Visiting greyhounds dominated Thursday’s Waikato hosted $8,400 NZRS Graduation final at the Cambridge Raceway with just two northern trained chasers booking final field positions following last week’s three 457m heats.

Pictured: Bigtime JayJay, who was the quickest of the three NZRS Graduation Cambridge 457m heat winners

The on-fire Lisa Cole kennels (11 Manawatu winners during Monday’s meeting confirms that) has qualified three finalists. Included is Bigtime JayJay who returned the fastest 457m heat time when this son of Collison and Darlyne Ottey clocked 25.73s for his pace making win. Drawing the ace trap for the final has further enhanced his winning claims in this event.

Bigtime Liam completed his heat assignment in 26.01s. He stretched out nicely during the run home to nab his heat win which was the first win that this son of Magic Sprite and Hello Ello has enjoyed on this big, sweeping one turn track. He must push forward onto the early pace after leaping from trap six on Thursday.

Bigtime Blast set up the initial pace in his heat prior to yielding a tad during the run home which saw him arriving home 1.5 lengths behind his kennel mate Bigtime Liam. Being allocated trap eight to hop away from here says that this son of Jarvis Bale and Allegro Blast can slip around the outer. He has won three of his previous four races when sighted wearing the pink racing vest. It would pay to overlook his Monday Manawatu 457m miss when he was held in midfield traffic throughout.

There will be three Canterbury bred and trained runners contesting this final with two of them being prepared by Dave and Jean Fahey. All three of them were bred by the Opawa Racing team. Kia Tere was the third heat winner with this son of Velocette and Opawa Peekay completing his heat assignment in 25.76s. It was a sound effort by this fella and he is likely to enjoy jumping from the two trap here.
 

The podium following the three Waikato NZRS Graduation heats with (from left) Bigtime JayJay, Bigtime Liam and Kia Tere standing on top following their respective 457m heat wins
 

Opawa Brad is a proven chaser at the higher levels with having previously raced at open class level. This son of Winsome Opawa and Opawa Andrea also owns a Group 2 title after he easily prevailed in the 2017 edition of the New Zealand Sires Produce Stakes at the Manukau Stadium. He confirmed his field position here when he finished stoutly for his head heat second behind Bigtime JayJay. He will be seeking to secure a clear early racing passage after jumping from trap seven here.

Robin Wales produced the promising Dream Kay to finish a 2.5 length heat second to Kia Tere. This daughter of Fabregas and Token Kay led around the turn before being gathered in by the heat winner during the long grind up the Cambridge straight. She is a likely improver for the final as she would have benefited from her track debut outing. She will be loaded away into the three trap on Thursday.

Hezaman is mentored just up the road from Cambridge by Jared Udy and Denise Cottam. This son of Ate To Much and Hot Pootie kicked on solidly for his quarter-length heat second to Bigtime Liam. He has been provided with no favours for the final as he’s required to exit from the tricky five trap. His stakes claim will hinge on him being positioned handy to the pace when turning for home as he does own strength over the concluding stages.

Completing the drawn field is the Hayley Mullane prepared Noah Who. This son of Piggy Back and Who Bobby had positioned himself handy to the early pace from where he kicked on solidly when finishing a neck and a quarter length behind Bigtime JayJay when claiming his heat third. He will be paraded to the 457m traps with the blue racing vest on him.

Both reserves are provided from the Foxton based Gary and Sandra Fredrickson kennels. The first reserve Bigtime Power wound up six lengths behind Kia Tere in his heat when this son of Cosmic Rumble and Darlyne Ottey pressed on stoutly from a midfield position when turning for home in his heat. He was then denied a clear early racing passage when he backed up over 457m at the Manawatu Raceway on Monday.

Occupying the second possie on the bench is Bigtime Redo, who returned the fastest heat fourth place time when this litter brother to Bigtime Liam wound up 4.1 lengths astern of Bigtime JayJay. He was then sighted doing his best work at the business end in his Monday Manawatu 457m outing where he finished third.
 

Waikato NZRS Gradation finalists includes from left: Dream Kay, Hezaman and Noah Who
 

By Peter Fenemor