Competitive Open Class Events
Three real strong open class races has been carded for the Thursday and Friday meetings which basically can be described as prelude events for next week’s round of four heats for the time honoured $35,000 Waterloo Cup. The Addington 520m, Cambridge 457m and Hatrick 520m fields are absolute crackers!
Pictured: Dayna Dave who will contest Thursday’s Christchurch hosted open class 520m event
Thursday afternoon sees the Christchurch GRC framing a strong and rather interesting C5 520m field (race 8, 2.17pm). Last Thursday’s bold C4/5 520m winner Start The Show is seeking a repeat victory here after his stylish 30.23s win for Ray Adcock. Adding a fair amount of interest to this field from the Adcock kennels is the fresh up reappearance of the classy chaser Ringside. This owner of a smart 29.84s 520m clock is returning following his recent Wanganui Cup 520m heat miss.
The talented Dyna Dave returned last week from his gutsy Aussie Nationals Perth 520m third to deliver a blinder of a 520m effort after he was impeded on several occasions. The former 29.62s Addington 520m track record holder was bold when he was sighted charging home late for his three quarter length second behind Star The Show for his trainer Craig Roberts.
His kennelmate Dyna Varsity has been allocated the one trap to hop away from, which is the trap he won from two 520m races ago when he led home Start The Show in 30.24s. There will be plenty of interest in the comeback race from the classy Avenger Bale who was last sighted on June 3 when he chased home his kennelmate Dyna Dave over 520m. He has drawn nicely in the two trap for his return for Roberts who is also returning Viktoria Vikkers to racing here.
Famous Lee won’t object about his wide trap eight draw for Steve and Bonnie Evans, although in saying that he must push straight up onto the early pace. It’s unlikely that the Gary Cleeve prepared Know Refusal will be sighted during the early rush for positions, however it is likely that he’ll be sighted doing his best work at the business of this event.
Thursday’s Christchurch Casino contenders includes (from left): Start The Show; Ringside; Avenger Bale
There’s also an interesting looking 645m field carded (race 11, 3.07pm) as the stayers warm up for their $16,000 Kingston Cup assignment next Thursday over the 732m trip at Group 2 level. Dyna Weslyn was huge when she claimed her 38.21s Thursday 645m win for Craig Roberts. She’s likely to be sighted quickly pushing forward from her eight trap draw here.
Goldstar Sydney was gallant, really gallant for Steve and Bonnie Evans last week when, after setting the pace, she only yielded to by a length margin to Dyna Weslyn. She’s having another crack here from trap six, as is last week’s last week’s luckless contender Know Anxiety for Gary Cleeve who will jump away from trap two.
Also going into the poor racing luck category from last week is the Ray Adcock trained Perfect Result who received an impeded racing passage. This strong, proven 645m chaser has drawn to create his own racing luck from the ace trap in this event.
The balance of the field is completed by stayers supplied from the Dave and Jean Fahey kennels. That was a much improved 645m effort that Alotta Talk delivered for his six length 645m third last week. Also suffering from a hindered racing passages in the same event was Von Strass and Opawa Hilary who made her return to local racing following her Perth Aussie Nationals Distance outing over 715m.
Cambridge Thursday 457m
It’s a more than handy last race (8.12pm) C4/5 field that will exit from the Cambridge 457m traps. It includes the current in form northern region trained pair of Peter Ferguson chasers in Keysile and Robson. Both of them are returning to their home track after their tidy respective last start Manukau 527m wins which saw Robson prevailing in 30.38s, while Keysile returned 30.87s for her gallop on a slower track.
Angela Turnwald is making the trek north from her Foxton base with a couple of smart chasers. Diddilee requires no introduction being a dual Group 1 winner last season and he prepped for this outing via his neck Monday C4/5 457m second. Kennelmate Emgrand Park comprehensively ran his rivals off their paws when he delivered his 12.25 length last start 650m win at this venue earlier this month. He is also effective over the 457m distance.
Sticking with dual acceptors here includes the two contenders from the strong locally based Karen Walsh kennels who both endured luckless last start Manawatu 457m races. Thrilling Vice copped a check when going into the turn in his $12,000 NZRS Advanced final over 457m. He runs this track strongly as seen by his 25.43s best winning 457m time. Thrilling Jo contested a heat for that NZRS Advanced series where she was also checked when resuming from a spell.
Zipping Buddy has drawn to deliver a real competitive race from the one trap for his conditioner Ben Craik. He brings solid form from that trap into this event. The run of poor draws continues for the Emma Potts trained Our Rick who will loaded away into the five trap here. He was sighted dashing home late in his recent Manukau 527m races for his fourths when racing from the unsuitable (for him) eight trap.
Thursday evening’s Cambridge Mike Stent Decorators contenders includes (from left): Robson; Thrilling Vice; Diddilee
Hatrick Friday 520m
The electric Bigtime Cooper was costly to his army of followers during Monday’s Manawatu 457m event when he copped an early whack and stumbled when exiting from trap one. He was brave to finish up fourth. Expect him to cut out another sub 5 second first sectional in the race 10 (8.44pm) C4/5 520m event and by doing so can see the recent Wanganui Cup winner take this race out.
His litter sister Bigtime Annie was real bold when she delivered her bold 520m C4/5 520m 4.5 length second last Friday. She also owns a quick first sectional split. Their older half sister Bigtime Lilah is returning after she was held in midfield traffic during her August 23 Wanganui Cup heat.
Kennelmate Bigtime Rod is a capable chaser at this level, however he must make a better start from trap eight here, while Bigtime Marlisa cops a rough draw for her open class debut outing as she’s required to wear the yellow racing vest here.
There’s no doubt that the hardened, proven Group race performer Nature’s Gent will relish jumping away from the two trap here for his trainer Angela Turnwald. This noted railing chaser was bold when he delivered his 6.5 length 520m third last Friday when he raced from trap seven. He was sighted finishing solidly then.
Likewise the improved draw that the Matt Roberts prepared Cawbourne Liz receives here is also likely to aid her stake claims. She will be hop away from trap one and she can make things rather interesting for a long way here providing she uses her known early pace.
The field is completed by the locally Brian Marsh trained Tyson’s Quest. Yes, he is proven at his level of racing, although he must rediscover his early pace when he exits from trap three if he’s going to feature in this event.
Wanganui Accell Therapy “Leading The Way In Canine Therapy” Friday contenders includes (from left): Bigtime Cooper; Nature’s Gent; Cawbourne Liz
By Peter Fenemor
