Promising visiting greyhounds dominates Sunday’s Auckland hosted $7,000 NZRS Novice final. However, it is an exciting locally prepared youngster who will start as the warm race favourite.
Pictured: The smart Beautiful Boy after his strong Novice heat win
The Ben Craik prepared Beautiful Boy is a very exciting chasing prospect. Last week he produced the equal best Cambridge 457m time when clocking 25.51s – an outstanding time for a C1 assessed chaser. This son of El Grand Senor and Just Jordana then went on to deliver his stylish 30.58s 527m win in his NZRS Novice heat at the Manukau Stadium on Sunday. That was the quickest of the four heat times and being allocated the ace trap to step from on Sunday says he’s the greyhound the others have to head off.
What really made those four heats interesting paw wrestles was the presence of promising southern and central trained youngsters. Dave and Jean Fahey trekked north with a team of talented chasers. They will be returning with three finalists. Jinja Bella has made an extremely promising start to her racing career and this daughter of Cosmic Rumble and Jinjawinja maintained that form when delivering her track debut 30.86s heat win. She has displayed pace-making tactics which is what she is likely to attempt after hopping away from trap eight here.
Opawa Denise backed up her brave prior NZ Oaks heat third (she was the first reserve for the Group 1 final) with her strong 30.95s heat win. This daughter of Fabregas and Opawa Eye is developing into a consistent, handy chaser who has a bright future in front of her. She also would have derived benefit from last Sunday’s first look at the Manukau track.
Opawa Sophie gamely led home the chase after the freewheeling Beautiful Boy 5.25 lengths behind him after having delivered her NZ Oaks heat fourth placing. Again it the first look at the Auckland headquarters for this daughter of Winsome Opawa and Opawa Andrea. She is required to hop away from the six trap this Sunday.
Lisa Cole, who brought up her 500th training win for the season on Wednesday, will be represented by two finalists on Sunday. Bigtime Phantom has displayed exciting potential from not even a handful of career races. It was just the third race day outing for this son of Collision and Darlyne Ottey when he led his heat rivals throughout for his 30.89s win. Drawing trap two on Sunday says he adds to the puzzle on which greyhounds from this final will be required to attend the post-race podium.
Manukau $7,000 NZRS Novice finalists (from left): Jinja Bella, Opawa Denise, Opawa Sophie
Kennelmate Bigtime Flyer brought sound form north with him for his track debut and this son of Fabregas and Eruza flanked that form when he was sighted finishing solidly for his half-length heat second behind Jinja Bella. He must break quickly from the poor five trap draw he has been allocated for this event.
Jinja Mia was also bold in delivering her 2.5 length heat second to Opawa Denise for her northern conditioners Wayne and Tracey Steele. This daughter of Bit Chili and Winsome Ashely (she’s the current Manukau 527m track record holder) must also inject herself onto the early pace from trap four.
The drawn field is completed by Princess Alea from the Carolyn Hore, Cambridge-based kennels. Early pace is also an asset that this daughter of Texas Gold and Trident Lotto owns. She has drawn to lob onto the early pace from the three trap after she boldly chased after Bigtime Phantom to claim her place here when winding up 1.25 lengths behind her. She was a prior 31.42s pace-making winner at this venue.
Manukau $7,000 NZRS Novice finalists (from left): Bigtime Phantom, Bigtime Flyer, Jinja Mia, Princess Alea
Both reserves are drawn to contest support 527m races on the card if they don’t receive the scratchings they required to make it back into this final. The Cole trained first reserve Bigtime McDaddy (Collision – Darlyne Ottey) will be contesting the race nine C1 527m event. Second reserve Opawa Plum (Barcia Bale – Opawa Secret) will take her place in the race five C1 event for the Fahey’s.
By Peter Fenemor
