The Kolorful Kanvas Robinson Rosebowl is a time honoured Christchurch hosted 520m feature event that has the names of numerous quality greyhounds engraved on it. Thursday’s 520m edition presents an interesting, even looking line-up.
Pictured: Opawa Rosie who won the last edition of the Robinson Rosebowl.
Local trainer Calum Weir is lining up two sound looking prospects. Zipping Jordan has compiled an attractive Addington 520m record since she crossed the Tasman, having earned a stake in all nine of her races (four wins) at the Christchurch headquarters. The early pace that this New Zealand Cup runner up owns has assisted her to achieve those tidy track stats. Being allocated the ace trap to hop away from here has ready enhanced her winning claims.
Kennelmate Zipping Marlisa didn’t waste any time in zipping through the grades to attain her open class chasing stripes. She endured a luckless Addington 520m outing last Friday when she copped an early check. Her prior open class 520m second held a fair amount of merit. She must break quickly from the seven trap here.
Southern Lights has really been lighting up the southern tracks lately for his Invercargill trainer Roy Hamilton. He is a proven Addington 520m performer who has been sighted getting himself handier to the early pace lately. Using that healthy tactic after jumping from trap four can see him strongly making his presence felt at the business end of this event.
Any greyhound who lines up in a feature race from the Dave and Jean Fahey kennels demands respect. In this instance Opawa Kevin will be representing them. He is returning from a brief freshen up following luckless prior feature race misses. Being allocated the eight trap to step away from can see him featuring. His stats whenever he has been seen wearing the pink racing vest makes for tidy reading.
Kolorful Kanvas Robinson Rosebowl contenders includes (from left): Zipping Jordan, Southern Lights, Opawa Kevin
Local conditioner Craig Roberts has accepted with two chasers. Letron James again cops a tough draw after being allocated the five trap to be loaded away into. His recent Addington 520m efforts has been sound when finishing just in behind the placed runners. Kennelmate Mina Allen graduated into the open class chasing ranks when she won her C4 520m assignment in 30.69s last week. She will be exiting from trap three in what will be her toughest career test too date.
Boston Billy has been a marvellously consistent chaser at the top level around the Addington circuit for a long time now for his trainers Tony Hart and Kristy Taylor. He arrives into this event on the back of a competitive pair of recent 520m thirds and he is generally seen racing handy to the pace. He has drawn to do exactly that from the two trap on Thursday.
The Robin Wales and Josh Lane prepared Opawa Jimbo has stylishly worked his way through the grades. He also attained his open class racing status when he gamely held on for his narrow 30.72s C4 520m win last Friday. He then went onto produced a swift pace-making Ascot Park 457m win on Tuesday when stepping up to C4/5 racing. His winning time was a smart 25.87s. He must jump straight onto the early pace here.
The stakes claim owned by the first reserve Berridale Lad if he gets the one scratching he requires to gain a race start here for his trainer Norn Wanhalla certainly cannot be lightly dismissed. This bloke owns a serious mid race sectional on this track which he can use to telling effect. It was only two races ago when he delivered his bold Hatrick Classic 520m third at Group 1 level.
The second reserve is provided from the Gary Cleeve kennels with Hard Questions occupying that position. He hasn’t been putting himself into early contention lately which has led to him suffering from traffic problems. He did produce a much better effort when he was sighted finishing solidly for his Ascot Park 457m third behind race rival here Opawa Jimbo on Tuesday.
Kolorful Kanvas Robinson Rosebowl contenders includes (from left): Letron James, Boston Billy, Opawa Jimbo
By Peter Fenemor
