Stayers In Action At Hatrick Raceway
It’s all about the staying greyhounds during Friday evening’s Hatrick meeting where two interesting heats for the $30,000 TAB Wanganui Distance will be held over the extreme 755m race distance.
Pictured: Last season’s Wanganui Distance winner Cawbourne Taylor
The Group 1 final will be held during the Wanganui club’s big Melbourne Cup evening meeting, where all on-course facilities will be fully operational prior to the running of the big event from Flemington.
Both heats provide an interesting blend of stayers. Here’s a look at those heat contenders with their respective TAB Futures & Top 3 market quotes.
TAB Wanganui Distance – heat 1, race 8
1 Haze Adams $126 & $31: This fella hasn’t won a race over any distance and that certainly isn’t likely to change in this event. In saying that he can sneak a qualifying possie based on his eye-catching finish for his two-length Manawatu 660m second placing three races ago.
2 Ask King Jeff $18 & $5: He missed when he was sent over the Manawatu 660m trip in his last assignment. He’s likely to head out wide, however he can give some cheek here providing he places himself handy to the early pace.
3 Know Anxiety $18 & $5: She hasn’t won a race over an extreme distance yet, however, she did run a top fourth in the demanding 779m Silver Collar final after she also ran a bold fourth in her heat. She is likely to tough out a grinding 755m effort here.
4 Hot Platter $9 & $3: She has placed in two of her previous three 755m races here which includes her third placing in this final last season. That says respect her. She was sighted pressing on late for her last start Manawatu 660m third behind race rival here Don’t Knocka Gee.
5 Don’t Knocka Gee $12 & $3.80: We all know the racing tactics that this girl is going to adopt here – set up the pace and use catch me if you can tactics as seen in her last start Manawatu 38.52s 660m win. She’ll be on the pace for a long way here.
6 Mighty Muscle $7.50 & $2.50: This bloke is travelling north after delivering a pair of recent strong Addington 645m wins with those being his only career staying races so far. He adds a fair amount of interest by stepping up to 755m racing here.
7 Aleng $251 & $61: She’s a maiden graded stayer and as her odds suggests she’ll remain one after this outing. She travels south to have her first taste at racing over an extreme distance after her luckless, traffic impeded last start Cambridge 650m race.
8 Grunty Mana $251 & $61: The similar grading comments made for Aleng also applies to this girl. She has contested two staying races with the best result being a Manawatu 660m third placing. She recently won her first career race, returning 26.80s over 457m.
TAB Wanganui Distance – heat 2, race 9
1 Goldstar Sydney $7.50 & $2.50: She’s a very competitive, proven stayer over the longer trips as seen when she gamely chased home her race rival here Opawa Hilary in the recent Cambridge NZRS Distance 747m feature event.
2 Alotta Talk $6 & $2.40: This bloke stylishly won the recent Addington Group 2 Kingston Cup 732m event when he was sighted leading all the way. Expect him to use similar tactics in this heat after his easy pace making Addington 30.46s Tuesday C1 520m win.
3 Dig Dig Dig $14 & $4.20: He adds the intrigue factor into this field, especially as he’s having his first taste of racing over a longer trip. He really caught the eye in the strong manner that he led home a handy field over 650m at Cambridge two races ago from where he went onto to claim his easy Manukau Sunday 527m win.
4 Kamada Park $16 & $4.70: He was a bold pace making Manawatu 660m winner two races ago when he led home Don’t Knocka Gee. He was also the stylish recent winner of two Cambridge 650m races. He can give a fair degree of cheek in this heat.
5 Opawa Hilary $3.50 & $1.50: This lady has developed into a classy stayer over the longer journeys. We saw that in her recent strong finishing Cambridge $12,000 NZRS Distance 747m feature win. This well-travelled girl justifies her TAB Futures market favouritism.
6 Opawa June $14 & $4.20: She is yet another to consider here as she placed in both of her previous 755m races around this circuit. Her pair of seconds came in the both the heat and then in the final of the August Group 2 Wanganui Stayers.
7 Little Apple $16 & $4.70: She hasn’t won a staying race yet, although that is likely to change in the near future although probably not here. She kicked on solidly in the recent Cambridge hosted 747m NZRS Distance final for her 4.75 length fourth three races ago.
8 Dyna Dynamix $26 & $7.50: He was last presented at the races back on August 12 when he was sighted racing over 457m. His sole career staying assignment yielded him with a one length third behind Hot Platter over 645m here.
TAB Wanganui Distance heat contenders includes from left): Don’t Knocka Gee; Opawa Hilary; Opawa June
By Peter Fenemor
