Outstanding Friday Hatrick Race Card

Ten outstanding greyhound races has been carded during the huge Wanganui GRC hosted meeting at the Hatrick Raceway on Friday evening with those races supporting the two Group race finals that will be decided. It’s great to see trainers’ representation from right around the country which is understandable with just under $150,000 in stake money being distributed during the evenings action. 

  

Pictured: Opawa Hilary, who will contest the $12,000 NZRS Distance final over 755m during Friday’s big-ticket Hatrick meeting.

 

There will be plenty of interest in the commentators during the meeting. Host caller Mark Rosanowski will call both Group races and some of the support races, with the balance of the card being commentated by Brian Marin, who make his welcome return to Hatrick, along with Matt Gardiner and Andy McCook. A guest Trackside TV presenter will be Jason Lincoln with the Sky Racing Catching Pen co-host crossing the Tasman after presenting last Friday’s massive TAB Melbourne Cup meeting trackside at Sandown Park.

 

There will be a Punters Club operating during the evening which is assured to generate plenty of interest given the quality of the fields that has been carded for the meeting. It is also outstanding to see only one 305m sprint carded during the meeting and that’s a beauty being the Group 2 $16,000 Wanganui Toyota Dash For Cash final.  

 

$12,000 NZ Racing Series Distance Final 755m (race 11)

 

The Kiwi bred stayers will engage in their $12,000 NZRS Distance final over the 755m journey. The field features the presence of the recent Group 1 755m winning stayer Opawa Hilary from the Dave and Jean Fahey kennels. She has tasted previous NZRS Distance success before, having won a Cambridge 747m version of this series a couple of months ago.

 

Gary Cleeve is travelling north with a couple of stayers with both Classy Witch and Know Anxiety holding postrace podium claims. Goldstar Sydney contested last month’s Group 1 Wanganui 755m Distance final for her trainers Steve and Bonnie Evans. The Sue and Cor trained maiden stayer Grunty Mama was gallant third in the same Group 1 final.

 

$9,620 Goldstar Racing Kennels Christchurch C2D 645m (race 12)

 

It’s an extremely even, competitive field of stayers who wraps up the meeting where a podium finish case can easily be built for all ten listed greyhounds. Looking at 645m track form could be the wisest option to consider when lining up this field.

 

Hot Platter (Angela Turnwald) has developed into a more than handy stayer while her kennelmate Emgrand Rose has delivered a competitive pair of 645m races here. The kennel provides the second reserve Kamada Park and his stake claim cannot be lightly dismissed if he gets a race start here. Allen Mack (Denise Symes) brings solid 645m track form into this event.

 

Thrilling Amigo (Karen Walsh) is a proven performer over the Cambridge 650m distance, as is Dig Dig Dig (Shaun O’Neil) who has been a 650m winner there. Mighty Muscle (Dave & Jean Fahey) has delivered solid Addington 645m races. Billy’s Bake (Phil Green) has drawn to contest the early pace from trap one. Go Angel (Glennis Farrell) can deliver a bold 645m effort as can her kennelmate, the first reserve Gao Gao.

 

  

Goldstar Sydney (left) is contesting the NZRS Distance final, while Hot Platter and Thrilling Amigo line-up in the last race 645m staying event

 

$7,390 Dave & Jean Fahey C0 Final 520m (race 2)

 

Two 520m heats held a fortnight ago confirmed the final field for the nation’s richest Maiden race. Big Time Brie (Lisa Cole) cruised through her heat assignment when clocking 30.86s. Kennelmate Bigtime Bailey led home the vain chase behind the freewheeling Fall Gracefully for his nine length heat second. Fall Gracefully (Marie Pangley) showed her rivals a clean set of paws when she strode to her easy 31.13s heat win. She then whacked away for her Sunday Manukau C1 527m fourth.

 

Mr. Blackjack (Dave & Jean Fahey) can retrieve some of the sponsorship dollars invested by his trainers in this event. After he finished fourth in his heat, he then went onto to deliver an Ascot Park 457m third, followed by his easy pace making 30.38s Addington 520m win. Thrilling Baxter (Karen Walsh) was bold when he chased home Big Time Brie for his 2.75 length heat second. Our Hotrod (Jared Udy & Denise Cottam) backed up his heat third with a Manukau 318m Sunday third. He is better suited to the 520m trip here.

