Two ultra competitive Group 1 finals will be decided at the Manukau Stadium next Sunday. That was the strong massage received following the running of eight spirited set of 527m and 318m heats.
Pictured: Thrilling Boris after his impressive Auckland Cup heat win
AUCKLAND CUP HEATS
Cementing his warm Plasterboard Ltd Auckland Cup favouritism was the pre-series fav Thrilling Boris. The Karen Walsh prepared star chaser cruised through his 527m heat assignment to record the fastest of the four cup heats contested, clocking 30.41s.
Running the race of his career was Soaring Hawke with this recent C3 527m winner bravely leading the chase after the pacemaker. In doing so he was rewarded with a final field position by virtue of his 1.75 length second for his Cambridge conditioners Greg Hore and Peter Fergusson. The Canterbury greyhound Mina Allen produced a sound track debut effort when winding up another 7.5 lengths behind for Craig Roberts.
He’s All Power certainly is an aptly named greyhound from the Dave and Jean Fahey Canterbury based kennels. His cup qualifying claims look to be 100/1 and rapidly drifting when he was back in the field when racing down the back straight. This bloke then flicked on his turbo chargers as he commenced a powerful finish that carried him to his strong neck, 30.58s heat win.
Belcroft Banker wisely got himself handy to the pace when boldly chasing after the pace-setting Timma Turtle down the back straight for his trainer Henney Laagland. He wasn’t able to withstand the whirlwind finish that He’s All Power produced, but he also got himself past the pacemaker and in doing so booked his field place for next Sunday’s $80,000 final when shading the Lisa Cole trained Timma Turtle by a half-length margin. Timma Turtle secured himself the cup first reserve position from this heat.
Letron James had endured poor racing luck in a number of feature events for last year’s winning Auckland Cup trainer Craig Roberts. An improved draw (trap two) saw him taking bad luck out of the equation by undertaking the pace-making role. He thrived in that role, which saw him leading throughout to clock his 30.59s heat win by a 1.5 length margin.
Paul Dozer, for Angela Turnwald, boldly led the chase after him and this C4 graded chaser gamely stuck to his task and he was rewarded with an Auckland cup final field position when holding for his second placing. Finishing strongly another 1.5 lengths astern was Opawa Kevin for the Fahey’s. He will occupy the second possie on the reserves bench.
The theme of Canterbury mentored Auckland Cup heat winners continued in the final heat which saw Zipping Jordan produce a strong on the pace effort to deservedly take out the heat in 30.65s for Calum Weir.
Fantastic Ave from the Denis Schofield kennels led the field down the back straight prior to peaking when round the final turn. It was another Fahey prepared greyhound Majestic Action who mounted a strong finish which carried him into the cup final when finishing a three length second. Another gallant effort by the Mike Lozell trained Our Sambo saw him pressing on stoutly to claim his heat third, another three lengths behind.
Plasterboard Ltd Auckland Cup heat winners (from left): He’s All Power, Letron James, Zipping Jordan
RAILWAY SPRINT HEATS
The Group 2 305m winner My Girl Chloe was sent to the 318m traps as a warm favourite for her trainer Karen Walsh in the first of the Railway heats. She duly obliged when she pushed forward after leaping from the ace trap to slip underneath the Lisa Cole prepared pacemaker Allegro Lass when rounding the turn. She extended from there to claim her win in 18.57, a length and a half in front of Allegro Lass.
The Hatrick 305m track record holder Allegro Gun was making his Manukau track debut outing for Cole in the second heat. He sprinted like he had been racing at the venue for all of his career when he led heat rivals throughout to clock his 18.39s heat win by a 4.25 length margin.
Spelling Misteak made absolutely no mistake when boldly sprinting after the pacemaker and the Angela Turnwald prepared sprinter booked his return for the $25,000 final when claiming the runners up placing. The Peter Henley trained Vegas Burst maintained a strong sprint to secure third and by doing so he secured the first reserve position.
There was plenty of anticipation surrounding the third Railway heat. The heat contained the national record breaking Canterbury, Calum Weir prepared Swimming Goat. He settled just behind the early pace-setters when leaving the Manukau 318m traps for the first time. Pinging away smartly from the five trap to take up the early race lead was Simple And Plain for local trainer Ben Craik.
The fresh up sprinter was always in control of the pace as seen when she scampered to her easy 18.48s heat win, scoring by a comfortable four length margin. Swimming Goat was real bold as he had to overcome a degree of jostling on the turn from where he stylishly kicked on to nail the runner-up place, therefore ensuring that his dream of claiming both of the Group 1 sprint titles on the national calendar remained alive. It was Lover, by virtue of finishing just a head behind in third, who will occupy the second reserves position for Turnwald.
Eva Diva has been a marvelously consistent Manukau 318m sprinter for a long time for her trainer Denis Schofield. She made no mistake in her heat when, after an initial paw wrestle, she took control of her heat rivals to deliver her 18.49s win.
Another long time consistent sprinter has been Sedgebrook Babe, who is a regular Hatrick Friday evening 305m attendee, for her veteran trainer Freddy Kite. She took a flyer from the five trap and that healthy racing tactic saw her being rewarded with the heat second pacing two lengths further behind.
The Railway Sprint heat winners (from left): My Girl Chloe, Allegro Gun, Simple And Plain, Eva Diva.
The Auckland GRC completed the box draw for both Group 1 finals in the lounge – here’s the drawn fields as displayed on Sunday afternoon
By Peter Fenemor
