Glenn Elliott’s 2022 Garrard’s Horse and Hound BOTRA Cup
This year’s rendition of the Listed BOTRA Cup proved to be an exciting event with the winner, Two Bob Cracker popping off the fence in the straight to sprint over the top of Acuto in the final stride.
The entire field stepped away from the 2503-meter stand-start expertly with driver Shannon Suvaljko dropping Twobob Cracker in on the fence behind the leader Joey James.
Favourite Master Yossi was sent forward to the breeze where he worked keenly on the bit for driver Ryan Warwick. At the 600 meter mark the Chris Phatouris trained Acuto started to track three wide and hit the lead halfway down the straight until Twobob Cracker flew at him after having an economical run to take honours by a short half head.
Hopelands trainer Glenn Elliot shares ownership in Twobob Cracker with Stephen Wojtowicz and there must have been anxious moments for the pair as at the horse’s previous start he had been held up on the fence in the Kerry Clarke 4&5 Year Old Westbred Classic finishing fifth. The gelding now takes his earnings to almost $98,000 with the BOTRA Cup being his tenth victory.
As a yearling Twobob Cracker was the second lot into the ring at the 2019 APG Perth Yearling sales and left the ring unsold which would have been disappointing for his breeder KTC Bloodstock. The following day Elliott was successful in buying the son Art Major for $22,500.
Elliott had been the educator and early trainer of Twobob Cracker’s dam Where Dreams Grow for owner Kody Charles and watched her career unfold for Justin Prentice when she won 12 and collected $103,800 clocking the fast-winning time of 1.54.7 at headquarters.
Art Major has been a top-class sire during his career and currently stands at Alabar Farm in Victoria for $14,000.
Glenn, Shannon and Kody are all second or third generation harness racing horsemen and it is a fitting result for the leading Association that has endeavored to look after the interests of Breeders, Owners, Trainers and Reinspersons in Western Australia for more than 70 years.