 

 

Dave & Jean Fahey C0 heat winners Big Time Brie (left) and Full Gracefully (pics Ivan Howe, Wanganui GRC)

 

$7,505 Collegiate Quality Inn Wanganui C1 Final 520m (race 3)

 

Again, two 520m heats held two weeks ago decided the final field for this C1 feature event. It has brought together numerous greyhounds who will be making their presence felt in the higher grades later in the season. For example, the Angela Turnwald prepared kennelmates Boys Get Paid (30.63s) and Meandering (30.42s) after both likely to quickly advance up the grades following their respective heat wins for this feature.

 

Jay Mike (Nathan Udy) backed up his heat third placing with his exciting Monday $7,500 NZRS Novice Manawatu 457m win. Kong’s Out Again (Melissa Olden) adds interest from her kind one trap draw, while Mother’s Touch (Jake & Dayze Bell) certainly won’t object about her wide seven trap draw judging by her preferred middle of the track racing style.  

 

 

Collegiate Quality Inn Wanganui C1 heat winners – the kennelmates Boy’s Get Paid & Meandering (pics Ivan Howe, Wanganui GRC)

 

$7,860 Udy – Cottam Racing Kennels C2 Feature 520m (race 1)

 

It sure is a competitive looking field for this feature event. Big Time Dynasty (Lisa Cole) was the victim of a luckless 457m racing passage in Monday’s $7,500 NZRS Novice final. She was a stylish 26.16s heat winner. My Khloe (Marcie Flipp) is returning to Hatrick after her competitive recent 457m races.

 

Two track debuting Canterbury trained chasers adds intrigue to this field. Seve (Daniel Lane) has made a very bright start to his racing career, while Queena Bale (Craig Roberts) was a tidy Ascot Park 457m winner prior to enduring a traffic impeded Tuesday Forbury Park outing.

 

$8,325 Red Snapper Seafoods Christchurch C3 Feature 520m (race 4)  

 

Put simply this field is chocker full of potential postrace podium contenders. The New Zealand Cup finalist Max Dancer (Dave & Jean Fahey) draws ideally in the one trap here. Kennelmate Rivalries has drawn to swoop from his trap eight draw here. Thrilling Nina (Karen Walsh) has returned to the Hatrick podium in all five of her 520m races here (two wins).

 

Bigtime Tank (Lisa Cole) can contest the early pace from his trap two draw, while kennelmate Big Time May is a recent arrival into the C3 chasing ranks. Both of the track debuting Craig Roberts trained pair of Orina Allena and Darla Bale have shown sufficient in their recent South Island races to merit their inclusion here. Flying Huey (Kelly Gommans) helped himself to two tidy recent C2 wins and he’ll will enjoy his seven trap draw here.

 

  

Big Time Dynasty (left) is a contender in the Udy – Cottam Racing Kennels C2 Feature, while Max Dancer and Thrilling Nina are podium prospects in the Red Snapper Seafoods Christchurch C3 Feature

 

$9.030 Kernow Construction C4 Feature 520m (race 5)

 

The theme of in-dept competitive racing during the meeting continues in this event. The powerful Lisa Coles kennels provide four runners here with all of them worthy of consideration. The current form line that Bigtime Shadow brings into this isn’t overly flash, however this known on the pace runner does receive a slight easing in class. Bigtime Rod has been 520m Group 1 placed at this venue, while Bigtime Lilah can feature from her trap one draw. On the other paw swooping claims can be made for the trap eight drawn Djay Dynamix.

 

He’s All Shine (Sam Lozell) was solid when delivering his NZ debut third in his Spion Rose 520m heat – he will be improved following that. Oster Bale (Craig Roberts) impressed in the strong manner that he delivered his 30.09s 520m track debut win last Friday. Jinja Might (Jared Udy & Denise Cottam) is capable of contesting the early pace, while reverse racing tactics is expected to be deployed by Know Betrayal (Gary Cleeve) who is likely to finish strongly here. He was really bold when delivering his Tuesday 32.37s C3/4 Forbury Park 545m win.

