A strong trio of efforts characterized the three Southland hosted NZRS Graduation heats over 457m on the big sweeping Ascot Park track on Tuesday afternoon.
Pic: Sader Nation delivering his Ascot Park NZRS Graduation heat win – pic Dave Robbie
Sader Nation set the tone for those heats when he finished strongly to clock the quickest of the times when recording 26.35s for Gary Cleeve. It was a bold swooping gallop he produced when claiming the pace making Botany Alan from the John McInerney kennels by a 1.75 length margin. Both greyhounds enjoyed the easing in class they received here after both contested heats for the NZ St Leger the previous Thursday. Avalanch City stuck on gamely for his third placing, also for McInerney a further 1.25 lengths behind.
Nozzno Fear has previously raced in the higher grades; he actually finished third in a Manawatu hosted NZRS Advanced $11,000 final for Ashley Bradshaw. He used that experience to telling effect when he led the second heat all the way to post his 26.45s heat win. Pressing on stoutly during the run home was the Dave and Jean Fahey prepared Opawa Denise who closed to within three quarters of a length of the winner. Know Sweat was sighted doing her best work during the run home for Cleeve when she wound up another 3.25 lengths behind in third.
It was the Cleeve bred, co-owned and trained team at it again in the final heat when Hard Questions took control on straightening up for the run home to cruise clear from his rivals, resulting in his easy three length heat win in 26.48s. Trendy Blake for McInerney was also seen finishing solidly in what was a closely contested finish for the minors. He secured the runners up spot by a neck margin over another strong finisher in Opawa Timo from the Fahey kennels.
It’s now all set for what is going to be a rather competitive looking $8,000 final in the deep-south on Tuesday June 6.
The Ascot Park NZRS Graduation heat winning style displayed by Nozzno Fear (left) and Hard Questions as captured by Dave Robbie
By Peter Fenemor
