Kiwi Bred Chasers Feature At Cambridge
The New Year feature racing continues at the Cambridge Raceway on Thursday afternoon where the intermediate graded Kiwi bred chasers will contest their $8,500 NZRS Graduation final (race 10). Two 457m heats held last Thursday decided the final field.
Pictured: The quickest Cambridge NZRS Graduation heat winner Thrilling Murphy with his trainer Karen Walsh – pic Yvette Bodiam (Waikato GRC)
Local Tirau based trainer Karen Walsh produced Thrilling Murphy to return the quickest heat time when he cruised to his 2.5 length heat win, clocking 25.64s. This son of Fernando Bale and My Girl Chloe has made as a solid start to his career, having now won four of his seven races to date. He will be sighted racing in the green racing vest for the first time in this decider.
Emma Potts is enjoying a current purple patch of training form as seen when Opawa Light stylishly won the recent $10,500 Farmlands Virkon Waikato Cup final. This son of Fabregas and Opawa Stretch backed up that bold effort with his solid 25.80s heat win. He was sighted finishing boldly along the rail after jumping from the eight trap. He moves in one trap for this final.
Potts has recently taken over the conditioning of Sausage, who was a former Canterbury trained chaser. He made his northern race debut in his heat which saw this son of Barcia Bale and Unshaken overcoming a degree of jostling when going into the big, sweeping bend and he kicked on from there for his 6.1 length heat fourth to Thrilling Murphy. He will be loaded away into trap four on Thursday.
My Girl Chloe (left) the dam of Thrilling Murphy was a sharp Cambridge 375m sprinter; the recent Waikato Cup winner Opawa Light won the other NZRS Graduation heat; Opawa Light’s mum Opawa Stretch was handy chaser on the track in her own right
The powerful Lisa Cole, Palmerston North based kennels, who started Wednesday’s racing having mentored 423 winners and $1,056,326 in stake earnings this season, qualified four finalists, plus she provides both reserves. Big Time Jackson secures the draw advantage via the one trap for this event. He also was caught in some early jostling prior to extending to book his final field position when finishing six lengths behind Thrilling Murphy. This son of Fernando Bale and Vegas Danny had previously won his Cambridge 457m track debut race in 25.61s.
Big Time Elsa settled just in behind the pace in her heat. This member of the promising Fernando Bale and Sweet Rubyjane litter kicked on stoutly to claim her 4.75 length heat third to Opawa Light. She is a likely improver following that track debut effort and she’ll exit from trap three here.
Receiving the tricky five trap to race from is Big Time Kobe, who are settling in the midfield, was sighted finishing solidly for his 2.5 length heat second to Thrilling Murthy. This son of Spring Gun and Allegro Touch must make a quick start from his poor draw, especially as he displays railing tendencies.
Big Time Rhino was sound in his heat when he was sighted setting the initial pace. It was only during the run home when this son of Barcia Bale and Marlisa was gathered in by Opawa Light when he yielded to him by a 2.5 length margin. He is provided with swooping claims from his eight trap draw here.
Occupying the first possie on the reserves bench is Bigtime Annie who didn’t receive the clearest of early racing passages from the seven trap in her heat. The stake claims held by this daughter of Spring Gun and Night Pearl if she gains a race start here cannot be lightly dismissed. She does own a fair amount of early pace and using that asset if she’s racing here can see her featuring at the business end here.
The second reserve Big Time Amie is a litter sister to Big Time Elsa who found herself jammed up in midfield traffic during the heat that was won by Opawa Light when she was checking out the Cambridge track for the first time.
The drawn field is completed by the Wayne and Tracey Steele prepared Jinja Murthy who has drawn handily enough in the two trap. This litter brother to Sausage was brave in his heat when he overcame an impeded early racing passage to stoutly press on for his 4.8 length heat fourth to Opawa Light. His improved draw can aid his stake claims in this event.
Thursday Cambridge NZRS Graduation contenders includes (from left): Big Time Jackson; Big Time Elsa; Jinja Murphy
By Peter Fenemor
