Competitive Southland Hosted NZRS Advanced Final

Two heats held two weeks ago decided the final field of Kiwi bred greyhounds who will contest Tuesday’s running of the $12,000 NZRS Advanced final (race 7) over 457m on the world’s southernmost located greyhound track, Ascot Park. The Christmas Eve final is proceeded by the feature $5,100 Jingle Bells Distance over the demanding 732m journey.

Pictured: Double Speed winning his Southland NZRS Advanced heat – pic Dave Robbie

Double Speed dipped under the 457m 26-second barrier when he claimed his 25.98s heat win for his conditioner Ray Adcock. It was a free-flowing effort by this son of Dyna Double One and Birchbrook as he added to the imposing-looking record he has compiled on this big spacious track. He will jump from the one track, from where he owns sound looking stats despite his tendency of moving away from the rail when he enters the first turn. He backed that effort up with his Tuesday Colin Keen Memorial 545m heat fourth from the same trap.

The other heat was taken out by the Gary Cleeve prepared Know Shame who used her known strong finish to claim her personal best 26.09s heat win. This daughter of Yella Mustard and Know Revenge certainly won’t object about being required to hop away from the eight trap here. She also contested a Colin Keen Memorial 545m heat at Forbury Park on Tuesday where she suffered from early jostling and then she was hindered when rounding the first turn.

Cleeve also qualified another two of his homebred greyhounds for the final, while he also provides both reserves. All four of them are members of the December 2016 whelped litter between Yella Mustard and Know Which, who he races with his partner Gaylene Turnwald.

Know State finished boldly for her 1.75 length heat third behind her kennel mate Know Shame. She then went onto qualify for the Colin Keen Memorial when she finished fourth in her heat. She will jump from the four trap while her litter brother Know Refusal will be loaded away into the adjacent five trap. He also finished strongly for his 3.75 length heat third to Double Speed. And yes, he will also be at Forbury Park on New Year’s Eve to contest the Colin Keen Memorial final following his solid heat third placing.

Handler Dan Lane returned Double Speed back to the Ascot Park podium; Know Shame winning her Southland NZRS Advanced heat and with her trainer Gary Cleeve back at the podium – pics Dave Robbie

Occupying the first possie on the reserves bench will be Know Betrayal, while his brother Know Denying is the second reserve. Ironically both of these greyhounds also form the reserves bench for the Colin Keen Memorial final at Group 2 level after both finished fifth in their respective heats.

Eyrewell Turbo is a proven Ascot Park 457m chaser for his owner and trainer Heather Cairns. This son of Cosmic Chief and Boostin’ was involved in a closely contested heat finish when he wound up just 1.8 lengths behind Know Shame. He will be sighted wearing the white racing vest in this decider. He also raced at Forbury Park last Tuesday where he used his strength to nail his feature open class 310m heat win in 18.86s on a rain-affected track.

Robin Wales will travel south with Our Jolene after the daughter of Dyna Vickers and Opawa Rob finished 3.75 lengths astern of Double Speed in her heat. She has been active since then racing firstly in an Addington C4/5 520m where she finished in the midfield. She didn’t receive any racing favours in her Tuesday Colin Keen Memorial heat when she was checked going into the first turn. She backed up at the Addington Thursday meeting, where after chasing the pace setters she was held up in traffic when turning in for the run home in her C4/5 520m event. She races from the two trap in Tuesday’s final.

Her kennel mate Opawa May has been in solid form since she was run down late by half a length by Know Shame in her heat. She ran a 6.75 length Addington C4/5 520m fourth, followed by her Group 2 2.25 length Tuesday Forbury Park second, where after setting the pace she was run down. This daughter of Fabregas and Opawa Zara then led her Thursday Addington C4/5 520m rivals all the way to win in 30.51s. She will be sighted wearing the black racing vest here.

Completing the drawn field is the locally Brett Connor trained Tee An’ Cee who was sighted kicking on soundly for his 5.25 length heat fourth to Double Speed. This son of Dream Collector and Sandi Claws was recently named as the Southland GRC 2018/19 Greyhound of the Year for his owing Gore T & C Racing Syndicate. He was a victim of an impeded racing passage in his Tuesday Forbury Park feature 310m sprint and he will be loaded away into trap six on Tuesday.

The Southland GRC recently held their 2018/19 Greyhound of the year awards – Tee An’ Cee’s trainer Brett Connor was named as the Southland Trainer of the Year, while the long-serving Southland secretary Bronwyn deservedly won the Southland Strike  Trainer of the Year title – they are seen here with Southland GRC President Peter Kett, who also presented the Greyhound of the Year trophy to Allan and Sally Borthwick for Tee An’ Cee; the Southland GRC 2018/19 Greyhound of the Year winner Tee An’ Cee - pics supplied by Dave Robbie – [email protected] – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos

Jingle Bell Distance

The $5,100 Jingle Bill Distance field, which will be raced over the 732m trip, contains three open-graded stayers. The Dave and Jean Fahey trained Opawa Hilary is a proven stayer over the extreme journeys. She is making her track debut here after her traffic impeded prior Nancy Cobain Group 2 660m heat miss. She strongly won a $12,000 NZRS Distance final over 747m on the similarly shaped Cambridge track, however, the concern for her in Tuesday’s event is her eight trap draw as she is a known railer.

Her kennel mate Alotta Talk is an Addington Group 2 winning 732m stayer. He claimed that win from the one trap and he has been allocated that trap for his track debut outing in this event. He is likely to relish his draw as seen by his unbeaten five-race record when he has worn the red racing vest.

Goldstar Sydney thoroughly deserved her brave pace making Thursday Addington 38.13s 645m win. She has been a regular attendee in numerous feature staying races for her conditioners Steve and Bonnie Evans. She placed in her only 732m race at this venue. She will hop away from trap three here.

Go Belle pushed Goldstar Sydney to a nose margin in Thursday’s Addington 645m event for her trainer Robin Wales. She raced from the seven trap and she’ll do likewise here. Her stake earning claim here certainly cannot be lightly dismissed as she won her only 732m race around this circuit in 42.98s when she led home the classy stayer Dyna Weslyn by a comfortable six-length margin.

The Gary Cleeve prepared Classy Witch strode to her stylish $12,000 NZRS Distance win over the Hatrick 755m trip (45.10s) three races ago. She led home race rival here Opawa Hilary by a 2.25 length margin on that occasion. She will race in the green racing vest here.

Tuesday Ascot Park Jingle Bells contenders include (from left); Opawa Hilary; Alotta Talk; Classy Witch     

By Peter Fenemor