Cosmic Bonus All Set For Ipswich Cup Test

GRAFTON superstar Cosmic Bonus heads to Ipswich for the heats of the Group 3 Gold Cup (520m) on Thursday night but has another target on the horizon as well.

The son of Cosmic Rumble-Dark And Stormy has drawn box five in his heat and comes up against recent Ipswich Futurity winner Velocity Bettina.

It will be the first start at Ipswich for Cosmic Bonus since he ran an unlucky second to Fab Fit in the Ipswich Cup last year.

“We are looking at standing him at stud soon and are having semen drawn from him this week.

“But the win record could be something to aim for.”

Cosmic Bonus has started 120 times for 58 wins, 20 seconds and 15 thirds for $372,000 in stakes.

“We have had people say to us we should retire him,” said Evelyn. “But he loves to race, he really enjoys it. And his training is only a swim every second day so we are not putting him under any stress.”

Evelyn said husband Len takes Cosmic Bonus, or Double Dot as he is known around the kennels, to a boat ramp at Grafton where he shares swimming duties behind a row boat with a number of racehorses.

“It is amazing to see,” said Evelyn. “Some of the horses will even play up until Cosmic Bonus is brought over to them.”

Cosmic Bonus is a white dog with two brindle patches on his head. The Harris' had a similarly marked dog many, many years ago. “His racing name was Big Woolley and he was by Woolley Wilson. He was 42 kilos, raced 110 times for 34 wins.

“We do not normally give our dogs the same kennel name, but it was too much of a coincidence between that Double Dot and this Double Dot,” said Evelyn.

“They are both white with a brindle patch on one ear and another on the top of their head.”

Evelyn and Len have four Cup heat runners.

The others are Lenray Bonus, Bad Neighbour and Fran's Bonus. Evelyn gives Lenray Bonus a strong chance.

“Cosmic Bonus is not well drawn in the five,” she said.