There was a fair spread in the times between the three Active Electrical Christchurch NZ St Leger 520m heats at Group 2 level last Thursday, plus also in the four Murray Wigley @ Ray White Harding Cup 295m heats.
Pic: NZ St Leger heat winner Fair Pippa with handler Katie Wyllie (pic Dave Robbie)
It was Fair Pippa who set the time standard for the NZ St Leger contenders when she maintained her current run of solid form for her conditioners Dave and Jean Fahey. She completed her heat assignment in 30.45s. Finishing strongly two lengths behind her to claim second was her kennelmate He’s All Power. In doing so he cut back another kennelmate Albie Punter by a length. All three Fahey prepared place getters will advance through to next Thursday’s $15,000 final.
Cosmic Odette pinged away from trap eight and the John McInerney trained recent NZ Oaks winner was never headed afterwards when she cruised to her 30.54s heat win. She held out the strong finishing Fahey prepared Opawa Timo by half a length, while his kennelmate Mazu will return for the decider after finishing another length behind. The fourth placed finisher and the early St Leger favourite Tom Tee arrived another 3.75 lengths astern for Ray Adcock. He was the fastest fourth placed runner, therefore he will occupy the second possie on the finals reserves bench.
Finalist number six for the Fahey’s was locked into place when they produced Melan to secure his 30.74s on the pace heat win. Chasing him home was a pair of Craig Roberts’s mentored runners. Ride Ain’t Over will contest his first career Group race final after he finished strongly for his 1.25 length second. His kennelmate Howie Bale produced a bold NZ debut effort when finishing 1.5 lengths further back. That will place him at the first reserve for the final.
Active Electrical Christchurch NZ St Leger heat winners Comic Odette with Jonathon McInerney and Melan with handler Katie Wyllie (pics Dave Robbie)
MURRAY WIGLEY @ RAY WHITE HARDING CUP HEATS
The first of the four 295m heats for the short course sprinters saw the Tony Hart and Kristy Taylor trained Speedy Return returning the quickest heat time when he cut out his dash in 17.18s. Sarcasm finished strongly from the midfield traffic to nail his field position for the $7,500 final when he rattled home 2.5 lengths behind. Seeking Baxter from the John McInerney kennels will be the second reserve after she arrived home another 1.75 lengths back in third.
Seriously Grand lined up for his second Kiwi race for his conditioner Calum Weir and he added to his NZ debut win when he dictated the pace from the eight trap to land his 17.40s heat win by a length margin. Gamely sprinting after him was the evergreen, experienced McInerney prepared Homebush Kelso and he was rewarded for his effort with a final field position by virtue of his second position.
Rosa Tee made up for her tardy start in last week’s $8,000 NZRS Sprint final by claiming the third heat in 17.35s for Ray Adcock. She finished stylishly which saw her cut back the pace-making Craig Roberts trained Cawbourne Dotty by three-quarters of a length.
The race of the night came along in the last race, the fourth Harding Cup heat. What a grandstand finish it produced! The action unfolded at trap rise when the fresh up Swimming Goat won the break for Weir. He was stalked by Technic for the Hart and Taylor combination. The race to the judge was a thriller which saw Peter Rosanowski awarding the race win to Technic by the barest possible margin after 17.37s of sprinting action. Lining up alongside this pair was the third placed Malcolm Grant trained Serious Torque who was just a head back and that earned him the first position on the reserves bench. Making the finish even more enthralling was the presence of Know Hassle, with the Gary Cleeve prepared sprinter being just another head adrift.
The finish line action from the four Murray Wigley @ Ray White Harding Cup 295m heats as captured by photographer Dave Robbie – from left: Speedy Return, Seriously Grand, Rosa Tee and the cracking finish between Technic (red) and Swimming Goat
By Peter Fenemor
