EMERALD warhorse Boot Shaker has earned his place in the $30,000 Cannonball Series Final to be run on November 30 at Kilcoy.
Part-time trainer Raymond Williams was delighted with the effort of Boot Shaker to finish second in a qualifying event, over 860m, at Gatton on November 21 when he defied a substantial weight differential to claim a major slice of the prizemoney.
With Hannah English in the saddle, Boot Shaker chased hard to run second behind Godfather's Girl, ridden by Allanah Fancourt and which proved best on the day to win by more than two lengths.
But Godfather's Girl did carry four kilograms less than Boot Shaker, burdened with 58.5kg. Interestingly, Boot Shakes finished three lengths ahead of the third placed Airno, which also shouldered less weight.
Williams said the run was an ideal opener to Boot Shaker's Cannonball (800m) quest.
"It was his first run since Feburary and he was unable to cross them and get to the fence with the big weight," Williams said.
"Yet he kept fighting all the way to the line and I am sure he will be at the top of his game when the final is on."
Rather than put Boot Shaker on the float for the road trip back to Emerald, Williams has arranged to stable the gelding with Nanango mentor Glenn Richardson.
"We stayed with Glenn when we came down before moving on to Gatton for the race and it worked out well," Williams said.
"Glenn will look after him for the next few days and I will be back down in time for the final."
Williams said English would retain the mount in the Cannonball final.
Williams, who retired from his days in the saddle because of increasing weight, said Boot Shaker was a family favourite and a star of his small stable.
"Before I got him he was trained by my partner (Tracey Leake), who just loves him and the children adore the old boy," Williams said.
"He has always been a good horse but when he was trained by Grant Wiles at Julia Creek there was hardly a race for him.
"Boot Shaker is super fast and consistent and that comes against him because he often gets big weights and 1000m is probably as far as he wants.
"But we can't fault him. He is a sweet tooth. Before he works he has two lumps of sugar and another two afterwards. Tracey has ensured Glenn has a supply to cover him for the next week or so."
Williams is Boot Shaker's fifth trainer, taking control after Les Clarke, John McMahon, Wiles and Leake.
By the quicksilver sprinter All Bar One, Boot Shaker has banked more than $74,000 in prizemoney from his eight wins and 19 placings.
Qualified Cannonball runners are - Flame Of Liberty, Si Si Sequalo, Cambooya Rock, Bella Occhi, Godfather's Girl and Boot Shaker.
After the Cannonball, Williams will take Boot Shaker back to Emerald in the hope of settling an old score in a 1000m dash on his home track on New's Year eve, a race in which he was nosed out last year.