Wow, let’s replay that finish! Tuesday’s running of the $12,000 NZRS Advanced final can only be described as spectacular. As a spectacle it was an actioned packed 545m Forbury Park event. At the judge it was the John McInerney prepared Dave’s Dot who strongly prevailed.
Pictured: Dave’s Dot charging home for her spectacular Tuesday NZRS Advanced victory (pic Dave Robbie)
It was the Ray Adcock prepared Lord Louie who started as the deserved $1.80 favourite. He had easily set the time standard from the two heats held two weeks earlier. In doing so he made it seven straight Forbury Park 545m wins and on Tuesday he was seeking to maintain his unbeaten track record.
Winning the break and hopping straight onto the early pace as expected was Hankenstein for Ashley Bradshaw. Lord Louie ranged up on his outer during the charge into the first turn. Think Thank pushed up along the rail to chase the pace setters into the turn for McInerney.
Last going into the turn was Dave’s Dot and she was quickly joined by Lord Louie’s litter bother and kennel mate Perfect Result in the rear end of the field. Streaming down the back straight it was Hankenstein undertaking the pace making duties while he was still being closely attended to by Lord Louie.
Dave’s Dot was sighted stylishly improving along the rail when rounding the home turn while the leading group concertinaed together. Maintaining her powerful gallop along the rail was Dave’s Dot and that proved to be the winning tactic as this daughter of Cosmic Rumble and Memphis Hotcakes flew home to nail her feature win by what ultimately was a comfortable 1.25 length margin. She stopped the clock in 32.76s.
Perfect Result was the last greyhound to straighten up for the run home and he followed the same path as the winner when this son of Barcia Bale and Andrea thundered home to claim the runners up prize, along with the breeders’ bonus payment for his breeder and co-owner Ray Amer, in what was a blanket finish for the minor placings.
He had a head to spare over a very gallant Hankenstein who valiantly rallied to cling onto third. In doing so this son of Dream Collector and Hard Habits returned a Breeders’ bonus payment to Bradshaw which came after his litter sister and kennel mate Ming Ming had won last Thursday’s Addington hosted $8,500 NZRS Graduation 520m final.
To illustrate just how competitive this race finish was, we saw Goldstar Ashton (Yella Mustard – No Love Affair) finishing just a nose further behind for Steve and Bonnie Evans. Virtually in line with him was the Roy Hamilton prepared Southern Lights (Lochinvar Marlow – Imperative). Lord Louie dropped away during the run home and a post race vet inspection revealed that he had suffered from cramp in a gracilis muscle over the concluding stages.
Dave’s Dot following her powerful Forbury Park NZRS Advanced win with handler Erin Goodman; the full Otago NZRS Advanced podium with Dave’s Dot (and trainer John McInerney) flanked by runner up Perfect Result and the third placed Hankenstein- pics supplied by Dave Robbie – drobbie91@gmail.com – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos
It was thoroughly deserved feature race win for Dave’s Dot who has turned in a rather versatile greyhound. She was bred by long time Canterbury industry percipients Chris and Lisa Earl and they benefit from the $3,150 Breeders’ bonus payment attached to the winning portion of the stake.
Dave’s Dot versatility can be gauged by her competitively mixing staying races with her 520m/545m race assignments, while she has also won short course sprints. Eight races ago team McInerney prepared her to boldly lead throughout over the gruelling 770m distance at this venue. She has now contested 84 races, winning 19 of them, while placing in a further 17 races, which adds up to $44,285 in stake earnings (excluding Breeders’ bonus payments) for her owing First Pick syndicate.
