The exciting young greyhound Thrilling Raider is seeking to plunder another penalty free feature race victory at Hatrick on Friday evening.
Pictured: Thrilling Raider who will be all the rage at Hatrick on Friday evening.
Brilliant race placement by Thrilling Raider’s trainer Karen Walsh sees this son of Sergio and Thrilling Ella lining up in the $8,000 NZRS Graduation final, for Kiwi bred only greyhounds, over 520m as the winner of 13 of his 14 career races. Six of his race wins, including the recent Cambridge NZRS Graduation final, has been penalty free, hence why he is still assessed as C3 greyhound.
Don’t worry about this assignment being Thrilling Raider’s track debut outing, as he has trialled at the venue. This event will be the first occasion that he will be sighted wearing the white racing vest. His litter and kennelmate Thrilling Surge has been a 520m winner around this circuit which came in a Maiden event that he won in 30.48s. This winner of eight of his 16 races boldly chased home Thrilling Raider in the Cambridge hosted version of this series when he was last presented when going under by two lengths. He will be loaded away into the tricky five trap here.
From left: Sire Sergio, who was a Group 1 Hatrick 520m winner, is represented by two sons in the NZRS Graduation final, while Bigtime Kinvara, who was the 2012 Auckland Cup winner, has three runners (one a reserve) in the event. The 2012 Auckland Oaks winner Darlyne Ottey has a daughter contesting the final
Lisa Ahern is throwing out a ‘big time’ four dog challenge at the Thrilling pair, plus she also has both of the reserves. Looking to spearhead her attack are a couple of youngsters from the talented Bigtime Kinvara – Bigtime Karen litter. Two races ago Bigtime Welldone slipped around the 520m trip here in a smart 29.88s. That time was fair flying and going close to that time will see him right up there at the sharp end of this event. Jumping from trap four on Friday says that he must get himself in a handy early position.
His brother Bigtime Bakagain is also no slouch around here. He brings a sound 30.09s best 520m winning time into the race. He has no option but to hop away smartly from the allocated eight-trap he receives. Another litter sibling Bigtime Onfire occupies the first possie on the reserves bench. She tried to pinch an all the way 520m win here last Friday when contesting a C2 event, but she was crunched late when finishing third. She must adopt those same racing tactics if she is required to race here.
Although this is a strong field, Bigtime Lady is benefiting from a significant easing in class for this assignment. This daughter of Cosmic Rumble and Darlyne Ottey has been contesting C4/5 events and she has now dropped back down to a C3 grading. She does own sound Hatrick 520m form and her wide trap stats makes for sound looking reading. She will be wearing the black racing vest in this event.
Bigtime Sweetie arrives into this event on the back off a sound last start Manawatu C2/3 457m third which followed her brave previous 645m outing. This daughter of Blue Lorian and Lost In light can race handy to the pace which is a tactic she must use when hopping away from the six trap here.
Her litter sister Bigtime Bell is the second reserve. There is no denying this girl’s race fitness as her last start effort saw her delivering a competitive 645m second behind a hardened, proven greyhound. She owns a strong finish, plus also a sound 30.28s best winning 520m time around here.
Three of the Lisa Ahern trained ‘Big time” NZRS Graduation contenders includes (from left): Bigtime Lady, Bigtime Welldone, Bigtime Sweetie
Local trainer Bernie Marsh will be hoping his charge Bernie’s Boy will quickly push forward onto the early pace after leaping from trap one. It is a trap that this son of Oaks Road and Grace Hill hasn’t won from (one placing from four races). He was sighted contesting the pace in his latest Manawatu 457m outings, which included a handy C2 26.34s C2 win two races ago.
Completing the drawn field is the Bill Hodgson prepared Nitehawk Rose, who will jump from trap two here. She also must punch up onto the early pace here as this daughter of Spring Gun and Real Clever is likely to be required to improve on her best 30.30s 520m winning time on this track if she is going to feature at the business end here.
