The final field of female greyhounds who will contest next Thursday’s $45,420 The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks was decided during the running of five competitive 520m heats at the Addington Raceway on Thursday evening. It was a quality evening of heat chasing action which sets up an enthralling Group 1 final in the Garden City next Thursday.
Pictured: Sheza Rippa delivering the quickest of the five NZ Oaks heat times (pic Dave Robbie)
Here’s a look back those five heats.
The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks – heat 1
It was the visiting Lisa-Cole-trained No Time Toulouse who led the first heat out from the 520m traps. She led around the first turn chased by Viktoria Vikkers from the Craig Roberts kennels. Pushing forward into a handy position entering the back straight was another visitor Cawbourne Taber who was improving her field position for Matt Roberts, while Goldstar Marvely for Steve and Bonnie Evans was tucked away just in behind them.
Cawbourne Taber mastered No Time Toulouse when rounding the home turn and she kicked clear to claim the first NZ Oaks heat by a three length margin, clocking 30.49s. It was a titanic paw wrestle to decide the other final field position available from this heat which saw Goldstar Marvely snatching that runners up spot over a real gallant No Time Toulouse by the barest possible margin.
The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks heat 1 podium with Cawbourne Taber flanked by Goldstar Marvely and No Time Toulouse
The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks – heat 2
Hilton Forabet held the class edge over her second NZ Oaks heat rivals with the Ashley Bradshaw prepared chaser being the only open class assessed contender. She displayed her known early pace to seize the race lead which was a lead that she was never going to relinquish as she cruised to her effortless heat win in 30.35s.
It had been Bigtime Eve who gamely led the chaser after the pacemaker for Lisa Cole, but she was gunned down within sight of the finish when Cawbourne Taylor finished strongly for Matt Roberts to claim the second placing by a half length, while finishing five lengths behind Hilton Forabet.
The Ftiz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks heat 2 podium headed by Hilton Forabet, along with Cawbourne Taylor and Bigtime Eve
The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks – heat 3
After being cut out of final field position late in the first two heats, the Lisa Cole kennel reps must have had their hearts in their mouths when the third NZ Oaks heat field was released. Their representative on this occasion was Bigtime Lily who jumped straight into the race lead. It was a race lead she was never going to surrender and she cruised through her 520m assignment to score by a comfortable six length margin, clocking 30.53s.
Another torrid battle developed for the second placing which saw the Robin Wales trained Dream Kay, who had led the chase after the pacemaker, gamely holding onto it to claim her second placing when fending off the solid late challenge that the Bob Pringle prepared Replica Casino threw at her by a head.
The Ftiz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks heat 3 podium with heat winner Bigtime Lily being joined by Dream Kay and Replica Casino
The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks – heat 4
The quickest two NZ Oaks heat times was reserved for the last two qualifiers. Cawbourne Krusty had made a real bright start to her career when returning some smart Hatrick 520m times for Matt Roberts. In this heat she quickly improved her field position when rounding the first turn to claim the early pace setting Ray Adcock trained Invincible Sue going down the back straight.
The visiting chaser cleared out over the last half of her race to emphatically nail her heat win by a 6.75 length margin in a tidy track debut time of 30.17s. Again a humdinger of a battle developed for the runners up prize which saw Invincible Sue gallantly clinging on for that placing over the solid finishing Bigtime Tears from the Lisa Cole kennels by a nose.
The Ftiz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks heat 4 podium sees Cawbourne Krusty with Invincible Sue and Bigtime Tears
The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks – heat 5
Sheza Rippa absolutely flew away from the two trap when the final NZ Oaks heat was dispatched. The Dave and Jean Fahey mentored chaser thrived in her pace making duties which translated into the heat best winning 30.15s heat time when landing her win by a 5.75 length margin.
Boldly leading the chase after her throughout was another from the Lisa Cole kennels in Bigtime Mia. She was always in control of her final field position which saw her finishing 2,25 lengths in advance of the Bruce Dann prepared Andrea’s Magic.
The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks heat 5 podium with the quickest heat winner Sheza Rippa being joined by Bigtime Mia and Andrea’s Magic - pics supplied by Dave Robbie – drobbie91@gmail.com – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos
Pawnote: Check out the The Fitz Sports Bar New Zealand Oaks final field box Draw in the draw section of this website.
By Peter Fenemor
