The Opawa Racing team were expected to pick up a major slice of the Breeders’ bonus dollars attached to Tuesday’s running of the Southland hosted $7,340 NZRS Novice final. They did – although probably not in the race finish order that most had predicted.

Pictured: Opawa Lawsey winning Tuesday’s NZRS Novice final (pic Dave Robbie)  

The Dave and Jean Fahey trained Mr. Matt went into the 457m final as the warm $1.60 win favourite on the back of his strong 26.17s heat win two weeks earlier, which was easily to quickest of the five heats contested.

Opawa Lawsey had delivered a creditable 26.31s time for his heat win and sure he drew poorly in trap five, but for the second quickest heat winner to be sent out as the fifth favourite ($14) was a surprise.

It was the green racing vest carried by the vastly experienced John McInerney trained Botany Alan that was first sighted when the traps lifted. Opawa Lawsey, who is prepared by Robin Wales, pushed forward, while Mr. Matt was sighted on their inside.

Opawa Lawsey then flicked on the turbo chargers to cut clear, while Mr. Matt was momentarily held up and it was at that point when this final was decided. Opawa Lawsey cleared out and he was never seriously challenged afterwards as this son of Dyna Lachlan and Opawa Cassidy cruised to his 3.75 length win, stopping the clock in a tidy 25.91s, which was quicker than two of the three Far South Challenge 457m heats held earlier.

Mr. Matt (Fabregas – Opawa Born) pressed on solidly for his second placing and he held a 2.25 length margin over the Gary Cleeve bred and trained third placed Know Shame (Yella Mustard – Know Revenge) who has slipped around the outer. Torpedo Tuck (Dream Collector – Hard Habits) wound up in fourth for his trainer Ashely Bradshaw.

Aside from collecting the stake money on offer for owning the first two finishers, the Opawa Racing team also picked up $2,765 in Breeders’ bonus payments that their charges earned them here. It also looks fairly likely that Opawa Lawsey will quickly expand on the $7,719 that he has now earned from his three wins and seven minors placings from his 17 race day outings.

    

Handler Michael Fuller with Tuesday’s NZRS Novice winner Opawa Lawsey; Opawa Lawsey flanked by runner up Mr. Matt and third placed Know Shame (pics Dave Robbie)

Far South Challenge heats

Auckland Cup winner Dirk Bale came away with the time honours for the three 457m heats held on Tuesday afternoon for the Far South Challenge on Ascot Park. The Craig Roberts trained chaser jumped handy to the pace, then took control when entering the big, sweeping bend to kick away for his easy two length win which he completed in a handy 25.86s.

Sticking gamely to the rail was Too The Nail for Dave and Jean Fahey and he held down second, while Zipping Clyde was a further 3.5 lengths back in third for local conditioner Brett Connor. He shaded the fourth place Gary Cleeve trained finisher Sarcasm by a head margin.

The first of the Group 2 heats was taken out by the Fahey trained Egomaniacal, who after jumping away in the midfield, improved his field position around the bend and he took control during the run home to secure his 26.06s heat win.

His kennel mate Opawa Rooster produced his renowned strong finish to rush into second 1.25 lengths behind. Half a length further back it was the battle between the Roberts trained kennel mates for the third placing which resulted Umbridge Bale out finishing Platinum Marshall to claim that placing by a head margin.

In between these heats it was the resilient local chasing star Southern Lights who booked his final field position for his local owner/trainer Roy Hamilton when he drew on his vast racing experience to come from an early midfield position to take out his heat in 26.18s.

It was a keenly contested finish to the heat which saw the Ashley Bradshaw prepared Nozzno Fear qualify for another Group race final by virtue on her charge winding up just three quarters of a length behind the winner, while claiming the pace making Grid Lock by a half length margin, while holding out Edge Of Town from the Ray Adcock kennels by a head.

The $15,825 Far South Challenge final will be decided on July 31, the final day of the 2017/18 racing season.

     

The three Far South Challenge heat winning efforts by (from left): Dirk Bale; Egomaniacal; Southern Lights – - pics supplied by Dave Robbie – drobbie91@gmail.com– 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos

By Peter Fenemor