Super Star Bobs combine for Highway win

While it came about by coincidence rather than design, jockey Bobby El-issa’s first Saturday metropolitan winner since beating cancer has come aboard the aptly named Super Star Bob.

The Matthew Dale-trained three-year-old gelding stepped up from a maiden debut victory on his home track at Canberra on January 6 to win Saturday’s Highway Handicap (1200m) at Randwick.

Dale has his sights on the $130,000 Listed Canberra Guineas on March 5.

“We didn’t put Bobby on because the horse is called Super Star Bob. That happened by default,” Dale said.

“It’s just a good story.”

El-issa returned in April after a battle with leukaemia and ticked off his first city winner on January 11 at a midweek meeting.

He achieved his latest milestone with his sole ride at Randwick, getting to work on Super Star Bob ($11) at the 200m mark with the horse swallowing up the field with ease.

Nic’s Vendetta ($8) was a length away second while Super Star Bob’s stablemate Clipper ($6 fav) stuck on for third after hitting the lead at the 300m mark.

“I knew today he’d be a big contender seeing as the stablemate was favourite and this horse has three or four lengths up his sleeve on that horse,” El-issa said.

“He’s still very immature in the mind. He’s lost two lengths at the 100 just looking at the post.”

Dunn said Super Star Bob and Clipper could return for another Highway race at Randwick in two weeks.