It’s an interesting blend of Classic Age greyhounds who will return to the Addington Raceway to contest next Thursday’s $15,825 Active Electrical New Zealand St Leger final. Three 520m heats held on Thursday sorted out the final field for the Group 2 event.
Pictured: Ride Ain’t Over seen here winning last year’s NZ St Leger (pic Dave Robbie)
Here’s a look back those heats, with all three heats being won by greyhounds who used pace-making tactics.
Active Electrical New Zealand St Leger, heat 1
Wow! Avenger Bale was sublime in the powerful manner he tore apart his heat rivals. He was forced to endure an absolute luckless outing in last Friday’s New Zealand Futurity. The Craig Roberts trained chaser took bad luck right out of the equation by thundering away from the four trap to run away and hide from his opponents when clocking a swift 30.03s.
Leading the vain chase home behind was Goldstar Ashton for Steve and Bonnie Evans. He held a two length margin over the visiting, Marcie-Flipp-prepared Idol Tom who produced his usual powerful finish from a fair way back in the field. He becomes the first reserve for the final.
Active Electrical New Zealand St Leger, heat 2
Last Friday’s effortless NZ Futurity winner Cawbourne Krusty signalled her intention of adding another Group race title to her CV in the stylish manner that she delivered her 30.21s heat win. The Matt-Roberts-prepared youngster also dictated the pace throughout after jumping away from the one trap.
Pushing her all the way was Egomaniacal from the Dave and Jean Fahey kennels. He stayed in contact throughout as can be seen by the length margin he finished behind the pacemaker. Ray Adcock will be represented in the final by Invincible Sue as she led the balance of the field home a further six lengths behind.
Active Electrical New Zealand St Leger, heat 3
The John-McInerney-prepared Dave’s Dot belied her current C3 assessment when she also controlled the pace throughout after hopping away from trap five and that effort translated into her 30.49s heat win.
Opawa Rooster provides the Fahey’s with a second finalist after he overcame a sluggish start to storm home to snatch second by the barest possible margin. He nosed out a gallant Dyna Bart who will also be a second finalist for Craig Roberts. Finishing a tick behind this pair (a head back) was Lord Louie who becomes the second reserve for the final for Adcock.
The three Active Electrical New Zealand St Leger winners (from left): Craig Roberts is with Avenger Bale; Sarah Clausen undertook the handling duties for Cawbourne Krusty; Dave’s Dot was brought back to the podium by Jonathon McInerney - pics supplied by Dave Robbie – drobbie91@gmail.com – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos
Murray @ Ray White Harding Cup heats
Murray @ Ray White Harding Cup is a long-established feature 295m sprint hosted annually by the Christchurch GRC. Four heats held at the Addington Raceway on Thursday afternoon decided the final field for next Thursday evening’s $7,500 dash for cash final.
Fired Up Jasper backed up from his NZRS Sprint win the previous week for Bruce Dann by again delivering a pace-making 17.21s 295m heat win. Chasing him home two lengths behind was the Malcolm Grant trained Smash Attack, while another length back was the third placed Ohoka Clare for Lisa Waretini.
Next up was Nicey Spicey who was deadly when he sprung away from the eight trap for Ashley Bradshaw and he was never headed when he sprinted clear for his 17.20s heat win, scoring by a comfortable 4.25 length margin. Leading the chase home behind him was another Waretini prepared sprinter Jinja Brian who held a three quarter length margin over Platinum Marshall from the Craig Roberts kennels.
The third heat also resulted in a pace making win for another Dann prepared sprinter. On this occasion it was Fiery Jen who prevailed in 17.28s. It was a torrid finish as she fended off the strong challenge thrown at her by the Margret and Peter Binnie trained Wow Madonna by just a nose margin. Tucked just in behind this pair, three quarters of a length back, was the Grant trained Smash Wild.
Onto the final heat and it was the Roberts prepared Cawbourne Britty who upset the favoured pair of sprinters in this heat when she secured her heat win in 17.30s. Grid Lock created a fair amount of interest when he made his NZ debut from the Fahey kennels. He wound up a 1.25 length heat second, while holding a two-length margin over the Railway Sprint winner Rosa Tee for Ray Adcock who was the nest to arrive home.
By Peter Fenemor
