Waterloo Cup Heat Contenders Ready For Action
Waterloo Cup Heat Contenders Ready For Action
Four compelling heats for the time-honoured Waterloo Cup has been drawn at the four venues involved for the qualifying round. The first two greyhounds to finish in each heat will match their paws against each other in the $35,000 Group 1 final over 527m at the Manukau Stadium on Sunday, October 6.
Pictured: Last year’s Waterloo Cup winner Pinny Mack commences his title defence when he contests Sunday’s Auckland hosted Waterloo Cup 527m heat
Waterloo Cup, heat 1, race 11 Cambridge Raceway, Thursday
Leading local conditioner Karen Walsh bookends this heat plus she also has a more than handy chaser sitting as the first reserve. Thrilling Vice ($21 & $6 - TAB Futures Win & Top 3) is returning here after suffering from his traffic impeded last start Palmerston North $12,000 NZRS Advanced final miss. He had won his 457m heat in 25.98s. This bloke owns a tidy 25.48s best winning 457m time and he’ll hop away from the one trap here.
Jumping from trap eight will be Thrilling Jo ($101 & $26). She is also returning from the Manawatu Raceway where she endured a luckless racing passage in her September 2 NZRS Advanced 457m heat. She was returning from a six-month spell for that assignment. She must place herself straight onto the early pace.
The 2018/19 Greyhound of the Year finalist Thrilling Talk ($12 & $3.75) requires no introduction here. He was jostled early when he was denied early racing room, then he was checked back to the rear in his last August 15 appearance which was in the Group 2 457m Angus Wright Invitation. This owner of the field best 25.42s winning 457m time (and $102,248 in stake earnings) demands absolute respect if he gains a race start here, especially if he can secure an inside trap.
Peter Ferguson has his charge Keysile ($21 & $6) humming along sweetly at the moment as seen by her winning her last three races. She is the winner of a Group 2 457m title on her home track and it is her ability to race on the pace which greatly assists her. It’s likely to be a frenetic early pace in this event as she will exit from trap seven here.
Lisa Cole is venturing north with a trio of chasers headed by her long-time consistent one turn track specialist Bigtime Levi ($51 & $13). As usual, this winner of $142,326 was sighted doing his best work at the business end of his Monday Palmerston North C4/5 457m race where he finished a 1.5 length second. He can be expected to finish solidly hereafter he jumps from trap six.
Bigtime Brody ($41 & $11) contested the pace in his Monday C4/5 457m outing from where he whacked away during the run home for his 1.75 length third. His only win at this venue (from three races) was delivered in a handy 25.47s. He will be sighted wearing the blue racing vest from where he has previously feature from.
Bigtime Shadow ($51 & $13) has the ability to run a quick 457m race which is confirmed by his 25.75s best Manawatu 457m time. To do that he must jump onto the pace from the three trap. If he does, then yes he can make things look rather interesting for a long way here. He didn’t do that in his Monday c4/5 457m race which saw him finishing a five-length fourth.
Zipping Buddy ($31 & $9.50) will race from trap two hereafter he, along with others in this field, was affected when the lure quickly pulled up early here last week. He is a tad on the fresh side for this outing after having his last race on August 22 when he finished third in a 375m sprint here, while his only 457m race on this track yielded him with a length second to race rival here Bigtime Brody. He has compiled tidy inside trap stats. The Craik kennels also provide the second reserve with Damaging Lomar ($126 & $31) who is the only C4 graded chaser in this field. He endure a traffic impeded C4 375m sprint here last Thursday.
Completing the drawn field is the Sean Codlin prepared Opawa Viking ($101 & $26) who earned his open class racing stripes when he delivered his 21.26s C4 375m win last Thursday. He hasn’t been provided with any favours for his toughest career test here as he’s required to step away from the five trap here.
