The annual battle for the Waterloo Cup, which is New Zealand’s oldest racing trophy dating back to 1878, commences with two heats on Thursday, followed by Friday and Sunday heats at four different venues throughout the country.
Pictured: Last year’s Waterloo Cup winner Thrilling Boris
The action commences at the Cambridge Raceway on Thursday afternoon with their 457m heat. It continues later in the evening when Christchurch will host their 520m heat. On Friday the series moves onto the Hatrick Raceway where the third heat will be decided over 520m and the heat process wraps up at the Manukau Stadium on Sunday afternoon where the final qualifying opportunity will be contested over 527m.
The first two greyhounds to finish in each heat will be rewarded with a place in the final field with the Group 1 $32,785 decider being held over the Auckland 527m trip on 1 October.
There is also an additional incentive on offer for the Waterloo Cup winner. The Sandown Park Greyhound Club has again kindly extended a prized invitation to the Waterloo Cup winner who will secure an automatic entry into a heat of the world’s richest greyhound race, the A$600,000 Melbourne Cup, which will be decided in November.
Here’s a look at the four Waterloo Cup heats with their respective TAB Futures market – Win (option 1091) and Top Three (option 1092) quotes
Cambridge Raceway Thursday – Race 10, 3.09pm – Heat TAB Final Field quotes option 1093
1 Spare Some Time $101 & $26: He was a Group 1 winner last season (NZ Futurity) who has no option but to quickly punch forward at trap rise. If he does, then he is a realistic chance of being able to feature at the business end here.
2 Jimmy’s Rocket $31 & $7: He’s a proven, strong 457m (25.47s best) chaser around this circuit, although generally he is sighted at his best from the wider traps. Watch for him to finish strongly here.
3 Dyna Boomer $61 & $16: It’s an interesting choice made by this inform Canterbury kennel to attempt to qualify at this venue with a C4 assessed greyhound. His only win since crossing the Tasman was a 30.96s Addington C3 520m win.
4 Beautiful Boy $41 & $11: He’s a promising up and coming chaser who owns a handy 25.51s best 457m winning time here. He is normally sighted racing handy to the pace which is a tactic that he must use here.
5 Cristiane Cyborg $7.50 & $2.50: This exciting girl certainly adds plenty of intrigue to this heat. There is no denying her raw ability, however her tardy starting manners is a concern, especially at this level. She was huge when delivering her recent Group 2 457m fourth here.
6 Letron James $61 & $16: This bloke owns a fair amount of experience after having contested a number of Group race finals, however his best efforts has been produced from the inside traps. He has no option but to put himself straight onto the early pace here.
7 Fusion Cronulla $61 & $16: It’s a smart move by her connections to attempt to qualify at this venue after her remarkable 457m efforts on the similarly shaped Manawatu track. She was phenomenal winning a C4 event two ago which she backed up with her solid C4/5 457m third last Monday.
8 Timmy Trumpet $10 & $3: This bloke just keeps on giving it everything he owns and then some more whenever he’s presented on the big sweeping, one turn tracks. Just check out his outstanding record on them. He’s the greyhound to beat from out here.
Reserve – 9 Beltom $101 & $26: She has now slipped back down into the C3 chasing ranks. She is proven around here as seen by her smart 25.32s best 457m winning time. She requires clear racing air to display her best.
Cambridge Race way Waterloo Cup heat contenders includes (from left): Timmy Trumpet; Jimmy’s Rocket; Spare Some Time
Addington Raceway Thursday – Race 9, 7.22pm – Heat TAB Final Field quotes option 909
1 Melan $151 & $35: He’s had a recent change of trainers. His trap one record makes for sound reading and his claim of enhancing those stats will come down to him being sighted racing on the early pace here.
2 Opawa Brad $51 & $12: He’ll be hoping to book his return to Manukau as he was a Group 2 527m winner (NZ Sires) on the track last season. His kind draw here can greatly assist him with those qualifying aspirations.
3 Opawa Timo $16 & $14: He’s a C4 graded chaser who endured a horror 520m outing here last Thursday when he was denied racing room going into the first turn and fell. His prior C4/5 520m third here to race rival Fair Pippa contained merit.
4 Helski Bale $41 & $10: There’s no denying his race fitness for this assignment after he led throughout to win over 645m here last Thursday. This proven 520m chaser around this circuit must use those same on the pace racing tactics here.
5 Tom Tee $6 & $1.80: This talented chaser resumed racing from a short let up when delivering a bold 520m third last Thursday. He would have benefited immensely from that outing and that improvement can see this sharp chaser leading his heat rivals all the way.
6 Opawa Kevin $81 & $16: This bloke has been there and done that, although he has struck traffic issues during his latest assignments. He has no option but to try push forward onto the early pace. He warmed up for this event with an unplaced C4/5 Ascot Park 457m outing on Tuesday.
