BOOTS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE SUNSHINE COAST

By Graham Potter | Saturday, November 22, 2025

He is a two-year-old who made headlines before he’d even run a race.

The Stuart Kendrick trained Boots, a son of Capitalist, won his only trial by 6.85 lengths which immediately caught the attention of Hong Kong racing interests and that, in turn, led to a substantial offer to purchase being made to the Boots ownership group.

Those connections rejected that approach with the lure of Magic Millions riches in January very much on their agenda.

With that buildup, the debut run of Boots in a QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap at the Sunshine Coast today was always going to attract attention … but, this time, the report back was not favourable.

In fact, it was downright concerning.

Jumping as the race favourite at $1.85 Boots could not get in or make enough of a forward move with any real intent from the wide barrier draw (number 10), which left him racing wide in midfield in the first half of the race.

Boots cornered in seventh place, three lengths off the leader on straightening … and that was the closest he was going to get.

Instead of accelerating, Boots was quick to give up the fight, already dropping away from the 350m mark and steadily falling back through the field to ultimately be the last runner across the line, finishing tailed off 16.26 lengths behind the winner Scartoon ($8), who, in stark contrast, had gone straight to the front from the break and made every post a winning one.

Clearly that result in no way represents Boots’ true ability, particularly taking into account the fact that jockey Jake Bayliss did not persevere with Boots over the final 200m, a decision which will now draw attention to the next report on Boots … namely that which reveals what Bayliss’s feedback is, what the steward’s report states and if there is any vet related issues in that report.

You would expect there will be a good reason for the run.

‘That’s racing’, they say … so often a double-edged sword, in this case from a state of high anticipation to a big offer and Magic Millions’ aspirations taking a back seat.

Of course, this is just one run at the start of Boots’ career and it does not necessarily define his future prospects but, for now at least, it is back to the drawing board for all concerned.

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