It is a rare Saturday afternoon of greyhound racing that will be sighted at the Manukau Stadium over the Easter weekend. The Auckland GRC has carded a 12 race with the feature event being the $6,000 Easter Cup (race 10).

The second running of the $15,000 Palmerston North Gold Cup at Group 2 level over 457m will be contested this Thursday evening during a dual code meeting.

The Mike Stent Decorators New Zealand Derby field was always going to be stacked full of quality classic aged greyhounds. Thursday’s running of the Group 1 $45,420 decider contains a field that is full of outstanding chasing talent.

The staying canine athletes are in action during Thursday’s huge evening of chasing action at the Cambridge Raceway. They are racing after Group 2 glory in the $15,825 T McDonald Cup over the extreme 747m distance.

There will be a fair amount of emotion at the Cambridge Raceway on Thursday evening at the time when the $15,825 Lois Henley Memorial Trophy final is decided.

It is a tidy field of female greyhounds who will return to contest next Thursday’s running of the $15,825 Lois Henley Memorial Trophy. The Group 2 final field was decided during the running of a pair of 457m heats on Thursday evening.

This year’s edition of the $45,420 Mike Stent Decorators New Zealand Derby was a keenly anticipated event owing to the quality and the great depth of male restricted-age talent sighted around the country.

This season’s Mike Stent Decorators New Zealand Derby has been a keenly anticipated Group 1 event for a long time.

The Lois Henley Memorial Trophy is the race that annually remembers the valued administration input that Lois contributed to the greyhound code at the regional and national levels.

It was busy afternoon for local Cambridge trainer Peter Ferguson who was actively involved in both codes during Sunday’s dual code meeting which featured the Tokoroa GRC’s annual TAB meeting at the Cambridge Raceway.

Thank you for the entertainment Floyd – enjoy your well-earned retirement mate! Floyd, aka Swimming Goat, was retired from his action packed racing career after his 295 sprint last Thursday evening.

The northern region Sunday feature racing continues this weekend; however, the venue switches to the Cambridge Raceway where the Tokoroa GRC will host their annual TAB meeting. The $5,000 Tokoroa Cup over 457m headlines the meeting.

Bigtime Levi has established himself as a strong finishing greyhound, who owing to being a moderate race starter, was going to find it a hard task to win feature open class chasing events.

It’s A Plan is a big buggar – actually a huge fella, weighting in at a hefty 37.8kgs. That was his Sunday race weight which he strongly carried to victory in the $5,000 Thayne Green Classic over 527m.

A 15 race card has been framed for the annual Taranaki meeting which will be held at the Hatrick Raceway on Monday afternoon. The Naki’s feature race, the $6,245 Taranaki Cup (race 10) over 520m has drawn a strong looking field.

The 527m feature racing action continues at the Manukau Stadium this Sunday with the $5,000 Thayne Green Classic being decided (race 10). The event has attracted a handy looking field of up-and-coming restricted age chasers.

83-year-old New Zealand Greyhound Hall of Fame conditioner Ray Adcock remains as competitive as ever in the mentoring ranks. He meticulously planned the preparation of his star kennel short course sprinter Rosa Tee for the $28,000 Qualified Pet Services Railway Sprint right down to the exact tee-off time.

Dirk Bale stylishly capped off a sensational 18-hour demolition of Group 1 greyhound race victories by Bale suffix named chasers on both sides of the Tasman when he powerfully dictated terms to his rivals during Sunday’s running of the $88,000 Auckland Cup.

Pace – serious early pace is an invaluable asset in any greyhound race. Using that healthy skill in Group race deciders ultimately leads to deserved success. It was serious early pace that decided both Group 1 finals at the Manukau Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Pictured: Dirk Bale following his swift pace making Auckland Cup victory

In the $88,000 Auckland Cup final the Craig-Roberts-trained Dirk Bale took a flyer from trap six and speared straight into the race lead. It was lead he was never going to hand over, with his pace setting tactics landing him his 527m win in a tidy 30.06s.

Gamely chasing after him was Shallay Pallay for Dave and Jean Fahey and he was rewarded with his 2.5 length second, while the winner’s litter brother and kennelmate Allen Ablett was bold when claiming his third placing a further 1.75 lengths behind.

The $28,000 Qualified Pet Services Railway Sprint final was decided 18 minutes prior to the Auckland Cup. It was the gold racing vest worn by the Ray-Adcock-prepared Rosa Tee that was the first sighted when the 318m traps lifted.

She was electric when maintaining her high pace which translated into her swift 18.24s win in the Group 1 dash, scoring by a comfortable three lengths. There was ecstatic post race podium scenes with Rosa Tee being joined by the minor place getters with both of those greyhounds delivering the race of their careers.

Alex Attack was huge when he pushed forward to chase after the pacemaker and he was rewarded with his runner up finishing positions for his delighted trainers Jared Udy and Denise Cottam. Ron and Nyomi O’Regan were equally delighted with their charge Obstinatus who stylishly slipped around the outer to claim his third placing 1.5 lengths astern.

  
Trainer Craig Roberts with his Auckland Cup winner Dirk Bale; Master trainer Ray Adcock and race handler Dan Lane with the Qualified Pet Services Railway Sprint winner Rosa Tee; it sure was crowded Railway Sprint podium with Rosa Tee being flanked by runner up Alex Attack and the third placed Obstinatus

Pawnote: Check back here tomorrow for the full Auckland Cup meeting wrap up with post race comments from the connections involved, plus also feedback provided by an owner who owns greyhounds that won three Group 1 finals over the weekend – the Auckland Cup included.

By Peter Fenemor

Explosive short course sprinting action looks assured when the eight speed merchants are released from the Manukau 318m starting traps for the $28,000 Qualified Pet Services Railway Sprint final at Group 1 level on Sunday afternoon.

The field for Sunday’s $88,000 Auckland Cup at the Manukau Stadium is regarded as the strongest assembled for many years. Eight classy greyhounds will be loaded away into the 527m traps for the Group 1 decider following four highly competitive heats.

It’s a strong undercard that supports Sunday’s Auckland Cup meeting, highlighted by a pair of 527m and 318m races that are basically the consolation events to the two Group 1 finals.