Cambridge Waterloo Cup heat contenders includes (from left): Thrilling Vice; Bigtime Levi; Keysile
Waterloo Cup, heat 2, race 9 Addington Raceway, Thursday
The Ray Adcock prepared Start The Show ($21 & $6) has been stealing the show over the last two Thursday’s at the Addington Raceway by stylishly winning the open class 520m events. He clocked the same meet best 30.23s times on both occasions. His claims of booking his ticket to Auckland was further enhanced after being allocated the one trap for this heat.
The smart Dyna Dave ($3.50 & $1.55) was deservedly named as the 2018/19 Canterbury Greyhound of the Year on Saturday and undoubtedly he will start as a warm favourite to take out this heat, despite having chased home Start The Show over the last two Thursday’s. He has been installed as the TAB Futures favourite for the overall Waterloo Cup title. The Craig Roberts trained chaser was huge in both races after overcoming first turn traffic issues after jumping from trap six in both occasions. He’s better suited to the three trap here.
Roberts has accepted with another three greyhounds and they have drawn the outside three traps. The 732m Group 1 winner Avenger Bale ($61 & $16) resumed from an extended spell last Thursday and rapid improvement following his fresh up 520m outing can be expected from this bloke.
Dyna Varsity ($21 & $6) will be sighted wearing the pink racing vest in this heat from where he must jump straight onto the early pace after he settled just in behind the pacesetters in his recent 520m assignments here.
Dyna Elwyn ($61 & $16) has established Addington 520m track records with his best being a smart 29.67s gallop. He hasn’t really returned to his talented best since he resumed from a spell as seen in his Tuesday Ascot Park C4/5 457m outing where he completely bombed the race start. His advancement claims hinges on the race start he makes from trap seven here.
This heat is completed by a pair of Gary Cleeve trained chasers Know State (trap 2) ($61 & $16) and Know Refusal (trap 4) ($61 & $16) who both endured traffic impeded races in the events won by Start The Show over last two weeks after making moderate starts. They can’t afford to make tardy starts in this field.
Addington Waterloo Cup heat contenders includes (from left): Start The Show; Dyna Dave: Know Refusal
Waterloo Cup, heat 3, race 10 Hatrick Raceway, Friday
The box draw has added a degree intrigue to this 520m heat. Relishing the opportunity of jumping from the red trap will be the vastly experienced Nature’s Gent ($18 & $5). This winner of $210,396 is obviously an elite chaser – just check out this multiple Group race winners trap one stats – 14 races, eight wins and six minor placings. His conditioner Angela Turnwald will have him prepped to deliver another bold race here.
Lisa Cole provides four heat contenders here. Bigtime Cooper ($9 & $3) can negate his poor five trap draw here. His sheer early pace supports that comment, although in saying that he certainly must use that asset. The recent Group 1 520m Wanganui Cup winner was gunned down late by a 1.25 length margin by his kennelmate Bigtime Rod last Friday.
Bigtime Rod ($21 & $6) is likely to enjoy moving down into the two trap here after his strong 30.11s Friday 520m win when he was sighted wearing the pink racing vest. He is likely to sit handy to the early pace here from where he will be poised to strike strongly during the run home.
Bigtime Homie ($61 & $16) overcame early midfield traffic to finish solidly when he snatched his nose 30.64s Friday C4 520m win. Being allocated trap six to hop away from here hasn’t really enhanced his qualifying claims in this heat for his step up to open class racing here.
Bigtime Annie ($81 & $21) is a litter sister to Bigtime Cooper, who also owns a fair amount of early pace. She didn’t receive any racing favours when she headed into the turn during her Monday C5 457m outing. She has drawn the seven trap, from where she must ping away from, for her third consecutive race.
Tyson Quest ($61 & $16) has been a competitive 520m chaser around this circuit for a long time for his locally-based trainer Brian Marsh. He will contest his 50th 520m race at this venue from the four trap here after he was sighted finishing solidly for his 2.5 length Friday 520m third behind Bigtime Rod here.
