The late John Hoare raced numerous VOBIS feature winners but none better than Red Bomber.

Hoare operated Devon Park Stud at Coldstream and bred Saturday’s VOBIS Gold Mile (1600m) winner before his death a little over two years ago.  His wife Betty continues to race in their orange and blue colours with Red Bomber a standout earning prizemoney and VOBIS bonuses over $600,000.

Red Bomber (5g Red Ransom – Hanover Fist by Flying Spur) defeated Group 1 star Trust In A Gust in last year’s VOBIS Gold Sprint (1200m) at Caulfield and he broke through at Group level in the G3 Shaftsbury Avenue Hcp (1400m) at Flemington last month.

The VOBIS Gold Mile was his 11th win in 21 starts for prizemoney and VOBIS bonuses over $600,000.  “He’s a real fighter,” trainer David Hayes said.  “He got into a really good rhythm and I was thrilled with the kick and the fight he showed.”

Red Bomber started a $3.90 favourite and Hayes reckoned he should have been as short as even-money.  He was ranked at least 14 handicap rating points higher than any other runner in a race at set weights.

A three-wide run could have trimmed that advantage in transit.  “I kept in touch with the leaders and he travelled well,” jockey Damian Lane said.  “When I let him go, he did the rest.”

Devon Park topped the Melbourne yearling sale on more than one occasion and its top-class horses included Caledonian Boy (1987 G1 Elders Mile) and Nine Tales (2009 G2 Sandown Stakes).

John Hoare was a long-standing TBV member and bred the likes of Devon Princess (VOBIS Gold Classic), Worth A Ransom (VOBIS Gold Eldorado) and Making Mayhem (VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade).

He also bred Lady Of The Pines (Bluebird) who claimed the G1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield in 1997 for former TBV committee member Emma Boling.

Betty Hoare bred Red Bomber’s dam Hanover Fist to Woodside Park Stud sire Zoustar in November.