Weekend Hussler Is A Powder Puff

Now that I’ve got your undivided attention - and in response to the plethora of cards, letters and blog comments received – let me introduce you to the hero of last weekend’s racing: Freedom Tower (7g Peintre Celebre-Burst, by Marauding).

As foreshadowed in my pre-weekend post (see Lest We Forget. A Tribute To Survival Skills, below) the former $300,000 yearling Freedom Tower graced the track at WA’s remote Leonora, 235 kms north of Kalgoorlie on the Goldfields Highway.

In the hands of Ben So, Freedom Tower first won the Rating 67 1400m event then backed up three races later to win the $12,000 Leonora Cup 1600m (Rating 73) by a comfortable two lengths returning $4.00.

Freedom Tower is still part-owned by Victoria Samba/Nikolic. Given those surnames, I imagine the bookies needed blood transfusions. Prior to Leonora, he was a distant 13th of 15 in a Ratings 62 at Kalgoorlie on 10 September. Though Freedom Tower began his career around Melbourne where he was placed twice in four starts, he has been in WA since mid-2005. Since mid-2007 he raced 20 times consecutively in Kalgoorlie for three wins, prior to his northern odyssey to Leonora for easier pickings.

I’m pleased for Freedom Tower’s sake. After Leonora, there's only Laverton left, which is 120 kms further into the desert to the east of Leonora. Only winners return home from there.

Leonora has a fascinating history, like so much of outback Australia. Two things amongst the many I didn’t know is that it’s host to Australia richest foot-race, The Golden Gift, and that it was once home to Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States who was a miner and one of the founders of Zinc Corporation which later became part of Rio Tinto.

Other results from my Bushies Honour Roll of last weekend: Call A Friend 6th, Let’s Bat 2nd, Nehemiah 2nd last, Optic Fit 4th and Winning Express 4th.

Oh, let’s not forget King Sapphire. Last at Lismore, for the 43rd time.