TROUBLESOME colt Daniel Boom gave trainer Clayton Harmey and driver Blake Hughes a satisfying win as the pair added to their Newcastle Paceway premiership leads into the second half of the season on Friday night.
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Daniel Boom claimed the last race on the program for a first win in five starts spread across the past 11 months.
The three-year-old, which has twice had to complete requalifying mobile start trials after breaking in races, had gate one on Friday night and gained a sit behind leader and favourite Big Time Hustler ($2.70).
Hughes found space on the home turn to pull out three wide and Daniel Boom ($2.80) was able to catch Big Time Hustler in the final few metres for a half-neck win.
It was a victory a long time coming for Daniel Boom, which Harmey trains for his partner, Angela Morris.
"Keith Adams bred him and I've had him since he was born, and we thought he'd be pretty good," Harmey said.
"Glenn Bull drove way him back in an education trial when he was an early two-year-old and he went really good but then he started doing lots wrong. He wouldn't run around the turns.
"I was considering just giving up, but he was always light on so I sent him up to my father-in-law, Alwyn Morris, for a while to see if he could get him bigger and stronger and it took ages.
"But he started looking better so I gave him another crack. I played around, took his head-check off, which you don't usually do, let his hobbles out and fiddled around, and it's worked."
The win took Harmey to 35 for the year at Newcastle Paceway and a points total of 452, which is based on a eight-four-two system for first, second and third respectively in each race.
The Cessnock horseman leads Sydney's KerryAnn Morris, who has 26 victories and 314 points. Stacie Elliott is next on 246, from Darren Elder (232) and Adam Ruggari (160).
Hughes, who works for Harmey, also has a handy lead in the drivers' premiership, with 31 wins and 400 points. Robert Morris is next on 27 victories and 326, from Jack Callaghan (312), Josh Gallagher (296) and Grace Panella (288).
Panella also works for Harmey and the trainer was pleased to see the stable on track for another big season.
"It's going well," he said.
"Grace is up there as well, punching out the winners for us, so that's great.
"The stable is only the three of us there, and they are both doing great driving, so it's going good."
Harmey is aiming for 100 winners across NSW this season and to push his career tally, now at 974, past 1000.
"I'm past the halfway point to my goal," he said.
"I'm 53 now for the season so we'll try to get to 100 and that will get me to 1000, so it should be a good year."
In the horse of the year pointscore, Morris-trained Whats Your Secret, with 42 points from four wins, two seconds and a third, leads Comet Crusader (40), Geraldton Wax (38), Yoha (38), Man From Braavos (34), Skyfall Seventeen (34), Misterfire (32), Yesnomaybeso (32), Polka Delight (30) and Dollarsign (30).
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