It’s straight into Group racing for the new season with heats for two Black type races being held at the Hatrick Raceway on Friday evening.

First up it’s the stayers in action where they contest two heats over the 755m distance to decide the finalists for the $15,000 Wanganui Stayers.

Pictured: The classy stayer Ring The Bell demolishing the Forbury Park 770m track record (pic Luana Robbie)

Here’s a look at the staying contenders with their TAB Futures market quotes – Win option 976, Top Three option 977

Wanganui Stayers 755m – heat 1, race 6

1 Tranquil Blossom ($2.80 & $1.25): She strongly won the Group 1 755m Wanganui Distance final here in April. She is nicely conditioned for this heat after stylishly winning over 660m in 39.01s at the Manawatu Raceway on Monday. She has drawn perfectly here for her railing racing style.

2 Phantom Way ($41 & $6): She is a dour staying type who is generally sighted doing her best work at the business end of her races. She was unplaced in four attempts over this 755m journey, however she can secure a final field position from this heat.

3 Nitehawk Rose ($51 & $8): She has indicated that staying races is likely to be her forte in the future. She has had one crack over a longer trip, when she delivered a bold pace making 645m 37.71s win here.

4 Electric Lotto ($31 & $4.50): She returns here after enduring a traffic impeded Manukau 603m passage on Sunday. She finished strongly to nail her prior 645m race here in 38.24. Her staying credentials over the longer trips cannot be ignored as seen by her bold 779m Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar fourth after also running fourth in her heat.

5 Meteor Vege ($101 & $16): Her only staying success from three attempts came when she flew home late to snatch her Manawatu 660m win in 39.40s. She missed when trying to qualify for the 779m Silver Collar final.

6 Cawbourne Trixy ($41 & $6): She returns here after her brave Amazing Chase 527m effort. Her only staying attempt saw her finishing stoutly for her recent 5.75 length second to Nitehawk Rose. Expect her to be sighted vying for the early pace here.

7 Shandell ($18 & $3): She is now officially a veteran aged greyhound. This winner of 27 staying races and $235,132 in stake earnings is returning to defend the title she so easily won here last year. The younger stayers has caught up with here, however expect her to return to contest the final.

8 Cawbourne Buckle ($41 & $6): She has raced twice over this 755m journey which resulted in her Group 1 heat second, then she was unplaced in the final. Her sole staying success came over the Cambridge 650m trip where she clocked 38.90s.
 

Wanganui Stayers heat 1 contenders (from left): Tranquil Blossom, Electric Lotto; Shandell
 

Wanganui Stayers 755m – heat 2, race 7

1 Pacific Sunrise ($81 & $10): Her only staying victory came when she controlled the pace throughout when delivering her 40.86s Manawatu 660m win. Her only 755m race at this venue saw her being badly impeded during the early stages.

2 Alzheimer’s ($41 & $6): She adds a fair degree of intrigue to this field owing to her racing style. She’s at her best when she’s setting the pace exactly like she did when delivering her freewheeling 35.32s Manukau 603m win. It is that tactic she must use in this heat.

3 Augello ($14 & $2.80): He has proven himself as a genuine stayer over the longer assignments as seen in him being a Silver Collar finalist plus his two 755m placings at this venue from his three attempts. He’s likely to be slow early, then sighted rattling home late.

4 Cawbourne Kai ($41 & $6): He hasn’t won a staying race, although being a Silver Collar finalist says he can be competitive over this 755m distance. He attempted to pinch an all-the-way win over 645m here two races ago when he was run down over the concluding stages.

5 Box Vacant

6 Ring The Bell ($1.50 & $1.08): He has been a staying phenomenon since he crossed the Tasman. Effortless Sliver Collar 779m and NZ Stayers’ Cup 732m Group 1 wins confirms that factor. There’s also the astounding Forbury Park 770m track record he recently obliterated.

7 Gentleman Tim ($51 & $7): He had his first outing for his new trainer on Monday where he produced an 8.25 length Manawatu 660m third. His previous staying efforts consisted of one win and six minor placings from ten races over 645m on his former Addington home track. He was held in midfield traffic in his Group 1 732m heat there.

8 Loose Unit ($81 & $10): He had his first staying race since he crossed the Tasman when he raced handy to the pace throughout for his six length Manukau third on Sunday. Across the ‘Ditch’ his staying efforts yielded him with 600m and 660m wins, while he also placed over both of those race distances.
 

  

By Peter Fenemor