The four 318m Railway Sprint heats held last Sunday threw up more questions than answers in terms of trying to establish which sharp sprinter will taste Group 1 glory after the running of this $25,000 dash.
Pictured: Swimming Goat, who is sprinting after a Group 1 double on Sunday
It is an intriguing looking field of short course sprinters who will be loaded away into the Manukau 318m traps (race 11) on Sunday afternoon.
Taking the time honours from those heats was the Lisa Cole trained Hatrick 305m track record holder Allegro Gun. His Manukau track debut was impressive when flew away from the four trap to dictate the terms to his rivals when delivering his free-wheeling 18.39s heat win. A repeat of that start from trap six here can see this bloke serving up a repeat dose.
“It all depends on the run into the first turn on how he will fare. It is likely to be a fair foot (paw) race into it. He is a good young dog who has strength with a huge motor. His run home was very fast and he has pleased us since Sunday,” said Brendon Cole.
Kennelmate Allegro Lass has tasted feature race sprinting success before and she certainly isn’t a forlorn looking prospect from trap eight here, especially as she tends to race slightly away from the rail. In her heat she did hang out a tad wide when setting the early pace which allowed My Girl Chloe to slip through underneath her. She then maintain a strong sprint to the judge, resulting in her 1.75 length heat second.
“She won’t jam down and she will mind her own business, therefore being out in the eight isn’t likely to harm her chances. In fact the Manukau sprint eight trap seems to provide runners from there a slingshot into the first turn. She is proven at the highest level and she is very reliable over the first sectional. She has trained on good during the week,” added Cole.
The Cole trained pair of finalists are both Kiwi bred sprinters and the only other locally bred sprinter in the final is provided by 81 year old conditioner Freddy Kite with Sedgebrook Babe. This trio are now in their own separate race to decide who will claim the Group 1 bonus $1,000 payment payable to the first NZ Bred finisher.
Kite bred, owns and trains the ultra consistent Hatrick Friday evening 305m sprinter Sedgebrook Babe. Her track debut heat effort contained merit when she ranged up handy to the early pace from where she pressed on stoutly to claim her two length heat second behind Eva Diva.
“She’ll go the traps on Sunday in one hundred percent order. It was a last minute decision to give it a go (Railway) and I’m pleased I did as she went real good up there. She handled her first long distance trip up there great. She does jump good and I expect her to from the three in the final - she learns quickly. She’s a hard chaser and there’s only one thing she wants – the lure!” said Kite, who recalls it was back in the late 1990’s when he produced his last Group 1 runner. “It’s been a long time between drinks,” he chuckled.
Denis Schofield has enjoyed consistent success over the Manukau 318m sprint for numerous Sunday’s with his sprinter Eva Diva. The trainer of last year’s Railway Sprint winner (Nangar Star) is now looking towards her to provide him with back to back Railway winners. She is in the right nick to achieve that distinction as she was sighted punching forward during the early rush in her heat. That translated into her setting the pace throughout to land her win in 18.49s. Her consistent 318m efforts can be rewarded here.
Group 1 Railway Sprint contenders includes (from left): Allegro Gun, Allegro Lass, Sedgebrook Babe, Eva Diva
It was a tidy training effort by Ben Craik, along with his wife Barbara and daughters Tracey and Lisa to produce Simple And Plain fresh up to win her heat in 18.48s. She bravely placed herself into early contention after jumping from the tricky five trap from where she maintained a strong on the pace sprint which saw her being rewarded with her heat win. She must adopt those same healthy tactics after jumping away from trap five again on Sunday.
Karen Walsh is one of three trainers who is in line to train a possible Group 1 double on Sunday. She qualified My Girl Chloe for the Railway and obviously she has Thrilling Boris qualified for the Auckland Cup. My Girl Chloe is a likely improver following her 18.57s heat win where she displayed track sense when she used wise railing tactics to nail her win. Forget about her time as she was the winner of the Group 2 Dash For Cash dash over 305m at Hatrick late last year where she displayed strength and pace to win after being the last away from the traps.
“The key for her was how she came through her heat as she had been on the lead going into last Sunday. She did enough to get through and I’m rapt in the way she has pulled up. Her draw (seven) doesn’t really matter as she is a hard out chaser and is such a professional athlete,” confirmed Walsh.
Speaking about skilled athletes, then look no further than the astounding national record holder Swimming Goat. The Callum Weir mentored Addington 295m track record holder had his issues when heading into his Railway heat. A horror trip up from his Canterbury base nearly saw Weir pulling the pin on his star sprinter. He didn’t, which saw Swimming Goat delivering a competitive four length heat fourth behind Simple And Plain and as a result of that Swimming Goat now provides his trainer with an unique Group 1 double – double opportunity.
Swimming Goat won the only other short course Group 1 sprint on the national calendar; the Galaxy Sprint at Addington. He’s now having a shot at this Group 1 title. The second part of the possible double is that Weir has Zipping Jordan leaping from the ace trap in the Auckland Cup final.
“It would be very nice if Goat can add this title to his Galaxy title – that will really be the icing on the cake. I felt he was lucky to make it through after he was checked when making a move, so it was a brave effort by him to qualify. His draw (two) is really good and the most pleasing part was the way he arrived back home so full of himself. His weight is spot on and I expect him to travel back up there better, after having last week’s experience,” suggested Weir. .
A couple of scratching’s now sees the Angela Turnwald prepared Lover taking his place in the Group 1 sprint and he takes the place of his scratched kennelmate Spelling Misteak who pulled up poorly following his heat. The earlier scratching of the first reserve Vegas Burst allowed Lover, who missed directly making the final by just head (headed by Swimming Goat) margin, has allowed him back into the field.
“I advised the owners of Spelling Misteak when I got home after the heat that he would be struggling to make the final. It was also a pity that Lover had some traffic issues in his heat when just missing (directly qualifying). If he jumps, then yes he will be hard to beat – that is the key for him as he must jump. He is a very hard dog to get past if he’s leading,” said the trainers’ partner Paul Freeman.
Group 1 Railway Sprint contenders includes (from left): Simple And Plain, My Girl Chloe, Swimming Goat, Lover
By Peter Fenemor
