Gunboat delivers Flemington trainer Mathew Ellerton emotional win with penultimate runner

Gunboat posted an emotional win at Bendigo on Sunday as the penultimate runner for Flemington trainer Mathew Ellerton, set to take a step back to focus on his health.

Gunboat ridden by Joe Bowditch wins for trainer Mathew Ellerton at Bendigo. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Gunboat posted an emotional win at Bendigo on Sunday as the penultimate runner for Flemington trainer Mathew Ellerton, set to take a step back from the profession to focus on his health.

Ellerton suffered a stroke while on a family holiday in Bali earlier in the year.

The 15-time Group 1-winner, behind in rehabilitation following the health scare and a few setbacks including a frozen shoulder, last week revealed the tough decision to close his stable.

Wife Leah and loyal stable staff worked tirelessly the past six months, along with fellow Flemington horseman and former co-trainer, cousin Simon Zahra, to keep the business afloat in Ellerton’s absence.

The Ellertons watched Gunboat’s win from home on Sunday before an early birthday party for son Jacob.

“It was a bit emotional for both of us,” Leah said.

“It was (jockey) Joe’s (Bowditch) interview after the race that got me going, he got a bit emotional Joe too.

“It was really lovely, he’s helped us out a lot Joe... hopefully the one on Wednesday goes well for our last runner.”

Bowditch is slated to ride Fragile Love — Ellerton’s last runner — on Wednesday at Caulfield Heath in a 1000m Fillies and Mares Benchmark 70.

“She always runs well that horse, she ran second last time and she likes Caulfield, hopefully she can win,” Leah said.

Bowditch on Sunday sealed a special race-to-race double at Bendigo, with victory on Gunboat and then Hionado for Zahra.

Gunboat burns the candle at both ends, clinging onto the lead from the fast-finishing import, Courting Emily 💨🕯️

Joe Bowditch & @EllertonRacing continue their strong partnership 🤝 pic.twitter.com/B4UQ4rzWN8

— Racing.com (@Racing) December 15, 2024

“Obviously one of the last chances I’m going to get to ride for Mat,” Bowditch said.

“Nice to go out a winner, just another masterclass of how good of a horse trainer he is.

“The horse was beautifully placed in a race he could win second-up.”

Bowditch sped to the front on Gunboat and rated the Omaha Beach three-year-old gelding perfectly to win the 1500m Maiden from the fast-finishing Courting Emily.

Ellerton has not completely ruled out a return to racing in some form potentially in the future but family and health must come first.

“He’s just had a few setbacks, a frozen shoulder, so he had to have that injected so that put him behind with physio and then he got shingles on his affected arm,” Leah said.

“It just set him back again with the physio, apart from that he’s OK.

“If he had been having the physio how he should’ve he would’ve probably been back to right, but it’s probably a few months behind now.

“He looks amazing in his face, you would never know, it’s just his arm is the problem, once he’s better I’m sure we won’t see the end of him, that’s for sure.

“He’s too good a trainer to go on the scrap heap, but he just needs time to recover to the best he can.”

Ellerton has trained more than 1500 winners including 847 in partnership with Zahra.

His Group 1 winners include the 2010 Golden Slipper (Crystal Lily), VRC Oaks (Aristia) and Newmarket Handicap (Zoutori).

Originally published as Gunboat delivers Flemington trainer Mathew Ellerton emotional win with penultimate runner