The long established $16,000 New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes is the race that recognizes the Kiwi base greyhound sires, with only progeny sired by locally based stud dogs eligible to contest this event. There are six sires represented in Sunday’s Group 2 decider over 527m.
Pictured: Last year’s New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Opawa Brad, who was sired by Winsome Opawa
This Group 2 event over recent years has been commonly referred to as Gary ‘Crafty” Cleeve’s race, such has been the domination he has held on this feature event. Cleeve bred runners has won seven of the last ten NZ Sires editions.
It was a standing joke last year when Cleeve wasn’t represented by a runner in “Crafty’s Race”. The Canterbury breeder and trainer has rectified that anomaly by having two runners, plus he also bred a third contender who is racing this Sunday. “It’s been a good race for us over the years,” commented Crafty who has also provided numerous minor place getter over the years.
Know Equal and Know Conclusion are sons of the outstanding chaser Know Class out of another prolific Cleeve bred winning dam Know Which. Know Equal is currently C2 graded who endured a completely luckless last start Addington 520m outing. He’ll race from trap four on Sunday while his C3 graded litter brother Know Conclusion will race in the black racing vest.
“Yes, it’s been a two year hiatus as I have been bit quiet in the top draw department. I’m going back up there with two chances – I wouldn’t say big chances, but they go okay. I rate Know Conclusion as the best chance as he’s a good honest type. He has good box manners, who can get handy early and run out a strong 520m.
“Know Equal didn’t have an ideal lead up into this race when he fell at his last start (Addington, June 1 520m). He can work home okay and he does run out a strong 520m. Both of them are all set to go on Sunday,” confirmed Cleeve.
Sire Know Class (left) has his sons Know Equal and Know Conclusion representing him in Sunday’s New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes
Cleeve’s sister Lisa Waretini is sending up Jealous Affair with her brother, who also bred this daughter of Yella Mustard and No Love Affair. It was Yella Mustard who sired Cleeve’s last NZ Sires winners when Know Jinx (who is out off Know Which) prevailed in a race where Crafty provided the first four to finish in 2016.
Jealous Affair is bringing sound Addington 520m form north with her and being required to jump from trap eight says she must use her known handy to the pace racing tactics. All 39 of her career races has been on the Addington track. Her last start C3 520m was solid when she finished three lengths behind Rockstar Kobe who has since qualified for the Group 2 Barron’s South Island Championships final.
“It’ll be interesting to see how she goes being the first time she’s raced away from home. She starts alright and finishes okay. She has matured since her season and is putting it altogether now. She’s a great little bread and butter dog, who tries her heart out. She is coping with 520m racing really well and she has developed strength,” advised Waretini.
Yella Mustard (left) sired the 2016 New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Know Jinx. His daughter Jealous Affair (center) will contest Sunday’s edition, while Kapai Bart will be racing for his dad King Mick
The only greyhound in the field who has attained open class racing status is the Wanganui, Brian Marsh prepared Tyson’s Quest. Amazingly this will be the first occasion that this son of Blitzing Mayhem and Vickie’s Quest will see the inside of the one trap – it’s taken until his 31st race day start to secure that trap. His trainer brought his charge and his litter sister Rowdy Ruby north to check out the Manukau track however he went home without racing on the Sunday when the Silver Collar heats was postponed for 24 hours.
Tyson’s Quest then qualified for the Group 1 NZ Breeders Stakes final where, after being impeded early, he finished a very creditable fourth. “He’s as a good as gold – no worries. It was a bold race from him in the Breeders and I was pleased with the way he responded after he got carted wide around the first turn. He chugged up nicely along the rail down the back straight. He likes the rail and I expect him to hunt up along it,” suggested Marsh.
His partner Suzie Kite applies the finishing touches to Tyson’s litter sister Rowdy Ruby. She was held in midfield traffic in her last 305m outing, however Marsh advises that this C3 graded chaser won’t have any worries about running out the 527m trip here.
“She’s okay in the five (trap) in fact the wider the better for her as she scouts around the outer. She ran on nicely for her recent Wanganui 520m win. The concern is that she won’t take a knock, so hopefully she’ll get a good run into the first turn. She’s all set to go on Sunday,” said Marsh.
Northern sire Blitzing Mayhem (left) is represented by Tyson’s Quest and Rowdy Ruby in Sunday’s New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes
That leaves us with the three locally prepared northern NZ Sire’s Stakes contenders. Kapai Bart is a proven 527m chaser around the Manukau circuit from the Wayne and Tracy Steele kennels. The post race podium claims for this son of King Mick and Kiki Rhode certainly cannot be lightly dismissed here, despite a recent set back as Wayne tells us.
“He had a recent dose of kennel cough and I’m hoping that his lack of race fitness since returning to the races was the reason why he didn’t run home as strongly as what he normally does last Sunday. He was nicely placed heading towards the turn, then he faded – that’s got me perplexed.
“He has checked out real good since then, so instead of dragging him this week I put in a running pen where he ran up and down like a yo yo. He is very well within himself, he is competitive at Manukau as he normally finishes his 527m races strongly.”
Noah Who is also returning from a spell for his conditioner Hayley Mullane. This son of Piggy Back and Who Bobby is a C4 graded chaser, making the second most highest assessed runner in the field. He suffered a gracilis injury in his last C4/5 527m outing on this track which explains his absence from the races since April 22.
“I’m very pleased with him. Yes he’s fresh, however he pleased me with his recent Manukau post to post trial (26.22s) which was nice and that showed me he’s on track for his return. He is very well drawn (trap two) and he’s a more than capable dog. I can’t fault him,” advised Mullane, who also has her star stayer chasing after an Amazing Chase time in race nine.
Glennis Farrell provides the remaining drawn contender with the Opawa Racing bred son of Winsome Opawa and Opawa Secret, Secret Rory who heads into Sunday holding a C2 grading. He endured a luckless Thursday Cambridge 457m outing where he was impeded when he was combined with some C3 chasers. He is a proven Manukau 527m greyhound.
“He probably can’t run the times that some others in the field can, however he can jump and he has a good draw (trap three). If he does (jump) and he clears any trouble on the first turn, then yes he can feature as he’s a different dog when he’s racing on the lure. I guess you can say he has to use catch me if you can tactics. He’s fit and very well – at least he knows his way around the track,” said Farrell. .
Last year’s winning New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes sire Winsome Opawa (left) will be represented by Secret Rory on Sunday; Piggy Back (center) has his son Noah Who (right) contesting the event
Hot Mayhem, from the Jared Udy and Denise Cottam kennels, is the first reserve for the race. His mum Hot Pootie ran second in the 2012 NZ Sires final. He is another chaser who was sired by Blitzing Mayhem. He is better known as a short course sprinter and if he doesn’t get a start in this event, then hopefully he’ll get a start in race eight (C2 318m), which is named after his mum.
The second reserve Zara Zoe is a Robin Wales prepared daughter of Winsome Opawa and Opawa Zara, who has just joined the C2 chasing ranks. She was cut out of third late when having her first race in that grade over 520m at Addington.
By Peter Fenemor
