The power of the Lisa Cole kennels was graphically illustrated by the Palmerston North based training operation qualifying five finalists for Friday’s $25,000 The Rock 95.2FM NZ Futurity.
Pic: Bigtime Jason, who is one of five Lisa Cole trained NZ Futurity finalists
She produced four of the five 520m heat winners for this Group 1 event. The roll started when Spring Allegro bounded clear at trap rise to lead his rivals throughout, clocking 30.14s. He was the quickest through the first sectional when returning his 4.97s spilt. He is required to reproduce that split on Friday after he exits from the lousy five trap here.
“We trialed him over 520m the week before which confirmed he could run it out. He will be improved by his first race over 520m in his heat. We were happy with his lead up time. If he can avoid any early jostling and get an early break on them then he can be hard to catch,” said the trainer’s husband Brendon Cole.
Next up we saw See Eye Aye also controlling the pace (5.08s first sectional) to deliver his upset ($23.50) heat win when he dictated the pace to his heat rivals for his 30.30s clock. It was a brave effort by this bloke, especially being a C3 assessed chaser.
However, he’ll have to shave a few tenths off that time if he’s going to be sighted at the business of this event. “He does own early speed and he ran up to his full potential to win his heat. His draw suits him although I feel he will be racing for luck in the final,” suggested Cole.
The known strong finisher Bigtime Bell isn’t renowned for her early pace, therefore it came as a surprise to see her leading her heat rivals into the first turn (5.10s). She was never going to be caught from there which saw her scampering through her task to clock 29.97s. Her strength at the back end of her races was clearly shown by her strong 11.32s run home sectional. Here’s a look back at her heat effort (race 8).
“She was fresh going into her heat, which helped her jump. She is as strong as a bull who will finish strongly. It will be interesting if she jumps like that again. We have kept her on the fresh side during the week, hoping that she can jump like that again,” advised Cole.
The Rock 95.2FM NZ Futurity finalists includes (from left): Spring Allegro, Bigtime Bell, Spare Some Time
It was another pace-making heat win that Spare Some Time produced to win his heat in 30.03s (5.01s). He has been allocated the one trap to step away from on Friday. That could be a slight concern for this season’s Wanganui Derby winner as he failed to effectively use that draw when he contested the recent NZ Derby final.
He produced an even set of first two sectionals, although he was noticeably the slowest when it came to the run home times. “He didn’t use that trap (one) in the NZ Derby and I feel he’s better suited in the middle traps. He has to lead into the first turn,” informed Cole.
Big Time Jason contested the final heat where he gamely chased after the freewheeling Dave and Jean Fahey prepared Vikings, finishing 4.5 lengths behind him. He is a proven Hatrick 520m chaser and his on the pace racing style says that his claim in this event certainly cannot be lightly dismissed.
“He’s a consistent greyhound who does everything right most of the time. He has early speed which can see him getting onto the early pace and he can feature by doing so on Friday,” confirmed Cole.
Cole added, “All five of our runners pulled up great. They are all capable and I guess it will come down to which one can avoid early jostling and get an early break on them, which obviously brings early racing luck into it. We are very proud in qualifying dogs that we have bred (four of them) for this final and they are all set for Friday.”
The obvious danger to the Cole quintet is Vikings, especially after he flew through his track debut heat assignment in a smart 29.90s. He completed his first sectional in 5.03s, then he produced a searing second sectional in returning 18.40s. He must place himself straight onto the early pace from his tricky (on this track) eight trap draw.
“He is a much stronger dog now. He has the ability, he has come through last week well and it now comes down to what happens going into the first turn. I guess drawing out there is better than drawing in the middle,” said Dave Fahey. Here’s a flashback on Viking’s swift heat effort (race 10).
Kennelmate Opawa Brad dug in very deep to book his place in the final. He was sighted picking his way past his rivals after settling back in the field from trap eight. He punched home strongly which saw him winding up three lengths behind Bigtime Bell. “He will need luck from out there (trap seven). He ran on strongly in his heat, so hopefully, he’s handy enough to the pace to do the same again,” said Fahey.
The Fahey’s also has Viking’s litter brother Bomb’s Falling sitting as the first reserve. He is a smart enough greyhound in his own right, as seen by him qualifying for the recent NZ Derby final (Vikings ran second in that). He gamely led the chase after the pace-setting Spring Allegro when finishing 1.25 lengths behind him. Take a close look at him in the race 9 C4 520m event if he doesn’t secure a race start here.
Completing the drawn field is the Craig Roberts prepared Allen Hadrian who caught the eye in the manner that he stylishly completed his heat outing by finishing stoutly from the midfield pack to claim his two-length second behind Spare Some Time. He hasn’t received any favours after being allocated the six trap to be loaded away into, which is a point that isn’t lost on his trainer.
“Forget him, his draw has effectively taken any chance he had away from him. Drawing poorly on that track at that level says he has little chance. It was a top effort by him to qualify (from trap six) and I was pleased with the strong way he came home, which saw him running the second fastest last sectional. He has come through that as good as gold and he has worked well during the week,” said Roberts.
Roberts’ son Matt trains the second reserve Cawbourne Mezza. She was sighted leading the chase after See Eye Aye when finishing 1.75 lengths astern of him. She will contest the race 8 305m C4/5 sprint is she isn’t required in this event.
The Rock 95.2FM NZ Futurity finalists includes (from left): Vikings, Opawa Brad, Allen Hadrian (pic Dave Robbie)
By Peter Fenemor
