It was the Angela Turnwald prepared New Zealand Cup title holder Nature’s Gent who returned the fastest Wanganui Cup 520m qualifying time from the three heats held at the Hatrick Raceway on Friday evening. Dusty Gambler for Karen Walsh maintained his unbeaten Hatrick record when he strongly prevailed in his heat for the Wanganui Stayers over the 755m trip.

Pictured: Nature’s Gent clocked the quickest of the Wanganui Cup heat times

The high flying Bigtime Paddy rightfully dominated discussions in the first of the Group 1 Wanganui Cup 520m heats for his conditioner Lisa Cole. It was Bigtime Paddy’s kennel mate Bigtime Twinkle who won the start and she speared straight into the early race lead. Me Jane (Cole) and Soaring Hawke (Peter Ferguson) placed themselves in handy early field positions.

Bigtime Paddy was also close up, although he was involved in some traffic when running the first turn. Entering the back straight he set off after Bigtime Twinkle, picking her up when he railed underneath her during the run home. His 30.11s time was more of a reflection of the early racing passage he received.

Bigtime Twinkle was game in delivering her second just a half length behind, while holding a two length buffer over the solid finishing Panel Beater from the Dave and Jean Fahey kennels who booked his place in this Friday’s decider. The fourth placed finisher Cawbourne Trixy secured the second reserve possie for Matt Roberts with her being the quickest of the heat fourth place getters.

Nature’s Gent was perfectly trapped away in the one trap for his heat assignment. After a brief tussle with Bigtime Tears (Cole) he broke clear of his rivals that led to his strong pace making 29.91s heat win, which he landed by a comfortable 2.5 length margin.

Ask King Jeff maintained a strong swooping gallop after jumping away from trap eight. That searching gallop saw him booking his final position for Cole when finishing second half a length in front of his kennel mate Bigtime Tears, who also qualified.

It was Cole again in the final heat when she produced Bigtime Wendle to deliver a freewheeling pace setting 30.10s gallop to take the heat out. Idol Tom appreciated hopping away from the one trap for his trainer Marcie Flipp.

He kept up a bold chase throughout for his second placing 3.5 lengths further behind. Waitohi finished stoutly to claim the third placing another 1.5 lengths back which means this Turnwald prepared chaser will occupy the first position on the reserves bench.

  
Wanganui Cup heat winners (from left): Bigtime Paddy; Nature’s Gent; Bigtime Wendle

Wanganui Stayers Heats

The first of the two Wanganui Stayers heats at Group 2 level saw the Matt Roberts prepared Cawbourne Taylor jumping out to a big early race lead which was further accentuated when the field jammed up in behind her when racing around the first turn.

Cawbourne Taylor led the field past judge Jack Cooper with a lap to run, while back in the field the race favourite Mija Sydney was pushing his forward along the rail. The Angela Turnwald trained stayer set off after the tear way pace maker, reeling him in when rounding the final turn from where he scampered clear to record his 45.22s heat win.

It got rather busy in behind Mija Sydney which saw his kennelmate Iris Allen punching through to secure second 5.75 lengths astern of him. Translator fairly rocketed home for Dave and Jean Fahey and she flew into third another 2.5 lengths behind. In doing so she cut back Cawbourne Taylor, who got a real case of the wobbles, to fourth a further length back.

Heat two saw the Karen Walsh mentored warm series favourite Dusty Gambler starting as the $1.30 favourite. He didn’t break the quickest and he had to negotiate some early traffic before he secured a clear racing passage. He cruised down the back straight and it was on the home turn where he seized the race lead from where he booted away to clock his sound 44.96s heat win.

Verta Bale jumped handy to the pace and she kept up a solid gallop throughout which saw her being rewarded with her second placing when finishing 4.75 lengths behind Dusty Gambler. It was a pair of Fahey trained stayers who booked the other two final field positions from this heat.

Pirate’s Curse has turned into somewhat of an enigma of a stayer where he normally is sighted situating himself back in the rear group. He does owns a potent finish it was that asset that he used to thunder home to nail his heat third placing another 4.5 lengths behind. In doing so he relegated his kennel mate Opawa Abby Joy back to fourth a further three lengths astern.

The two reserves for the final are both a pair of handy, proven Group race stayers, who have featured in previous 755m Black type finals on this track. Nitehawk Rose (Bill Hodgson) and Tranquil Blossom (Turnwald) will the occupants of the reserves bench.

 
Wanganui Stayers heat winners Mija Sydney & Dusty Gambler

By Peter Fenemo