Harness racing: Trainer Scotty Ewen aiming 10-year-old Bulletproof Boy at Group 1 Hunter Cup

Bulletproof Boy is racing in career-best form as a 10-year-old which has prompted his trainer to finally run him in the Group 1 Hunter Cup next month.

Bulletproof Boy is striving for the biggest win of his career in the Group 1 Ballarat Cup on Saturday night. Picture: Stuart McCormick

Popular Victorian trainer Scotty Ewen can’t believe what he is seeing.

Almost eight years after his stable star Bulletproof Boy raced for the first time, somehow the now 10-year-old has “gone to a whole new level”.

The gelding is strongly favoured to land the biggest win of his career in Saturday night’s $100,000 Group 2 Ballarat Cup.

It will be Bulletproof Boy’s 204th race start in an almost eight-year career which has netted 45 wins, 44 placings and $647,541 in prizemoney.

“It’s scary watching him work at home. We’re in awe of him and how he’s gone to a whole new level,” Ewen said.

“There’s no real reason for him, but this past couple of months is the best he’s ever gone. He’s got a new lease on life.”

It has spurred Ewen to chase his dream and run Bulletproof Boy in Victoria’s biggest race, the Group 1 Hunter Cup, for the first time on February 1.

“It’s the bucket list race, so sure,” he said.

“He’s probably been going well enough to have a crack at it in years gone by, but I’ve deliberately skipped it and aimed for easier races around the same time because I’ve felt he hasn’t been ready for a crunching race like a Hunter Cup.

“He is now and that Bendigo (Cup) win last start proved it to me and everyone else. He didn’t have a soft run to win, he made a mid-race move and then still outsprinted them again at the finish. He was the best run of the race.

“He’s always had the high speed, but what’s changed is the toughness. He gets that from his mum (My Riviera Girl). I bought her from NZ. She won 19 races for me and did all the work to win half of them.

“I always hoped he’d get tougher in time, but it’s taken a while.

“It’s extra special to have bought the mum, raced her with success and then breed from her and her son is even better than her.”

The Ol Marvel 🌟

Veteran Bulletproof Boy has proved age is no barrier as he lunges late to grab hot favourite Tact Mcleod on the line for driver James Herbertson and trainer Scott Ewen to win the Group 2 Garrards Horse & Hound Bendigo Pacing Cup. pic.twitter.com/EuCEHX3Yd2

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) January 4, 2025

Ewen credits young gun James Herbertson with playing a role in Bulletproof Boy’s improvement and is sweating on getting him to drive the veteran again at Ballarat as he did at Bendigo.

“Wasn’t that a heck of a drive at Bendigo? I’ll happily drive him myself and he goes well for me, but ‘Herbie’ is a genius and I’d love him aboard again,” he said.

Herbertson, a runaway winner in last year’s Australian drivers’ premiership, has the choice of Bulletproof Boy, last week’s Shepparton Cup winner Kanena Provlima or the Emma Stewart-trained Mach Dan for his Ballarat Cup drive.

“Here’s my sell to Herbie. My horse has never gone better, he’s drawn ideally (gate three) and I’m sure he’s got the speed to hold them all out and lead,” Ewen said.

“He’s a great frontrunner, too. He hasn’t had many chances to show it from some bad draws, but he flies in front and that’s where I think and want him to be from the good draw this week.”

This will be Bulletproof Boy’s second tilt at the Ballarat Cup after running 11th last year.

He’s also contested two Victoria Cups (2022 and ’23), the finishing almost alongside Australia’s champion pacer Leap To Fame when fifth in the 2023 Cup won by Act Now.

“That shows he’s always had it, but there’s no doubt he’s racing much better now and that gives me a lot of confidence going into Ballarat and to have a crack at our first Hunter Cup,” Ewen said.

• Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp

Originally published as Harness racing: Trainer Scotty Ewen aiming 10-year-old Bulletproof Boy at Group 1 Hunter Cup