Manukau Sunday Racing Resumes

Racing returns to the Manukau Stadium this Sunday on a newly resurfaced track as the countdown to the $90,000 Auckland Cup continues with the Group 1 527m heats being contested the following Sunday. And the Palmerston North hosted $35,000 Golden Chase qualifying is taking shape with early changes on the leader board occurring.

Pictured: Spring Queen who is a contender for Sunday’s Manukau Cup

Locally trained contenders will contest an Auckland Cup prelude 527m feature event on Sunday in the $5,000 Manukau Cup (race 11). The recent sound 457m efforts that Spring Queen has been delivering says that she can handle the rise in class she faces in this event for her trainer Emma Pots. Replicating her best Manukau 30.67s winning 527m time should be sufficient to see her featuring at the business end of this event.

Kiwi Gal has been there and done that at the top level in the past. The scenario for her here is very simple – lead out from the seven trap and she can lead her rivals all the way for her conditioners Jared Udy and Denise Cottam. She was bold when delivering her Monday Manawatu 457m fourth in what was a much stronger overall field than the one she meets here.

Drawing outside her is her kennelmate Our Hemi who controlled the pace throughout when he delivered his 21.15s Cambridge 375m win last Sunday. This fella has no option but hop straight onto the early pace from his wide trap here.

Speaking about early pace – yes, we know the racing tactics that the Ron and Naomi O’Regan mentored Charlow brings into this feature. He has advanced through into the open class chasing ranks by using his early pace. Expect him to apply the early pace pressure on his rivals from his tricky five trap draw here.

On the other paw, Grunt is likely to settle in the midfield pack after hopping away from trap three from where he can stalk the pacesetters for his conditioners Wayne and Tracey Steele. He caught the eye in the strong manner he found the line for his Cambridge C3/4 457m second two races ago. He is expected to finish boldly here.

His kennel mate Busy Flash will exit from the trap inside him. She has been contesting Cambridge 375m sprints lately which includes her traffic impeded sprint there last Sunday where ironically she tangled up with Grunt, which effectively ended her claims then. She is still looking for her first Manukau 527m win.

Sean O’Neil is returning his charge Dig Dig Dig to 527m racing here after his recent staying assignments. He has proven to be competitive over 527m at the Auckland headquarters and he’s potentially the forgotten contender in this event. That was a handy 603m second he delivered here two races ago when he was sighted racing in the green vest. He will carry that vest on Sunday.

Sunday Manukau Cup contenders include (from left): Kiwi Girl, Charlow; Dig Dig Dig

Looking Snatched will be loaded away into the one trap on Sunday for her return to racing. She went out for a spell following her last start December 19 C2/3 30.82s 527m win for her conditioner Ben Craik. She ran down race rival here Charlow to claim that win. She must take up a forward early position as she’s taking a significant rise in class to contest this feature event.

Occupying the first possie on the reserves bench is the Ross and Lynne Udy trained Spring Mechanic who has been contesting recent Cambridge open class 375m sprints. He must place himself straight onto the early pace if he secures a race start here.

It’s a pretty handy looking chaser who is the second reserve. He’s All Shine tasted Group 1 520m success in early December when he prevailed at the elite level at the Hatrick Raceway. He slipped down the Manawatu Raceway last Monday to contest an open class 457m event where he endured a completely luckless early racing passage. The stake earning claims held by this Sam Lozell trained chaser cannot be ignored if he gains a place in the starting field here.

The Sunday TAB Pick6 is guaranteed to $15,000 (races 8-13) and don’t forget about the $2,500 bonus TAB injection into the early Quaddie (races 2-5).

City Of Palmerston North Golden Chase Qualifying

Week two of qualifying for the $35,000 Golden Chase ended with a new pacesetter sitting on top of the leader board. The nation’s leading current strike rate trainer for this season Dan Lane travelled north with Seve who really impressed in the strong pace making manner he delivered his 25.81s C4 457m win.

Four greyhounds forced their way into top 12 leader board positions when they solo trialled following the last race last Monday. All four of those greyhounds must contest a 457m Monday race by the March 16 qualifying cut off to complete their qualifying requirements.

Here’s the current to 12 Golden Chase leader board runners

1 Seve 25.81

2 Bigtime Annie 25.82**

3 Bigtime Rod 25.87

4 Spring Falcon 25.89*

5 Bigtime Seth 25.90

6 Hey Fernando 25.98*

7 Big Time Jackson 26.01
8 Ringside 26.03

9 Rapid Fire 26.05

10 Fare Dodger 26.08

11 Emgrand Park 26.09

12 Go Vegas 26.10*