“I was a bit worried during the first 100 meters but once he got the lead he had it won and I was able to relax,” commented master conditioner Ray Adcock about yet another dominant Group race victory his charge Ring The Bell produced on Friday evening.
Pictured: Ring The Bell following his Wanganui Stayers victory
The dual Group 1 staying winner was caught up in early traffic after exiting from the Hatrick 755m six trap when the Wanganui Stayers field was released. He displayed great track sense when angling his way down onto the rail from where he asserted his staying powers when entering the first turn.
The Group 2 $15,825 final was all over at that point as Disco (kennel name) maintained a freewheeling gallop to complete his assignment in 44.36s, hold a 7.5 length margin over his rivals. In doing so he kept his unbeaten New Zealand record intact with this being his eighth straight victory for his owning Four Frothys syndicate. He pushed his stakes earnings on this side of the Tasman up to $80,996.
The race for the minor positions on the podium was just as clear cut. The up-and-coming stayer Nitehawk Rose produced a real bold effort when she gamely stuck to her task when kicking on stoutly to claim her second placing for her trainer Bill Hodgson. It was only the third staying race that the Kim Frazer owned stayer has contested and this daughter of Spring Gun and Real Clever was deservedly rewarded with the Breeders’ bonus payment for being the first Kiwi bred stayer to finish in the Group race event.
Tranquil Blossom was sighted doing her best work over the concluding stages. The Angela Turnwald prepared stayer was in the rear group during the initial stages. From there she gradually improved her field position along the rail and into fourth on the final turn from where she punched home to claim third a further 6.25 lengths behind, while holding a two length margin over the fourth place Cawbourne Kai who also ran on during the run home for Matt Roberts.
Race handler Graham Tapiki with the Wanganui Stayers’ winner Ring The Bell; second placed Nitehawk Rose with trainer Bill Hodgson and owner Kim Frazer; third placed Tranquil Blossom with her handler Paul Freeman.
The following day Ring The Bell’s former Victorian trainer Garry O’Keeffe sent an email which illustrates the following of New Zealand greyhound racing that Disco is generating across the Tasman. There is also a fair volume of post race traffic which Ring The Bell generates on Twitter. Here’s an extract from that email:
Hi Liz, Mark and Peter,
After the joy of watching "RTB" (as he has been christened in NZ, a familiarity that I totally love) do his stuff at Wanganui last night, I have again watched the Trackside video of the Silver Collar and Christchurch Stayers Cup and now find myself in a euphoric state of greyhound heaven.
For me, RTB has been a positive influence on greyhound racing in NZ........I know many more Aussies now watch the races in both North and South Islands....... seeing the obvious love shown to all dogs by handlers both pre and post race, and the continuing growth and expansion of this wonderful sport with the great new culture of animal welfare and integrity that will see the sport develop in all the right ways. I have long been a strong advocate of the positive role that greyhounds can be on both families and retired people.
All I can say is " Ride Ain't Over "!!!
Simply, cannot thank you enough.
Best wishes, kindest regards,
Gerry O'Keeffe.
Bigtime Support Races
The Hatrick podium on Friday evening was completely dominated by greyhounds prepared from the Lisa Cole, Palmerston North based “Bigtime” kennels. The first seven support races to the Group race action was won by greyhounds who carried the Bigtime naming prefix, six of them conditioned by Cole. Then, for good measure, Cole trained Bigtime chasers wrapped up the meeting when taking out the final two races. Here’s a pictorial round up of those winners.
(From top left): First up it was Bigtime Stu who opened proceedings with his C2/3 305m win seen here with handler Wendy Kite; next up was Bigtime Michelle who finished strongly to nail her C2 520m win. She was brought back to the podium by Ashly Howe; the two open class 305m sprints was then strongly won by Bigtime Blue and Bigtime Opal; Bigtime Flyer led home a kennel quinella in the C3/4 520m event, seen here with Georgia Cole and Ashly Howe; Bigtime Vanessa finished strongly for her C2/3 520m victory; Bigtime Shaker and Bigtime Doug took out the final two C4 305m sprints; It was the Gary Fredrickson trained Bigtime Sam, pictured with wife Sandra who prevailed in the other C2 520m race; breaking the Bigtime support race streak was the Marcie Flipp trained Nui Magic who took out the Happy Birthday Seamus C2/3 305m dash, seen here with handler Tom McCracken, along with Frances and Seamus (birthday boy) Whelan
By Peter Fenemor
