HOBART standardbred owner-breeders Charlie and Connie Beadman are no strangers to success but for the past few years they have been limited to removing the dust fro the old feature race trophies.
But in Launceston last Sunday night that all changed when their well bred filly Blissfull Grace, prepared at Bridport by Grant Hodges, emerged triumphant in the $30,000 Bandbox final over 2200 metres.
Sent out a 14-1 outsider, Blissfull Grace settled third and was given the run of the race by ace reinsman Ricky Duggan who was content to sit back and watch the long odds-on favourite High Flying Ruler ($1.20) race fiercely outside of Arts Bliss.
When Arts Bliss shrugged off the favourite at the top of the home straight, Duggan called on his filly for the supreme effort and she responded magnificently.
Blissfull Grace forged to the lead and went on to score convincingly from Calamity Katie and Barooga Diamond with Arts Bliss hanging on for fourth.
High Flying Ruler pulled fiercely for the last lap and capitulated to run near last.
Blissfull Grace is by Blissfull Hall from Graces Daughter, an unraced mare bred by the Beadmans from their former star pacer Ultimate Girl that won 13 from only 19 starts before her injury-enforced retirement.
The Beadmans had a great partnership with trainer Neville Webberley who prepared Ultimate Girl and many other Beadman-owned horses including 1992 Group1 Tasmanian Pacing Championship winner Thomas Magnum and Whisky Regal that was a dominant two and three-year-old and went on to win 24 and was placed 17 times from 68 starts for about $164,000 in stakes.
The Beadmans have a proiperty at Old Beach and trainer Paul Hill has recently been secured to train most of their racing stock with the exception of Blissfull Grace that has always been in Hodges’ care