zigzag Cabang the winner of nine races up the straight.

In the second clash, Panama Canal is unbeaten at Healesville in five starts, and the winner of 12 of 16 starts takes on Group class Paua Of Buddy making his Healesville debut.

Kel Greenough's uneaten Aston Exceed, a half brother to superstar Aston Rupee, clashes with Silver Brute coming into the race off three straight wins.

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