Four ripper 520m heats during the Hatrick Friday evening meeting will decide the finalists for next Friday’s $45,420 Spion Rose Cup. It will be competitive racing with the first two place getters in each heat returning to chase after Group 1 glory.
Pictured: Top Prosecutor after his Spion Rose Cup success last year
Here’s a look at the heat contenders together with their respective TAB Futures market quotes – Win option 1965, Top three option 1666.
Spion Rose Cup – heat 1, race 3
1 Allegro Gun $18 & $5: It’s best to forgive him for his recent misses. He’s too smart to overlook here on those, plus he can use this kind draw effectively.
2 Allen Ablett $8 & $2.70: This fella is a very exciting chasing prospect who owns a seriously slick set of paws. The New Zealand Cup fourth place finisher has won all three of his races from this trap.
3 Thrilling Raider $18 & $5: His effort to finish third in last Friday’s 520m lead up to this series was massive after he was badly impeded when rounding the first turn. He holds sound qualifying claims here.
4 Harry Fields $61 & $15: He arrives after his New Zealand Cup semi third behind the eventual cup winner. He has stylishly won an Addington C4/5 520m event, however being on track debut here says he jump straight onto the early pace.
5 Cactus Jack $26 & $7: The scenario for the New Zealand Cup runner-up here is very simple. He must use the known early pace he owns, just like he did when leading the NZ Cup field for around 510m.
6 Spare Some Time $101 & $23: He was a 520m Group 1 winner at this venue last season. These days he’s a C4 assessed chaser, who hasn’t being able to feature in recent combined C4/5 457m and 520m races.
7 Cawbourne Kaz $201 & $46: He’s lining up in this series on the back of recent sprints. His lack of 520m wins here (six attempts) suggests he’s likely to struggle in this hot line up.
8 Avenger Bale $5 & $1.90: He made an early mistake during the recent New Zealand Cup decider. It was a bold recovery by him to claim third. He oozes class as seen by his searing Addington 520m winning times.
Spion Rose Cup heat 1 contenders includes (from left): Thrilling Raider; Cactus Jack; Spare Some Time
Spion Rose Cup – heat 2, race 4
1 Letron James $81 & $18: He used his known pace to lead his New Zealand Cup heat for a long way before being claimed by a smart type. He must use his early pace when heading into the first turn here.
2 No Time Toulouse $101 & $23: She has regained form, admittedly in lower grade sprints, after having recently resumed from a spell. She is a proven 520m chaser at this venue, who also must contest the early pace here.
3 Nature’s Gent $7 & $2.40: He delivered a thoroughly professional exhibition of chasing action when he secured his recent New Zealand Cup title. That says he commands absolute respect for his track debut assignment here.
4 Bigtime McDaddy $81 & $18: He does own a handy 30.09s best 520m winning time around here, however his lack of early pace in his latest 520m races at this venue is a concern for his qualifying claims here.
5 Opawa Shackley $12 & $3.70: This girl has been there and done that at Group race level, which includes Group 1 success at this track. She has stylishly prepared for this series via her recent pair of tidy Addington 520m wins.
6 Bigtime Vanessa $31 & $8: It’s best to overlook her last start 545m miss here. Her prior 457m and 520m wins came when she finished strongly. You can expect her to deliver another powerful finish here.
7 Quistis Bale $51 & $13: She has been recently relegated out of the C5 chasing ranks, mainly owing to lousy racing luck. She must position herself handy to the pace when going into the first turn. She does own tidy looking wide trap stats.
8 Thrilling Lola $41 & $11: Her effort to finish second to a proven greyhound at this venue in last Friday’s open class 520m event contained merit. She displayed early pace then which is a tactic that she must employ here.
Spion Rose Cup heat 2 contenders includes (from left): Nature’s Gent; Opawa Shackley; Bigtime Vanessa
Spion Rose Cup – heat 3, race 5
1 Bigtime Levi $13 & $4.50: He has started better than what he normally does on the three previous occasions he has drawn this trap. He must do exactly that when the traps lift here. Forget his 520m miss last Friday and treat him with total respect here.
2 Pat Tama $81 & $18: He has the ability to contest the pace as seen during his Manukau C4/5 527m outing two races ago. It is that tactic he must use when heading into the first turn.
3 Opawa Timo $51 & $13: His fifth placing in the recent New Zealand Cup final contained a fair amount of merit. He backed that up with his sound Addington second last week when he was sent over 645m. He is race fit.
4 Dirk Bale $9 & $3: He owns a touch of brilliance although his last pair of Addington 520m races would suggest otherwise. The key to him is his race start, which he made a hash of in those last races. Prior to those he had flown away from the traps and he can feature by doing so here.
5 Box Vacant.
6 American Warrior $12 & $3.50: He warmed up this assignment by delivering a powerful 17.21s Addington 295m win last Thursday. Completely overlook his previous miss which occurred when he severely checked on several occasions. The 2016 New Zealand Cup winner demands total respect here.
7 Light ‘em Jax $26 & $7: He adds interest to this heat owing to him making his track debut appearance here. He is doing so on the back of his strong recent Cambridge 457m efforts.
8 Bigtime Flyer $151 & $35: His form has dropped away after recent misses on the big one turn tracks. In saying that he owns sound looking wide trap stats which suggests he could be involved in at least the minor placings here.
Spion Rose Cup heat 3 contenders includes (from left): Bigtime Levi; Dirk Bale; American Warrior
Spion Rose Cup – heat 4, race 6
1 He Can Yodel $41 & $11: This recent Aussie imported chaser adds a degree of intrigue to this heat. He has delivered a sound pair of 305m & 375m seconds since commencing racing in this country. He has sound Aussie middle distance form and drawing this trap has enhanced his qualifying claims.
2 Vikings $12 & $3.50: He is resuming after he endured a luckless Cambridge Group 2 457m outing back in August. His only previous visit here resulted in a sharp 29.90s 520m win. That says keep this fella safe.
3 Me Jane $31 & $8: She has quickly compiled a respectable 520m record around this circuit. Yes, she was luckless when checked when going into the first turn last Friday. She owns early pace and she can make things interesting for a long way by using that asset here.
4 Ride Ain’t Over $10 & $3.20: He is returning to the scene of his Group 1 Wanganui Cup victory from last August. He was very powerful when winning that event and he was also very powerful when he delivered his 30s 520m C4/5 win here last Friday.
5 Box Vacant.
6 Bigtime Paddy $7.50 & $2.50: Welcome home Paddy! He makes his return here following on from his creditable fourth placing in his Melbourne Cup heat. The Waterloo Cup winner owns a seriously quick 29.79s best winning 520m time at this venue. That says respect him.
7 Cawbourne Trixy $41 & $11: She has stylishly bounced back into form as seen by her recent lower grade wins. Sure, those wins came in far weaker fields than this line up – it was the manner that she delivered them that impressed.
8 Jinja Loren $41 & $11: She has really put her act together after being the bridesmaid for a long time. So much so that she has flown through the grades to reach C4. It was her brave on the pace C4/5 520m third here two races ago that really caught the eye.
Spion Rose Cup heat 4 contenders includes (from left): Vikings; Ride Ain’t Over; Bigtime Paddy
By Peter Fenemor
