The Gold Coast hosted Commonwealth Games athletics competition wraps up with the running of the marathons on Sunday. For the Kiwi-bred staying canine athletes their marathon test is at the Hatrick Raceway on Friday evening where they will contest the $11,455 NZRS Distance final over the 755m trip.
Pictured: Translator seen here winning her recent Addington 732m NZRS Distance final (pic Dave Robbie)
It is an interesting blend of stayers who line up in this event, which includes a number of visiting Canterbury prepared stayers.
However, the local focus will be firmly centered on the Palmerton-North-based, Bill-Hodgson-prepared stayer Nitehawk Rose. She is a proven stayer over 755m at this venue with her two races over this trip having yielded her a win in a Wanganui Distance Group 2 heat, which this daughter of Spring Gun and Real Clever then backed up with her bold second placing behind the classy stayer Ring The Bell in the final.
Nitehawk Rose endured a luckless recent outing in the Group 2 Theresa McDonald Cup over 747m. She was sighted finishing stoutly over 520m here last Friday when completing her prep for this event.
Dave and Jean Fahey are bringing north a pair of stayers. Translator powerfully won the recent Christchurch hosted version of this distance final when she finished strongly to take out their decider over 732m.
This daughter of Bekim Bale and Delusionist has since gone onto secure a couple of Addington 645m placings. In between those races she again illustrated her staying prowess when she delivered her gallant second to the exciting stayer Dusty Gambler in last month’s 747m Theresa McDonald Cup.
Her kennelmate Opawa Timo brings solid recent Addington 645m staying form north with him which includes a 38.68s win. It would pay to overlook his Theresa McDonald Cup 747m miss where this son of Fabregas and Opawa Eye was forced wide when racing into the first turn, losing all claims. Don’t forget this bloke was a recent Auckland Cup finalist and he is likely to relish jumping away from the two trap here.
Robin Wales has picked up minor Breeders’ bonus dollars for the Opawa Racing team with the two stayers he has accepted with for this event. Opawa Racer was very gallant when this daughter of Winsome Opawa and Opawa Andrea went under by a head when she contested the Waikato hosted version of this final over the Cambridge 747m trip in January. She then went onto finish third behind Translator in the Addington NZRS Distance 732m final.
Wanganui NZRS Distance final contenders includes (from left): Nitehawk Rose; Opawa Timo; Opawa Racer
Opawa Plum finished a close up fourth in the same Cambridge NZRS distance 747m final that was contested by Opawa Racer. However, it was her brave second to Translator that confirmed her staying ability. The daughter of Barcia Bale and Opawa Secret led that Addington 732m field around the final turn and it took the sustained finish that Translator produced to deny her the win in that event.
Foxton conditioner Marcie Flipp will be rapt that her railing stayer Pacific Sunrise has been allocated the one trap to hop away from here. This daughter of Dyna Lachlan and Sahara Storm has previously placed over 755m here when she finished second to Ring The Bell in her Group 2 Wanganui Distance heat last August. She comes into this final a tad on the fresh side after having last raced in February. This winner of two 645m races at this venue is likely to take up a forward early position from her kind draw.
The drawn field is completed by two Bigtime prefix named stayers with both of them checking out an extreme racing distance for the first time. Lisa Cole is fronting up with Bigtime Welldone who has a 645m win and second placing from her five staying assignments. This son of Bigtime Kinvara and Bigtime Karen isn’t exactly the quickest away from the traps which looms as a potential issue for him as he takes on proven stayers here.
Wanganui NZRS Distance final contenders includes (from left): Opawa Plum; Pacific Sunrise; Bigtime Welldone
Gary and Sandra Fredrickson supplies Bigtime Lonestar for this event. It was just two races ago when this daughter of Blue Lorian and Lost In Light tasted her first staying success when she prevailed over 645m in 38.56s. Her previous three staying placings have also been over the 645m trip.
The Faheys have Peekay Shout occupying the first possie on the reserves bench. This daughter of Velocette and Opawa Peekay is still a maiden-assessed stayer whose five attempts over the longer trips have seen her gain two minor placings. One of those was in the January Cambridge 747m final where she finished a creditable third. Her other placing was when she was run down late over 630m on Ascot Park by Translator.
Local trainer Brian Hunt has recently taken over the mentoring of the second reserve Goldstar Holly. Her only staying race was at the Manukau Stadium back in November where this daughter of Magic Sprite and Goldstar Bella wound up an eight length second over 603m.
By Peter Fenemor