7 Fair Pippa $12 & $3: She adds a fair degree of interest to this heat, especially from this trap. She has compiled a very respectable record from the outside two traps and combining that with her known pace, plus her strength says she can make her presence felt in this heat.
8 Shantui $4 & $1.70: He couldn’t have picked a better trap to be loaded away into here. The Amazing Chase winner has won both of his previous two races when sighted wearing the pink racing vest. That says he commands absolute respect owing to that.
Addington Raceway Waterloo Cup heat contenders includes (from left): Opawa Brad; Tom Tee; Shantui
Hatrick Raceway Friday – Race 9, 8.13pm – Heat TAB Final Field quotes option 1095
1 Cawbourne Kazz $101 & $26: This trap suits her as seen by her sound trap one stats, however she is better known as a short course sprinter with her only career 520m race resulting in an unplaced finish in a heat for the Wanganui Cup.
2 Bigtime Paddy $9 & $3: He’s a sharp chaser around this track as seen by his quick 29.79s best winning 520m time. He has drawn to seize the early race lead from where he can dictate terms to his rivals throughout.
3 Mina Allen $41 & $11: She’s a Canterbury visitor who is returning here after leading throughout for her C4 30.29s Addington 520m win last Thursday. She’s facing a rather stiff task in this line up here.
4 Ride Ain’t Over $12 & $3.50: He’s returning to the venue of his Group 1 Wanganui Cup victory last month. That was a potent win which was delivered when he powered home late. Completely overlook his recent Addington 520 misses.
5 Box Vacant
6 Allegro Gun $12 & $3.50: This fella continues to deliver real ultra competitive races at both this venue and down the road in Palmerston North. We saw that in his 29.96s 520m Friday and his 25.82s 457m Monday wins. He demands respect.
7 Cawbourne Mezza $101 & $26: She warmed up for this assignment via her 21.55s C4 375m win on Monday. She has won four 520m racers on this track, with the best being in 30.20s. She must contest the early pace here.
8 Cawbourne Buckle $101 & $26: She arrives into this event on the opposite end of race distances than her kennelmate drawn in the seven trap here. She contested a Group 2 660m heat on Monday where she was sighted kicking on solidly for her third.
Hatrick Raceway Waterloo Cup heat contenders includes (from left): Bigtime Paddy; Ride Ain’t Over; Allegro Gun
Manukau Stadium Sunday – Race 10, 4.02pm – Heat TAB Final Field quotes option 1096
1 Kava Blu $61 & $15: This Group 1 winning greyhound has drawn perfectly for his racing style. He owns the ability to hop straight onto the early pace from where he can maintain a solid 527m pace while holding the rail.
2 Soaring Hawke $51 & $12: Last season’s Auckland Cup finalist stylishly warmed up for this task by delivering her last start pace making 30.84s C4/5 527m win. Her inside trap form makes for tidy reading and another bold effort can be expected by her here.
3 Mazu $21 & $5.50: He travels north for his track debut outing here on the back of his strong pace making Addington 29.97s C4/5 520m win last week. That was a superb effort by him which he must replicate at this venue.
4 Cawbourne Britty $151 & $31: Canterbury visitor who prepared for this task by delivering Addington C3 and C4 295m wins. He is proven over the 520m trips, however he’s picking on a number of proven local chasers for his track debut here.
5 He’s All Power $7.50 & $2.20: He certainly lived up to his name when he strongly won the 527m Auckland Cup in his last visit to this venue. His recent Addington 520m outings has been solid enough to suggest that he’s going to be a factor here.
6 Westworld $31 & $7: This locally prepared chaser is renowned for his strong finishing efforts at this venue. He isn’t exactly the quickest into stride and he is likely to be seen looking for clear early racing air. Watch him rattle home late if receiving that.
7 Lochinvar Brogue$14 & $3.80: The scenario for this consistent and proven Manukau 527m chaser is very simple. He must get himself handy to the early pace when heading into the first turn from where his proven local track knowledge can assist him to feature at the business end.
8 Quistis Bale $18 & $4.50: This recently Aussie imported, Canterbury trained chaser adds some intrigue to this heat. She travels north for her track debut outing as the winner of all three of her previous races from this trap.
Reserves – 9 Nature’s Gent $9 & $3: This former Aussie certainly introduces an unknown factor to this heat if he’s required to make his NZ debut here. He is a litter brother to the talented Ridin’ Shotgun and he does own a tidy 29.31s best winning Sandown Park 515m time.
10 Pat Tama $101 & $26: He will be facing his toughest career test if he gains a race start here, being the only C4 graded chaser listed here. He did defeat the exciting Cristiane Cyborg here last week when winning his C3 527m outing in 30.72s.
Manukau Stadium Waterloo Cup heat contenders includes (from left): Kava Blu; Westworld; Lochinvar Brogue
By Peter Fenemor
