NZ Cup & Galaxy Sprint Preludes Underway
Last week’s three rounds of preludes for the $125,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup, plus the $35,000 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint certainly threw up some varied results. Preludes were contested at the Addington, Hatrick and Manukau tracks.
Pictured: Christchurch NZ Cup prelude winner Start The Show winning his recent Robinson Rosebowl win (pic AJ – race images supplied by Dave Robbie;
The reward for the first two finishers in each prelude was guaranteed entry directly into the semi-final rounds of both Group 1 races, therefore being able to bypass the heat rounds.
The first of two sets of preludes hosted by the Christchurch GRC was held last Thursday. Start The Show for Ray Adcock started as the warm favourite in his NZ Cup prelude and he duly obliged when landing his 520m win 30.12s. He led home Avenger Bale from the Craig Roberts kennels by 3.75 lengths.
Gaining his ticket straight into the Galaxy Sprint semis was the Jason Dunn prepared Pita Ramos who controlled the pace all the way when nailing his 17.38s 295m win. Gamely chasing him home and also gaining a heat exemption was Jinja Ellie for Alan Joyce.
The preludes moved north to the Hatrick Raceway on Friday evening where the low flying Bigtime Cooper was installed as the warm favourite. He used his known sharp early pace to ping away from the 520m eight trap and he was always in control, streaming to his prelude win 30.10s for his conditioner Lisa Cole. Being really gallant in claiming the runners up spot 1.25 lengths behind was his promising kennelmate Big Time Maple.
Cole also prevailed in the Galaxy Sprint prelude with her sprinter Bigtime Sheer who returned 17.76s for her 305m dash. Sighted finishing solidly was the visiting Sam Lozell trained Fantastic Amy a further 1.5 lengths behind for her exempted second placing.
It sure was an action-packed pair of preludes at the Manukau Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The 527m NZ Cup prelude saw a massive upset when the $35 tote shot Dig Dig Dig did everything right for his trainer Shaun O’Neil when he proved too strong, when after racing handy to the pace he extended strongly to nail his prelude win in 30.60s. He cleared out when building himself a 7.75 length margin over a gallant Grunt for Wayne and Tracey Steele who won out in a photo finish over the hot favourite Robson for Peter Ferguson.
It’s just as well that the Christchurch GRC provides two exemptions per prelude as the 318m Manukau Galaxy Sprint prelude resulted in a dead heat for the win being declared. Judge Murray Larimar wasn’t able to separate Trojan Hoarse and Ashen. Ashen led the field from the traps for her trainer Bob Bond, while the Lisa Cole prepared Trojan Hoarse finished strongly to share the honours with the pacemaker.
Christchurch prelude winner Start The Show seen here with Jordan Bryce and Ray Kingston after his recent Robinson Rosebowl win (pic AJ – race images supplied by Dave Robbie; Dig Dig Dig after his upset Auckland hosted NZ Cup prelude, along with the Manukau Galaxy Sprint prelude dead heaters Trojan Hoarse and Ashen
The final two sets of preludes will be contested at the Addington Raceway this Thursday evening. Race 10 sees the classy Dyna Dave entering the series for his NZ Cup prelude for Craig Roberts, while the Steve and Bonnie Evans prepared promising sprinter Super Over Drama will line up in the race 11 Galaxy Sprint prelude.
Pawnote: The connections of all prelude qualifiers are not required to take up their exemptions.
By Peter Fenemor
