It’s looming as a ‘big time’ occasion for Friday’s running of the $8,400 NZRS Sprint Final with seven of the ten listed finalists carrying the Bigtime naming prefix for Friday’s 305m feature dash.
Pictured: The quickest NZRS Sprint heat winner, Allegro Gun, seen here with his handler Brendon Cole along with his owners Cyril and Robyn Evans
It is another sprinter from the Lisa Cole kennels that will be likely to start as the race favourite. Allegro Gun was easily the quickest of the six heat winners when the current Hatrick 305m track record holder (17.07s) scampered clear for his smart 17.31s heat win. This son of Spring Gun and Hifi Allegro has been allocated a tougher draw here, being required to jump from trap five.
He did line up over the 375m dash at the Manawatu Raceway on Monday where he was held in the midfield after jumping from out wide. However, just like his slick mum, Allegro Gun has absolutely nothing left to prove, as $108,433 in career stake earnings (39 wins) attests to.
Bigtime Narelle is a sprinter who has quickly made her mark by charging through the grades. She took control of her heat rivals when rounding the turn, which translated into her 17.54s heat win. This daughter of Elite State and Real Clever then went onto attain her open class chasing stripes when she landed her Manawatu 21.68s C4 375m Monday win. She holds swooping claims from trap seven in this dash.
Bigtime Jane is a litter sister to Bigtime Narelle who, after jumping handy to the pace, out finished her kennelmate Bigtime Shaker to nail her 17.59s heat win by a neck. She has been allocated the ace trap to be loaded away into for the final. Bigtime Jane then backed up at the Manawatu on Monday where she delivered a sound 0.9 length 375m open class sprint third.
Bigtime Blackie is provided with the four trap to step away from on Friday. It was when heading into the turn when this daughter of Cosmic Rumble and Allegro Star took control of her heat rivals which translated into her easy 17.57s heat win. She received few racing favours during her Monday afternoon 375m sprint.
Bigtime Stu will carry the stripes racing vest after he completed his heat assignment 2.5 lengths astern of his kennelmate Allegro Gun. It was a sound effort by this son of Collision and Allegro Lilly as he had to push his way forward around the outer after jumping from trap eight in his heat. He must and he can jump straight onto the early pace here.
Bigtime Ottey was also engaged in double header sprinting action over the region’s holiday weekend. It was this daughter of Collision and Darlyne Ottey who boldly chased home the northern prepared Highland Laddie when claiming her three quarter length second to him. She then went onto to contest the same Monday C4 375m sprint that was taken out by Bigtime Narelle. She wound up 1.9 lengths behind her. She will be wearing the green racing vest for her Friday assignment.
NZRS Sprint heat winners included (from left): Bigtime Jane and Bigtime Narelle with their handler Ella Cole; Highland Laddie was handle by Marie Pangley, while Sandra Frederickson undertook the handling duties for Thunderation (pics Wanganui GRC)
A sprinter in this final who is more than capable of denying the Cole squad complete occupation of the post race podium is the Hayley Mullane prepared Highland Laddie who hopped away quickly from the five trap to lead his heat throughout for his 17.52s heat win. It is the ability that this son of Star Conquest and Elly’s Girl has in quickly jumping onto the early pace that makes him a real competitive sprinter.
At a tick just over 26 kilos, this bloke is a lightweight in terms of male body weight, however there’s no denying the big heart he owns. Running second in the Group 1 Galaxy Sprint, then third in the Dash For Cash at Group 2 level confirms that.
The remaining drawn contender is Thunderation who commenced her racing career from the Cole kennel. This daughter of Magic Sprite and Bigtime Gem is trained these days by Gary and Sandra Fredrickson and she completed her heat assignment in 17.61s by also leading her rivals throughout. She has won 14 races, however the only trap she hasn’t saluted from is the eight trap and it will be the pink racing vest she’ll carry on Friday.
Onto the reserves bench where Bigtime Sugar will be required to carry the green and white racing vest if he gains a race start in this dash. He is a litter brother to Bigtime Blackie who has gamely chased home Bigtime Narelle both in his heat (when beaten by three quarters of a length) and then again over the 375m dash on Monday (1.75 lengths behind).
Bigtime Shaker was the sprinter who was run down by Bigtime Jane when this son of Fabregas and Hifi Allegro yielded to her within the shadows of the post by a neck margin. That now sees him occupying the second possie on the bench for Friday.
By Peter Fenemor
