The Formpro Amazing Chase qualifying process concluded on Sunday in keeping with the enthralling action packed month long qualifying period witnessed with the final automatic field position having to be decided by a ballot.
It was apparent a long way out that the last day of qualifying at the Manukau Stadium was always going to be the venue where positions for the July 27 $60,000 was going to be keenly contested. And so it proved. Eight solo 527m trials was completed prior to the start of Sunday’s race meeting and those trials led to a complete revamp of the Manukau Amazing Chase leader board.
Westworld (30.47s) held the Manukau leaders possie heading into Sunday. Dusty Gambler (30.50s) was in second, while Cameo Syd (30.56s) was in third place. All three greyhounds were in action however at the conclusion of the day’s activities all three at been relegated from the top of the venue leader board.
The leader board changes occurred during the trials. The charge was led by the Angela Turnwald prepared New Zealand Cup winner Nature’s Gent. He slipped through his 527m trial assignment in 30.37s which propelled him to the top of Manukau table.
Following him out was Avenger Bale who was looking to provide his trainer Craig Roberts with another Amazing Chase finalist. The recent New Zealand Stayers Cup winner duly obliged when he went to second place when he delivered his 30.44s solo trial.
Trialing next up was Pinny Mack for local trainer Steve Clark. He glided through his 527m trial in 30.44s, obviously tying him for the Manukau second placing with Avenger Bale. None of the remaining trials approached those times.
The track qualification process still wasn’t completed as Dusty Gambler was drawn to race later in the afternoon. Early traffic issues suffered by the Karen Walsh prepared chaser saw him not being able to improve on his previous 527m 30.50s time.
That meant that Nature’s Gent had clocked the quickest Manukau time, while a ballot was necessary to break the second place deadlock between Avenger Bale and Pinny Mack. The ballot was completed under the supervision of stipendiary steward Philippa Kinsey which resulted in Pinny Mack being successful and in doing so gained direct entry into the final. Avenger Bale, being the ballot loser, will now head into another ballot with his Addington third place kennel mate Dyna Weslyn to determine the final Amazing Chase field position available.
Georgie Milne, who was representing Avenger Bale, after drawing the marble to decide who was going to select the first envelope to break the Manukau second place deadlock between Avenger Bale and Pinny Mack. Georgie chose first (pictured) which meant that Carolyn Henley (for Pinny Mack) was left to open the envelope which ensured Pinny Mack’s final field position (right).
There was no changes to the Addington or Hatrick leader boards over the final qualifying at those venues over the later part of last week. Craig Roberts qualified his pair of Addington 520m track record breakers Dyna Elwyn (29.67s) and Dyna Dave (29.75s). As mentioned Dyna Weslyn (29.81s) will go into a ballot with Avenger Bale to determine the final field position.
It was Bigtime Paddy who retained his Hatrick leading 520m position. He won his 40th career race on Friday in 29.94s, however it was his previous 29.92s time that saw the Lisa Cole trained greyhound holding the top Hatrick slot. Finishing second in the race and by doing so also protecting the same final position after his previous 29.97s clock was Ask King Jeff.
Incidentally by running the quinella in this event saw the kennel mates proving their trainer Lisa Cole with New Zealand greyhound racing history. The stake money won her chasers in this race propelled her kennel stakes earnings for the 2017/18 racing season over $2,000,000 – a truly remarkable achievement.
Holding onto her Amazing Chase third placing with her 29.98s time at this venue and with it a final field position was Cawbourne Krusty for her conditioner Matt Roberts. She didn’t improve on her time when stylishly winning her C4 520m Friday race in 30.07s. Cole will provide the second reserve for Friday’s final with Bigtime Tears who also didn’t advance her earlier 30.06s time when she finished fourth on Friday. The event’s first reserve will be the loser of the ballot between Avenger Bale and Dyna Weslyn.
Therefore the $60,000 Formpro Amazing Chase field is: Dyna Elwyn (Craig Roberts), Dyna Dave (Craig Roberts), Bigtime Paddy (Lisa Cole), Ask King Jeff (Lisa Cole), Cawbourne Krusty (Matt Roberts), Nature’s Gent (Angela Turnwald), Pinny Mack (Steve Clark) and either Dyna Weslyn (Craig Roberts) or Avenger Bale (Craig Roberts).
The draw for firstly the final field position and then the actual match race pair ups and race order will be conducted live on the Dogzone program, TAB Trackside 2 at approx. 11.45am this morning. Check back here this afternoon for the complete Formpro Amazing Chase finalized line up.
Formpro Amazing Chase finalists (from left): Dyna Dave, Bigtime Paddy, Pinny Mack
By Peter Fenemor
