Interesting Otago Hosted NZRS Novice Final
The Otago GRC are hosting the lower graded Kiwi bred greyhounds who are chasing after Breeders’ bonus dollars for their respective breeders in Tuesday’s $7,500 NZRS Novice final. Five interesting 545m heats held at Forbury Park two weeks ago decided the final field.
Pictured: Punter’s A Hero delivering the quickest of the five NZRS Novice 545m heat times (pic Dave Robbie)
The powerful Dave and Jean Fahey Balcairn based kennels trained the winners of the first three heats which included Punters A Hero clocking the quickest of the 545m heat times via his 32.98s gallop. This son of Barcia Bale and Albie Punter placed himself straight onto the early pace after hopping away from trap three – he’s looking to serve up a repeat dose from the same trap in this decider.
Opawa Cutie dictated the pace throughout when she delivered her stylish heat win which she achieved in 33s flat. She is compiling a tidy looking record from just eight-race day outing and this daughter of Barcia Bale and Opawa Stella can further enhance her promising stats when she’s sighted hopping away from the seven trap in this event.
Kennelmate Mr. Blackjack also stopped the clock in 33s even. He stalked the pacemaker throughout in his heat, extending during the run home to secure his heat win. He raced from the ace trap then and this son of Barcia Bale and Birtchbrook will be loaded away into trap two here.
The Fahey’s also provide a fourth finalist with Macadoodle who is a member of the promising April 2018 whelped Fernando Bale and Mandy Junior litter. He isn’t noted for his early pace, however he has displayed strong finishing traits during his seven-race career too date. He pressed on solidly for his four-length heat second behind Opawa Cutie and the wearer of the blue racing vest can be expected to be sighted doing his best work at the business end of this event.
Delivering their Forbury Park NZRS Novice heat wins were the Dave and Jean Fahey trained Opawa Cutie (left) and Mr. Blackjack, while handler Katie Wylie brought back the 32.98s heat winner Punters A Hero – pics Dave Robbie
On the other end of the experience scale is the John McInerney prepared Chunk. This son of Dream Collector and Good Girl was contesting his 102nd career race when he defied his heat rivals to run him down – they couldn’t as he freewheeled his way to his convincing 33.04s heat win. He then backed up that win by claiming his 12th career win with his solid 26.48s C1 457m Ascot Park win last Tuesday. He has to contend with the tricky five trap draw in the final.
In 2002 John Allen mentored his stayer To The Peg to victory in the prestigious Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar (779m) and now there’s going to be local flavour in this final with the Oamaru trainer conditioning two finalists. Silouette Jet was a Maiden graded chaser entering this series. In fact, she wasn’t required back at the postrace podium in her prior five race day outings. She emphatically changed that in the bold manner that she cruised to her 33.21s heat win. Sure, her time was a tad slower than the other four heat winners, however, it was the manner that this Allen bred, reared and owned daughter of Fabregas and Helena Allen secured her win that caught the eye.
She obviously enjoyed the experience of being placed on top of the podium as she came out to easily claim her next up outing when she prevailed in her Tuesday Ascot Park C1 457m assignment, clocking 26.41s for her win. She will race from the six trap on Tuesday, while her litter sister and kennel mate Pepper Chimes will be loaded away into trap eight. She was solid when she delivered her 4.5 length heat second to Punters A Hero and unlike her sister, she was the winner of three of her four races prior to starting this feature series.
Completing the drawn field is the Ashley Bradshaw prepared Black Stockings who booked her place in the final when delivering her brave half-length second to Mr. Blackjack when this daughter of Dream Collector and Long Stockings was sighted kicking on solidly. Three days later she was back at the Addington Raceway when she used her known strength to claim her 30.73s C1 520m win. She annexed that win when wearing the red racing vest and she’ll be sighted in red again this Tuesday.
Daniel Lane is enjoying a hugely successful introduction into the training ranks, as seen by him currently leading the national Trainers’ Strike Rate table. He provides the first reserve here with last Tuesday’s stylish pace making C1 520m 30.61s winner Tucker. Prior to that this son of Fabregas and Mini’s Fantasy was sighted contesting the pace in his heat here from where he finished a 4.75 length second to Silouette Jet.
Know Talent occupies the second possie on the reserves bench following his 12.75 length heat second behind Chunk. This Gary Cleeve bred, trained and co-owned daughter of Yella Mustard and Know Revenge owns a known strong finish which she produced for her heat second placing. She then suffered from an impeded racing passage when she contested her Ascot Park Tuesday 630m assignment.
Chunk was lonely at the business end when he delivered his easy NZRS Novice heat win; Silouette Jet wore the red, white and blue racing vest when she claimed her NZRS Novice heat win and she’s pictured here with her breeder, owner and trainer John Allen savouring her first career race victory - pics supplied by Dave Robbie – [email protected] – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos
By Peter Fenemor
