Competitive Sunday Kiwi Bred Field

Breeders’ bonus dollars are on offer in what is a handy field of New Zealand bred greyhounds who will contest the $12,000 NZRS Advanced final (race 10) over 527m at the Manukau Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Pictured: Leading Sunday NZRS Advanced contender Our Rick seen here with his trainer Emma Potts following an earlier Manukau 527m win

Our Rick is a strong railing chaser and this son of Cosmic Rumble and Opawa Patty will enjoy jumping away from the two trap here for his conditioner Emma Potts. He finished strongly along the rail to snatch his Thursday 30.75s C3/4 527m win. He displayed track sense when delivering that win from his unsuitable (for him) trap seven draw.

As is the case in many NZRS series races, greyhounds from the powerful Lisa Cole kennels command respect. She is represented by two contenders in this event. The professional canine athlete Bigtime Levi doesn’t require any introductions here. This vastly experienced son of Spring Gun and Bigtime Karen returns north with a tidy sum $159,089 in stake earnings safely banked. He has visited Manukau twice before with his best 527m performance being a handy effort when he finished third in the recent Waterloo Cup final at Group 1 level. He won’t object about being required to hop away from trap six here.

His kennelmate Bigtime Shadow owns an abundance of early pace and it is that asset that this son of Bret Lee and Sheer Miss must use when he exits from trap four on Sunday after he missed in his only previous visit to this venue. He didn’t receive any racing favours when he copped a decent check going into the first turn in his last start Hatrick 520m outing. That followed the prior traffic impeded outing he suffered from when he contested his 520m New Zealand Cup semi-final assignment at the Addington Raceway.

Local trainer Ben Craik also supplies two contestants for this event. Cameo Syd is a proven competitive Manukau 527m chaser who is resuming from a spell to contest this feature. This son of Kilty Lad and Kiwi Girl was last sighted back in September when he lines up in a C5 527m event. He knows his way around this circuit blindfolded and he is generally sighted racing handy to the early pace, which he must do from his poor five trap draw here.

Ti Amo contested a C4/5 318m sprint during Thursday’s meeting where she suffered from an impeded racing passage. This daughter of Barcia Bale and Katcha Fire has recently regained her open class chasing stripes. She is also proven over the 527m trip however she has no option but to at least contest the pace into the first turn after she hops away from the three trap here.    

Don’t ignore the stake earning claims that the Wayne and Tracey Steele prepared Puzzle Tin owns here. This son of Cosmic Rumble and Jinja Power would have taken a fair bit benefit out of his Sunday 527m track debut race when he resumed from an extended spell. He didn’t enjoy acing from trap eight then when he was impeded when heading into the first turn. He is likely to relish racing from the one trap here, from where this known railer has won three of his four previous races from (one placing).  

The inform Jared Udy and Denise Cottam kennels have two acceptors here, plus they also provide both reserves. Kiwi Girl is a litter sister to Cameo Syd and she will be returning from her Friday evening Hatrick 520m engagement for this event. She really impressed when she produced her bold C4/5 pace making 4.5 length 30.84s 527m win last Sunday. She is expected to jump straight onto the pace from her seven trap draw here.

Sunday NZRS Advanced Manukau contenders includes (from left): Bigtime Levi; Cameo Syd; Kiwi Gal

Jinja Might has the ability to contest the pace which was the tactic he used when he gamely went under by a head to race rival here Our Rick in Thursday’s C3/4 527m event here. This son of Fabregas and Jinja Ruby must and he can hop straight onto the early pace from his trap eight draw here.      

Both reserves also raced here in Thursday’s C3/4 527m race won by Our Rick. First reserve Our Hemi suffered from traffic issues when heading into the first turn which saw this son of Barcia Bale and Opawa Karen being relegated back to the rear group where he remained.

Kennelmate Jinja Bailey is the second reserve and she also endured first turn traffic problems in Thursday’s C3/4 527m event. This daughter of Swift Fancy and Jinjawinja can deliver a competitive 527m effort here if she’s required.

By Peter Fenemor