Matt Roberts completes the field with his two contenders. He’s likely to be rather frustrated after his noted railing performer She’s For Us ($41 & $11) was provided the eight trap to be loaded away into. Her recent misses has been from traps six and seven.
Kennelmate Gray Bale ($126 & $31) is giving away a slice of class to his rivals being the only C4 assessed chaser in this field. He is dropping back in race distance here after his Monday 11.25 length Manawatu 660m fourth. He finished a close up third to Bigtime Homie in Friday’s C4 520m event.
Hatrick Waterloo Cup heat contenders includes (from left): Nature’s Gent; Bigtime Cooper; Tyson’s Quest
Waterloo Cup, heat 4 race 11 Manukau Stadium, Sunday
The current Waterloo Cup title holder Pinny Mack ($4.50 & $1.85) has had his recent outings spaced by his mentor Steve Clark, who is chasing after his fifth Waterloo Cup training victory. He trialled very nicely over 375m at Cambridge last week, indicating his readiness for Sunday’s task. He’s generally a reliable starter, therefore, expect to him to be sighted contesting the early pace after he exits from trap six here.
Thrilling Talk ($12 & $3.75) has drawn nicely in the two trap here for his conditioner Karen Walsh, however it must be pointed out that if there’s a scratching from Thursday’s Cambridge heat, he will then be required to race there. He endured a luckless last start Cambridge Group 2 457m outing. This Group 1 winning known railer commands total respect in this heat.
Robson ($9 & $3) was sighted trailing around the Auckland headquarters over 527m last Sunday as he makes his return here following his smart 30.35s last start race track debut feature 527m win. He was all class when delivering his 7.5 length win then and another strong effort can be expected from this bloke while wearing the white racing vest.
Angela Turnwald trained Diddilee ($41 & $11) to win the Auckland Cup from trap four – he will be reacquainted with the same trap on Sunday. He won the Auckland Cup by displaying great track sense and it is that asset that he must use in this event if he’s going to book his return here next Sunday following his sound last start Manawatu neck 457m second.
His kennel mate Emgrand Park ($15 & $4.50) is provided with swooping claims from the eight trap here which is a trap he has previously featured from. He placed in his only prior Manukau 527m race and he returns here after delivering his real strong last start 12.5 length Cambridge 650m win.
Speaking about early pace, then there’s also the known on the pace contender All About Space ($18 & $5) who forms part of the Lisa Cole assault on this heat. The Auckland Cup finalist is on a current winning streak having won her last four races over various distances by using pace making tactics. She’s likely to make the charge into the first turn rather interesting after she hops away from the seven trap here after she produced the meet best 26.15s 457m Monday time.
Her kennel mate Bigtime Seth ($25 & $7) secures the one trap for his track debut outing here. The up and coming young chaser placed in his only other race from the ace trap. He raced from the eight trap over 457m on Monday from where he suffered from a traffic impeded racing passage in the event won by All About Space
Bigtime Rocco ($81 & $21) is the first reserve for this heat and he will be making his track debut if he’s required hereafter he made an early mistake at rise in his Monday 457m assignment. Take a look at him the race 3 C4/5 527m event if he doesn’t get a starting place in this field.
Jinja Bailey ($126 & $31) has been tossed a rough draw here after being allocated the five trap to jump away from. She didn’t help her claims in her C5 318m sprint last Sunday when she made a tardy start which came after her trainers Jared Udy and Denise Cottam produced her to set the pace in her bold prior 527m race where she was cut back late by Keysile.
Drawing out in trap eight certainly didn’t assist the claims held by the Emma Potts trained Our Rick ($81 & $21) in his latest 527m races. Sunday’s second reserve was sighted finishing solidly from the rear group for his pair of fourths in those races. He holds sound looking claims from the one trap in the race 3 C4/5 527m event if he doesn’t get the two scratching’s he requires to reenter this field.
Manukau Waterloo Cup heat contenders includes (from left): thrilling Talk; Diddilee; Robson
By Peter Fenemor
