Greyhound Racing NZ Hall of Fame conditioner Ray Adcock is strongly favoured to win back-to-back $6,245 Dunedin Cups at Forbury Park on Tuesday afternoon. In last year’s edition Adcock produced the strong stayer Can’t Catch Tim to easily win the Otago GRC’s flagship 545m race. On this occasion he is applying the finishing touches to the formidable greyhound Tom Tee.

Pictured: Can’t Catch Tim dashing to his 2017 Dunedin Cup victory (pic Luana Robbie)

Twelve months apart there is a common denominator between the two classy greyhounds. Can’t Catch Tim carried the red racing vest to victory last year – on Tuesday Tom Tee will be seeking to emulate that also from the one trap.

Tom Tee brings superb current Addington 520m form south with him. Two races ago he delivered yet another sub 520m time (29.82s) at the Christchurch headquarters. Last Thursday he displayed another of his racing attributes when he toughed it out after settling just behind the pace to secure his 21st career win. He has also compiled very respectable trap one racing stats.

The Adcock kennels will also be represented by Invincible Sue in this feature, who has been allocated the tricky five trap to exit from here. She has been furnishing a handy enough record from that trap, although admittedly in lower grade racing where she has won three of her previous four Forbury Park 545m races. This C4 graded chaser has been contesting recent Restricted Age events which has seen her boldly claiming minor placings.

Dave and Jean Fahey are also no strangers in being required to place a Dunedin Cup winner on top of the podium. It was two years ago when they produced Kava Blu to win this 545m feature event. They will line up two contenders on Tuesday, plus they also offer the first reserve.

Shreddin’ owns known strength, which he used to place in three of his four 545m assignments around this circuit. Numbered amongst his track efforts here is his second placing to kennel mate Shallay Pallay in the late January running of the Colin Keen Memorial at Group 2 level. That says he must be respected here.

The recent New Zealand Derby finalist Opawa Rooster has tasted feature race success at this venue. It was in late February when this Addington Group 2 520m winner stylishly won a NZRS Graduation final here. In all likelihood his race will be decided on the race start he makes from the seven trap. He tends to mix up his race starts – a jump straight onto the early pace can see this bloke featuring at the business end here.

Opawa Brad will be hoping to secure an inside trap if he gets the one scratching he requires to gain a race start in this feature. Even though he’s a C4 assessed chaser these days, this proven greyhound has enough racing nous to place himself into early contention.

Gary Cleeve is also slipping south with a pair of runners. It was Know Hassle who he produced to finish second in last year’s Dunedin Cup. It’s fair to say that this bloke isn’t in the same handy form he was in this time last year. However in saying that he has proven to be effective from the eight trap and he’ll exit from that trap here. It’s also worth mentioning that his 545m track stats makes for tidy reading.

Completing the drawn field with two runners is John McInerney. Must Be Rusty actually owns the quickest 545m winning time (32.53s) in this field, although being currently C3 graded suggests that his task is a tad tough looking, especially from trap six.

Think Tank has been short course sprinting lately. His sole 545m outing on this track yielded this recently downgraded open class chaser with a second placing when he was racing back in the Maiden ranks.

Steve and Bonnie Evans provide the second reserve with Goldstar Aston, who also holds a current C3 grading. His record on this track makes for very tidy reading which includes finishing second to Opawa Rooster in of his NZRS Graduation final here, plus also in his February Addington Group 2 520m final.

  
Tuesday Dunedin Cup contenders includes (from left); Tom Tee; Shreddin’; Know Hassle

By Peter Fenemor