He’s All Go and Grande Vue Ace triumph in Group 1 features
Pictured: He’s All Go has now won three Group 1 races from 13 starts.
Powerful and very impressive is the apt way of describing the victors from both of Friday’s Wanganui Greyhound Racing Club-hosted Group 1 races. The winners came from completely contrasting kennels, during an evening of high quality chasing action conducted in wet weather conditions.
The precocious youngster He’s All Go secured his third Group 1 title, strongly winning the 520m $30,000 Hatrick Classic for Lisa Cole.
And the first-lady of South Canterbury greyhound racing, Grande Vue Ace, annexed her second Group 1 victory when delivering her stylish mistake-free win in the $30,000 Wanganui Distance over 755m for her owner and trainer Bob Pringle.
The pace was on from the second the 520m traps lifted in the Hatrick Classic, with Blazin’ Master fully using his trap-one draw to secure the early race lead. Quickly punching forward was the black racing vest worn by the warm $1.80 favourite, He’s All Go.
They bumped together when rounding the first turn, then the kennelmates cleared out from their rivals, with Blazin’ Master setting the pace when racing down the back straight. When rounding the final turn, the pair were locked together.
He’s All Go used his strength during the run home, and despite moving out to the centre of the track, he proved too strong for Blazin’ Master, claiming him by a length and a half margin, clocking a respectable 30.10, when taking into account the poor weather.
Palawa Queen was involved in the chase after the pace-setters and she stylishly finished off her race to claim third, another 1.5 lengths behind for her conditioners Dave and Jean Fahey.
“I was slightly nervous when I saw He’s All Go begin very good, then I saw him hit Big Time Trade. He then bounced off Blazin’ Master on the first turn, and I was worried that they would take each other out. Fortunately, they stayed apart when racing down the back straight, then He’s All Go simply out-finished Blazin’ Master.
“He is a very smart greyhound and I’m very pleased for his owners, some of whom have been through some tough times,” said Brendon Cole, while adding, “We will keep him ticking over around here, then he will go to Addington for the Trevor Wilkes Memorial (9 May).”
Paul Claridge, the manager of the high-profile owning White Horse Toaster syndicate, was understandably excited with He’s All Go’s third Group 1 victory, which has come from just 13 races. The son of Aston Dee Bee and Big Time Izzy has quickly accumulated $79,429 in stake earnings, the result of 11 wins and a second placing
“He certainly impressed when stepping up against the big boys – he’s a young dog, with an old head on him. He doesn’t mind sitting in the slipstream, then pressing the go button at the right time.
“For him to run past a proven Group 1 winner like Blazin’ Master in the way he did was surreal. We are a very happy camp at the moment. We are having a ball – a fantastic ride with him.
“He’s All Go is a putting a positive perspective on what greyhound racing is all about and we have to thank Lisa, Brendon, Ella and the team at the kennels. Without them we would have nothing,” expressed an appreciative Claridge, who is also enjoying considerable success with members of the two All About Space litters currently racing.
Wanganui Distance
Pictured: Grande Vue Ace proved too strong in the Group 1 Wanganui Distance.
The Bob Pringle-conditioned Grande Vue Ace was poetry in motion in the manner that she dispensed of her 755m staying rivals in the Wanganui Distance.
She settled midfield after exiting from trap-eight and remarkably, her brilliant track sense saw the daughter of Dyna Dave and Replica Casino racing along the rail in fourth when rounding the first turn.
Meanwhile, up front, a strong pace was being set by the Kelly Lincoln-Papuni-prepared Drought, as he led the field around the first turn, maintaining that lead until commencing the final turn.
Grande Vue Ace had been bowling along sweetly down the back straight, from where she loomed up ominously to rail underneath Drought when rounding the last bend, kicking away to score her effortless 7.5 length victory, recording 44.79.
Northern trainer Corey Steele had qualified two finalists, and it was Opawa Rat who, after settling in the rear group, finished powerfully to nail the second placing, holding a 1.75 length margin over a very gallant Drought in third.
“She was absolutely unbelievable – she completely blew me away. I’m overwhelmed by the little girl,” advised Pringle. “Her racing traits are amazing – I’m totally delighted with her.
“To me, it was the perfect race by her. I’m very lucky and fortunate to have bred her and now, training and racing her.
“She was pulling on the lead Saturday morning and she has come through the race perfectly,” said Pringle, who advised that visiting family in Palmerston North was behind the decision to race her over 660m on Tuesday (Race 1).
Pringle then outlined his immediate plans for the dual Group 1 winner. “She’ll race in the Kingston Cup heats (732m, 2 May) and then she’ll go up to Auckland for the Silver Collar heats (779m, 2 June), which is her main target.”
Victory in those races will obviously be a tremendous boost to Grande Vue Ace’s stake earnings, which now sits at a tidy $101,996, the result of 14 wins and 31 minor placings from her 72 raceday outings.
Pawnote: And in further Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar news, advice that the trainer of the 2017 Silver Collar winner Ring The Bell (who Ray Adcock also mentored to win the 2018 edition) Gerry O’Keeffe is returning to have another crack at the great race.
“I’m sending over Boom Lateral to Rob Roper on 1 May, then arriving myself on 14 May. I don’t care what other stayers cross the Tasman from Australia and I don’t care what Kiwi stayers are in the race. As long as he holds together, this bloke will not get beaten,” emphasised a confident O’Keeffe.
“I set Boom Lateral for the Silver Collar 10 weeks ago and he is the fastest dog I’ve had since Ring The Bell – the Club (Auckland) may as well inscribe his name on the Silver Collar now,” stated O’Keefe!
Top racing on the Undercard
As usual during a premier meeting, the support card produced numerous high-class performances.
The two $10,000 feature 305m sprint finals saw Marcie Flipp maintaining her tidy current successful patch of kennel form with Allegro Tori, when she mentored the $48.30 shot to nail her 17.67 win in the Bitches Sprint final.
Canterbury trainer Matt Roberts tasted victory in the Dogs Sprint Final with Claws In Sparky, who scampered clear to secure his 17.63 victory to make it a hat-trick of 305m wins for him.
The first of Lisa Cole’s seven training successes for the evening came in the opening C1 520m event, compliments of He’s All Go’s litter sister Big Time Lauren, who led throughout to claim her fourth win from as many races in 30.29.
And Brendon Cole informs us about the pending sale of Big Time Lauren.
“Paul (Claridge) and myself are in the final stages of putting together another syndicate of high-profile racing people who will race her. You could say I could have sold her many times over, such was the volumes of offers I received for her.
“She is just as exciting as He’s All Go. Look at her 520m time (30.29) on Friday, in a race that was held in driving rain.”
The meeting best 520m time was clocked by the Garry Cleeve0trained Who’s Jealous, who was rewarded for his recent travelling via his bold 30.08 win.
Cole produced the pacey Cumbria to deliver her 17.52 305m win, the quickest sprint during the evening. The win saw her earn her open class sprinting stripes in just her 13th career race.
By Peter Fenemor