  

$9,730 Monster Fish @ Stud C5 Feature 520m (race 6)

 

Geez, this field is stacked full of dividends paying prospects. For example Diddilee (Angela Turnwald) was the runner up in last year’s Spion Rose Cup final. He suffered from a traffic impeded midfield racing passage in this year’s heat. The claims held by kennelmate Arden Emgrand cannot be lightly dismissed here.

 

Again, Lisa Cole has heavy representation in this feature event. The winner of $162,510 Bigtime Levi requires no introduction to followers. Big Time Seth was huge when he delivered his 25.76s Manawatu 457m win two races ago. Bigtime Brody is a proven 520m chaser at the top level at this venue. Big Time Izzy owns a fair amount of early pace which she must use from her five trap draw.

 

Opawa Deal (Dave & Jean Fahey) was a recent New Zealand Cup finalist, while Opawa Viking (Sean Codlin) is trekking south for this assignment. He has compiled sound looking trap eight stats and he’ll be sighted racing in the pink vest here.     

 

   

Bigtime Shadow has the ability to set the pace in the Kernow Construction C4 Feature, while competitive efforts can be expected from Diddilee and Bigtime Levi in the Monster Fish @ Stud C5 Feature.

 

$8,095 Allegro Gun @ Stud Wanganui Oakz R/A $5000.00 Bonus Place6 520m (race 7)

 

Melita Vella (Lisa Cole) is the loosest graded runner in the event for the girls being C3 graded. She impressed when delivering both of her 520m wins here. Kennelmates Bigtime Kiss and Bigtime Annie are both capable of racing on the pace here.

 

Canterbury greyhounds will exit from the inside two trap with Pearls For Us (Gary Cleeve) likely to set up the initial pace from the ace trap. Jumping on her outer will be Opawa Nat (Dave & Jean Fahey) who cruised to her effortless Addington feature 30.01s 520m win last Thursday. Ray Adcock is bringing Kiwi Gunn north and she also owns sufficient early pace to suggest she can make her presence felt here.

 

Drawn out wide are two locally prepared contenders. Fifi (John McArthur) is having another crack at 520m racing, while Go Glow (Marcie Flipp) finished just in behind the placegetters in her Spion Rose Cup heat.        

 

$8,095 Thrilling Boris @ Stud Wanganui Darby R/A 520m (race 8)

 

There’s just one open class graded chaser drawn into this field, however it still remains a very competitive line up. Bigtime Bruno (Lisa Cole) is a proven Hatrick C5 520m chaser as seen by his field best 30.07s 520m winning time. He has four other kennelmates engaged in this event with Bigtime Alfie looming as a stake earning contender owing to his proven form here. Cheeseball is a strong finishing type who has drawn to swoop from trap eight. Bigtime Puma can feature from his trap two draw, while Irish Rogue stylishly won his first race since crossing the Tasman. He prevailed in a tidy 26.05s Monday 2/3 457m event, which was the meeting best 457m clock.

 

Speaking about meet best times, check out the 30s flat that Uthor Bale (Craig Roberts) returned for his Addington 520m C3 win last week. He adds interest here from his first career trap one draw. It’s only a matter of time before the promising Opawa Toddy (Dave & Jean Fahey) gains his open class racing stripes, while Machine Gunn (Ray Adcock) must use his known early pace during his return to 520m racing after his latest South Island sprints.

 

  

Contenders for the Allegro Gun @ Stud Wanganui Oakz R/A $5000.00 Bonus Place6 includes Bigtime Kiss (left) and Opawa Nat, while Opawa Toddy can make his presence felt in the Thrilling Boris @ Stud Wanganui Darby R/A event

 

Pawnote: There’s a bonus TAB $5,000 injection into the Place 6 pool (races 7-12) which is anticipated to grow into a huge pool when taking into account the quality and depth contained in the six fields involved. 

 

By Peter Fenemor