“Ablett is such a professional race dog. He is an absolute gentleman around the kennels who takes everything in his stride,” commented trainer Craig Roberts about his current kennel star Allen Ablett following his outstanding last stride win in last Friday’s $27,465 Hatrick Classic.
Pictured: Allen Ablett following his powerful Hatrick Classic victory
The Group 1 520m final promised to deliver a cracker of race, such was the quality and depth of the assembled field. The event certainly delivered on that promise.
It was Quistis Bale who won the break from the five trap and she led the star studded field into the all important Hatrick first turn for her trainer Matt Roberts. Pushing up along the rail was the Lisa Cole prepared Bigtime Paddy. Joining them was Allen Ablett.
Bigtime Paddy stretched out strongly down the back straight having built a break on the pursuing Allen Ablett. Quistis Bale was leading the balance of the field. Heading into the final turn Allen Ablett was sitting poised looking likely to strike and put the result out of the reach of his opponents by doing so.
What he didn’t reckon on was the kick that Bigtime Paddy provided on the turn which saw him maintaining a reasonable break when entering the home straight. He thundered towards the finish with Allen Ablett steadily closing the gap between the pair. The couple of classy greyhounds hit the line locked together. It took an age for the judge Jack Cooper to declare his final placings.
As we all now know, it was Allen Ablett who received the call by what Cooper described as only the “thickness of a cigarette paper”. It was a staggering finish to an enthralling paw wrestle after 29.89 seconds of hard out chasing action. Quistis Bale gamely held on for third, three lengths further behind, while fending off the strong finish produced by the Angela Turnwald trained fourth placed Nature’s Gent by a three quarter length margin.
Bigtime Paddy was rewarded with the $1,000 Breeders’ bonus payment, being the first of the Kiwi bred greyhounds to finish in the Group 1 decider.
Hatrick Classic winner Allen Ablett with his race day handler Bobby Blackburn; Runner up Bigtime Paddy with Georgie Cole; third placed Quistis Bale with trainer Matt Roberts and partner Sarah Clausen
“At the back mark I thought Ablett was going to win it, as I reckon he was close enough to Bigtime Paddy at that point to run him done. Then Ablett didn’t really come off the bend that great, while Paddy kicked on us. I got worried then, thinking he may battle to get past Paddy. Ablett dug in really deep and his momentum got him there – he really knew where the line was. I was rapt,” a relived Roberts later commented.
Roberts has now turned his attention towards the $87,965 Plasterboard Auckland Cup, with the Group 1 527m heats set down for February 25 at the Manukau Stadium. He is aiming the classy trio of Fernando Bale and Lugi Bale litter mates Allen Ablett, Dirk Bale (seventh in the Hatrick Classic) and Avenger Bale (strong Ascot Park 457m Friday winner) towards the Auckland flagship event.
“I’ll keep them quietly ticking over and I’ll send then north to trial on the Manukau track prior to the heats,” he advised. And here’s a scary comment (for others) that Roberts also stated. “I reckon that Allen Ablett is a more all round, better dog now, than what Dyna Vikkers ($226,925 in career stake earnings) was at the same stage of his career. He has developed into the perfect race dog.”
His dad Fernando Bale would be proud of that reference, who remains Australia’s highest ever stakes winner at A$1,299,370, with Allen Ablett having now credited his dad with his second Group 1 victory as a sire, after he also annexed the Spion Rose Cup, also at Hatrick in early December.
Allen Ablett was returned to his mentor by the Roberts kennel “transport manager” Bobby Blackburn as the winner of $78,662, the result of 14 wins, five minor placings from just 21 race day outings. “Ablett arrived home in great nick,” added Roberts.
NZRS Sprint Final
Friday’s NZRS Sprint final was always going to be a 305m dash that was going to be dominated by Lisa Cole prepared sprinters. After all eight of the listed ten finalists was provided from the Palmerston North based training and breeding operation.
It duly resulted into a “big time” kennel trifecta, however it was a stronger result than what was initially anticipated. Cole had to withdraw three of her drawn finalists owing to injury related issues. Withdrawing Allegro Gun, Bigtime Narelle and Bigtime Jane certainly opened up the possibility for the other two non-kennel aligned contenders to perhaps nail a podium position as the three scratched greyhounds would have been the favoured trio if they raced here.
It was Bigtime Shaker, who was paraded to the Hatrick 305m trap wearing the red, white and blue racing vest, who slotted into the one trap. It was a trap that this daughter of Fabregas and Hifi Allegro thrived from, as she was the first sighted from the traps and she was never headed by any of her rivals at any stage. She scampered through her assignment in 17.58s while holding a 1.25 length margin over her rivals.
Showing up during the early rush for positions was the northern Hayley Mullane prepared Highland Laddie (Star Conquest – Elly’s Girl). Pushing forward to join him was Bigtime Stu and Bigtime Blackie.
It was the daughter of Cosmic Rumble and Allegro Star in Bigtime Blackie who extended stylishly to secure the runner up prize by a head margin over Bigtime Stu, who is a son of Collision and Allegro Lily. Highland Laddie completed his task another half a length behind.
It was the twelfth career win for Bigtime Shaker and her stake earnings now sit at $20,061 after adding in further ten minor placings. Obviously her earnings doesn’t include any Breeders’ bonus dollars which saw the Cole breeding operation benefiting from the full amount of the $8,400 stake on offer for this NZRS Sprint final.
Friday’s Hatrick NZRS Sprint winner Bigtime Shaker with her handler Ella Cole. Runner up Bigtime Blackie and third placed Bigtime Stu
As usual for a Group 1 feature meeting there was a wide range of tidy efforts delivered on the Hatrick undercard.
The Friday action got underway with the Sammy Stone trained Bad Movies delivering a good win in the first race 305m dash; Bigtime Brucie was the first of the Lisa Cole prepared winners during the evening when he won the C2/3 520m second race; the very promising Cole trained Bigtime Tears maintained her unbeaten Hatrick 520m record when landing her fourth win at the venue.
Daisy Lara has been really flying and she landed her 22nd career win for Cole when she won the open class 305m sprint – she’s seen here with her handler Alan Trass; Cawbourne Trixy outstayed her rivals when she strongly prevailed in her 520m event pictured here with handler Sarah Clauson; Tyson’s Quest is a rather promising up and coming youngster for local trainer Brian Marsh, he’s seen here with Brian after his stylish 520m victory; Electric Lotto and owner/trainer Greg Hore combined to easily win the 645m staying feature
Marcie Flipp produced Idol Hot to take out the C4 305m dash; Who’s John Gault was the race 11 305m sprint winner and he provided Cole with her fifth winner for the evening and the meeting wrapped up with Jake and Daze Bell producing Cawbourne Pottsy to win his C3 305m sprint – he’s pictured here with Daze
By Peter Fenemor
