Danny Bougoure can bounce back to peak if Oakleigh Girl turns around disappointment
A SUSPECTED prank call could be the start of something big for Danny Bougoure if Oakleigh Girl can salute tomorrow.
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IT was the suspected prank call that signalled the end of Danny Bougoure's years in the wilderness.
Bougoure, now 48, had shown himself to be as good as anyone at preparing a good horse.
Group 1 winners Falvelon and Scenic Peak showcased his talents, while Nauders almost won a Brisbane Cup at 100-1.
He twice prepared Falvelon to win the Hong Kong International Sprint. A dozen years on, no Aussie-based trainer has been able to replicate that success.
But the exit of Falvelon dimmed Bougoure's shining star. He even spent five years at Mornington in Victoria trying to rekindle the magic.
"I think what happens when you get horses like Falvelon and Scenic Peak, everyone thinks you put all the time into those ones and other clients go with a different trainer," Bougoure says.
"Once that happens, the winners don't come because you don't have the horses. The quality drops off and it makes it extremely hard.
"It was very frustrating. You just have to hope you come out the other side."
The "other side" came via a then unknown source.
When Steve Gillard left a voice message on Bougoure's phone three years ago, he assumed it was a prank.
"He said he was interested in taking a share, five shares or the whole lot in a Show A Heart filly I had bought. I thought it was one of my mates taking the piss out of me," Bougoure said.
"I rang about 10 mates to see which one it was. Julia Gillard was Prime Minister at the time and with him being Steve Gillard, I thought it was a gee up for sure.
"I rang him back a few hours later. Lucky I didn't wait a few days!"
That filly remains a maiden (although Bougoure insists she will win races) but it was the catalyst for one of the most talked about partnerships in Queensland racing.
Gillard wants to build a serious broodmare band, buying fillies out of Group 1 mares.
He and his wife Louise have seven horses with Bougoure and shares in another dozen.
The jewel at the moment is tomorrow's Magic Millions Classic contender Oakleigh Girl, but Bougoure says there is more quality coming through.
"I'm looking forward to the next few years," he said.
"The next 12 months to two years hopefully we will have a bit of success with Steve, he will keep buying, we will get new clients and the business will build."
And being part of big races again?
"I absolutely love it. I thrive on it. That's what you do it for. To get in the big races because they are the pinnacle," he said referring to his Flemington double with Oakleigh Girl and Longport.
"I hadn't been back (to Flemington) with two live chances for years and I was really happy for myself, my staff and Steve. When a plan comes together it's very pleasing."
Now he's dreaming of landing the $1.4 million first prize (plus $300,000 women in racing bonus) with Oakleigh Girl tomorrow.
The filly is raced by Gillard's wife Louise and Bougoure admitted the whole team, including his partner Marybeth, is on edge.
"I'm the calm one in the whole lot," he said.
"Everybody else gets a bit nervous.
"It's probably better I'm the calm one because if it goes pear shaped, it's my arse that gets kicked.
"Oakleigh Girl has a lot of similarities to Falvelon. Both very casual and tough. I think she will be hard to beat."
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