The New-Zealand-bred, straight-out sprinters were sighted contesting heats on both islands during Thursday’s greyhound action. Heats for two $8,400 NZRS Sprints series were held at Cambridge and Addington Raceways. There were some pretty quick heat times clocked at both venues. Each final will be decided next Thursday.
Pictured: Allegro Gun was the quickest of the NZRS Sprint heat winners over the Cambridge 375m dash on Thursday
Thursday afternoon saw three 375m heats deciding next Thursday’s Cambridge finalists. It was the gun Lisa-Cole-prepared sprinter Allegro Gun who really set alight the heats when he produced his slippery 20.92s heat win. He had built a 7.75 length margin over the runner-up On Fleek from the Ben Craik kennels, while there was another length back to the Jared Udy and Denise Cottam third placed Kiwi Gal.
The Craik kennels ensured they’ll have three finalists next Thursday by producing the winners of the other two heats. First up we saw the recent open class graduate Suspicious Minds making his presence felt by the top class ranks by cutting back the pace setting Kiwi Boy to claim his 21.16s heat win by a 4.5 length margin. Kiwi Boy provides the Udy and Cottam training partnership with both litter and kennel double representation in the final when holding for second, while it was the evergreen Hallo Star who arrived home third another 1.25 lengths behind for her conditioners Ross and Lynne Udy.
Stylishly regaining winning form with a real vengeance in the third heat was the sharp sprinter Just One Smile. She pinged away from the seven trap to lead her rivals throughout when delivering her 21.08s sprint. It was a pair of Cole-trained sprinters who arrived home next with Bigtime Jason being a length behind the winner, while shading his kennelmate Bigtime Doug by a head.
The three Waikato hosted NZRS Sprint podiums with (from left) Allegro Gun, Suspicious Minds and Just One Smile standing on top (pics Sarah - Waikato GRC)
Christchurch NZRS Sprint Heats
It was the Ashley Bradshaw show at the Addington Raceway on Thursday evening, at least in the first three of the five NZRS Sprint 295m heats. First up, she produced Flower Bomb to obliterate her heat rivals by a three length margin, clocking 17.33s. She was followed home by Jitterbug Girl who bravely held second for his trainer Craig Roberts.
Flower Bomb’s litter sister Nicely Spicey replicated that effort in the second heat, however she scampered through her dash in a handy 17.11s. The Rosemary-Blackburn-prepared Danziger maintained his current sound run of 295m sprint form when claiming second 2.5 lengths behind him.
Completing the Bradshaw heat winning hat trick in the third heat was Nozzno Fear who relished jumping away from the one trap to also deliver an all the way win, stopping the clock in 17.23s. He had built a handy enough 4.5 length advantage over Inside Affair from that Jason Dunn kennels at the line.
It was Malcolm Grant who got into the heat winning action in the fourth heat. He produced Smash Bomber who also dictated terms to his heat rivals when claiming his 17.42s heat win. He boldly fended off the Lisa Waretini prepared Jinja Brian by a three quarter length margin.
Completing the heat action was Fired Up Jasper for Bruce Dann. He also adopted pace-making tactics which led to his 17.30s heat victory. Again it was another sprinter from the Waretini kennels who secured the runner up possie with Ohoka Clare nailing that placing a further 2.75 lengths astern.
The three Ashley Bradshaw trained Addington NZRS Sprint 295m heat winners (from left): Flower Bomb; Nicely Spicey; Nozzno Fear all seen here with handler Pete Seque - pics supplied by Dave Robbie – drobbie91@gmail.com – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos
By Peter Fenemor
