When it comes around to look for the winner of the Christchurch Casino Canterbury Futurity recent history says don’t look past the powerful Canterbury mentors Dave and Jean Fahey.
Pictured: Vikings cruising to his Canterbury Futurity heat win (pic Dave Robbie).
The husband and wife training partnership are chasing their seventh training victory in the $25,000, Group 2 event since 2006. They also hold very strong claims of not only doing so, but also providing the race trifecta for the third occasion after achieving that feat in the 2016 and 2013 editions.
Last Thursday they qualified six of the eight drawn runners (plus also both reserves) when training three of the four 520m heat winners. In another twist, the connections of all ten greyhounds owns strong, long time associations with the Fahey kennels.
Robin Wales and Josh Lane trained the other two drawn finalists. The link to the Fahey kennels is Wales being the manager of the hugely successful Opawa Racing team. Three Opawa contenders are trained by the Fahey’s, while they also own the two Wales/Lane runners.
Another two of the Fahey prepared runners are owned by the combined I Pave Opawa syndicate which is a joint racing venture between the Opawa Racing team and another syndicate, I Pave Concrete who have also raced many top line greyhounds from the Fahey kennels. Completing the close knit kennel association is the long time Fahey race day handler Mark Lin, who has an ownership interest in three of the Fahey prepared finalists.
Vikings maintained his super form when delivering his tidy 30.37s 520m heat win last Thursday. This son of Barcia Bale and Jinja Power owns a powerful second sectional which he used to telling effect (17.64s) when splitting open his heat field. Drawing trap two on Thursday provides him with solid looking repeat claims. “His quick second sectional is what sets him up. I would like to see him build a lead going down the back as he’ll need a buffer for the run home. I have been working him harder and that now seems to be paying off,” advised Dave Fahey.
Litter mate Mandy Junior is just as smart as can be seen by her open class grading assessment. She is also very swift over the first sectional as seen when she quickly secured the early race lead after hopping away from trap seven in her heat. From there she maintained a strong gallop throughout which saw her completing her heat assignment in 30.52s. “She is a professional greyhound who jumps good and is strong. I’m not worried about her box (six) as she is likely to be sitting up with the early pace. She can run time (she owns a tidy 30.09s 520m best),” said Fahey.
Opawa Brad is the only other C5 graded finalist. He was fresh up when this son of Winsome Opawa and Opawa Andrea was sighted finishing stoutly to claim his 30.66s heat win. His co-trainer rates him as an improver for the decider. “That was his first race for a month and I expect him to be better for that gallop. I don’t think his draw (five) will matter for him,” added Fahey.
Opawa Sheldon was run down at the business end of his heat by his litter brother Opawa Brad, when he was caught by 1.75 lengths. He had been delivering some sharp 295m sprints leading into this series and drawing the ace trap here is going to assist him to seek out the early pace. He must do so as his run home isn’t as strong as his rivals. “He is likely to be on the early pace and if there’s in trouble in behind he can take advantage of that. He must set up the pace,” Fahey said.
Min Ho is another who owns the ability to contest the pace. This son of Bekim Bale and Delusionist displayed that asset when he led his heat rivals down the back straight prior to succumbing to the strong finishing Opawa Plum who gathered him in by a length. “I thought he would have held on in his heat, although he isn’t as strong as his litter mates. He also owns a quick second sectional and I expect to see him racing up on the early pace,” advised Fahey.
Litter mate Mazu owns a differing racing style as was seen when he was finished strongly when winding up 3.25 lengths behind the freewheeling Vikings. An example of his ability was sighted when he delivered his 30.50s meet best prior 520m win. “He will be running on better than most. He used to stick closely to the rail, however he has been coming around other runners lately. I would like to see him hanging around somewhere near the ‘one-one’,” suggested Fahey, who added,” All of our finalists are as good as gold – they’re all set for Thursday.”
Opawa Plum produced a real eye catching finish, when after a slow start this daughter of Barcia Bale and Opawa Secret put in some big late bounds to nail her 30.68s heat win. Her tardy starting habit was also evident when she was again slowly away when contesting a C1 Addington 520m race on Tuesday. “She won’t jump and she will have to come from behind them, which makes it pretty hard for her. It was a good effort by her to qualify and her future is likely to over longer distances. She has pulled up real good from Tuesday,” said Wales.
Opawa Pam maintained her ultra consistent run of minor placings when she pressed on stoutly to claim her 2.5 length heat second behind Mandy Junior. That characterizes her racing style as she is generally sighted doing her best work at the business end of her races. “She’s got to be in with some sort of a show to win a stake. She can be slow from the boxes and then she can finish like a rocket. She is a hundred percent going into Thursday,” advised Wales.
The Fahey trained pair of reserves sees Opawa Racer, who is a litter brother to Opawa Brad and Opawa Sheldon occupying the first possie on the bench, while the brother to Min Ho and Mazu, Draxler is the second reserve.
