Climb up to the winners’ circle Sonnyboy

FANS – and those tortured by their fathers playing his music – would have backed at least one winner in Kilmore last night.

Once touted as the ‘the world’s greatest entertainer’, Al Jolson was a phenomenon during the early 1900s

Along with being the biggest act on Broadway, Jolson was the star of the first talking motion picture in 1927.

Among Jolson’s hits is the ballad Sonny Boy – the name of the Castlemaine Trot winner at the provincial meeting.

Trained and driven by Jack Sullivan, Sonnyboy continued his handy form to register his second win – having also been runner-up twice – at his ninth start for the season.

“He’s a nice type, but just brings himself undone at times,” Sullivan said. “His mum was a nervous type and he’s always been that way, but he is starting to become more tractable after 90-odd starts!

“He can pull himself into the ground quite often as he’s too headstrong, but last night he was a lot more relaxed.”

Beginning well from barrier four, Sonnyboy was settled in the perfect one-one trail as Starlight Red led and Aldebaran Denbay worked in the ‘death seat’.

“I was hoping to find the front from the draw, but I knew Starlight Red would beat me out,” Sullivan said. “Then when I saw one coming across on my outside, I grabbed hold and he came back to me and relaxed straight away.

“He doesn’t always relax like that, so when he did, my confidence grew.”

Three-wide around the home turn, Sonnyboy sprinted to a three-and-a-half metre win from Sioux Warrior, with Starlight Redseven metres away third.

Rating 2:05 over a rain-affected 2050 metres, the son of Majestic Son took his record to 10 wins and 15 placings from 96 starts for earnings of $59,145.

“I was very happy with that,” Sullivan said. “He’ll have a couple of easy days now before I look at racing him in Maryborough on the 29th.

“I did back him up quicker a few starts ago but he didn’t go so well at his second run, so I’ll stick spacing them as much as I can.”

HOOFNOTE: My siblings and I fit into the tortured category as our father would crank up the volume on his Jolson album after having a few too many!