Just a nose margin denied the Lisa Cole kennel the entire drawn field for next Tuesday’s $15,825 Kamada Park North Island Challenge Stakes final at Group 2 level. Two 457m heats held on Monday saw Cole providing the first three finishers in the first heat, while in the second heat greyhounds from her kennels occupied the first five placings.
Pictured: Bigtime Paddy, who returned the fastest North Island Challenge Stakes heat time
It was a hugely successful afternoon for the Cole kennels which saw them eventually mentoring the winners of nine of the 15 races on the Monday afternoon card. That took their kennel training successes for the current season up a staging 693 winners and just on $1,700,000 in stake earnings.
It was the recent Group 2 Palmerston North Gold Cup winner Bigtime Vanessa who won the break from the three trap in the first heat and she was followed out by Bigtime Tears. It was this pair who controlled the pace for the balance of the journey with Bigtime Vanessa prevailing in 25.96s. While holding her kennelmate at bay by a 1.5 length margin.
Bigtime Brucie made a tardy start, however he improved his field position when he angled down onto the rail. Also recovering from a moderate start out wider was the Karen Walsh prepared Ridin’ Shotgun. Bigtime Levi had attempted to push forward from trap eight however he was momentarily held up.
The railing tactics employed by Bigtime Brucie saw him being able to improve along the rail and that move saw him kicking home solidly to claim third a further 1.75 lengths behind. It was race on for the fourth final field qualifying position from this heat with Ridin’ Shotgun looking to hold that placing over the final few strides.
However Bigtime Levi unleashed powerfully and it required judge Jack Cooper to closely study the photo finish before he awarded Ridin’ Shotgun the fourth placing by the barest possible margin a length behind the third placed greyhound. Bigtime Levi will occupy the first possie on the reserves bench for the final.
The Cole kennel star Bigtime Paddy jumped, also from trap three, as the hot $1.50 favourite in the second heat. He wasn’t exactly the swiftest into stride, however he quickly seized a rails racing passage and from that point the result of this heat was never in doubt. Bigtime Paddy cruised clear to secure his 33rd career win (from 66 races) by a comfortable 5.5 length margin, clocking 25.95s.
It was Paddy’s kennelmates Bigtime Jason and No Time Toulouse who had led out from the traps. Lunch Special made a moderate start from the eight trap from where he pushed his way forward. A photo finish was required to decide the minor placings with Bigtime Jason holding down second by a nose over Lunch Special.
The Lisa Cole trained runners Bigtime Vanessa and Bigtime Jason will be joined by Ridin’ Shotgun (right) from the Karen Walsh kennels in next Tuesday’s Kamada Park North Island Challenge Stakes final
By Peter Fenemor
