The $5,500 Garrard’s Horse & Hound Canterbury OTB Maiden has long been regarded as the launching pad to higher honours for numerous greyhounds who have contested this Canterbury OTB organized event for many, many years. A glance back to previous winners of this 520m race sees the names of classy greyhounds on the race roll of honour.
Pictured: Puzzle Tim delivering his Canterbury OTB Maiden heat win (pic Dave Robbie)
The field assembled for this Thursday’s feature final (race 9) looks like it will continue to provide greyhounds who will quickly advance up through the grades following the four 520m heats held at the Addington Raceway last Friday afternoon.
Dave and Jean Fahey produced two of those heat winners, plus they qualified another finalist. Puzzle Tim completed his heat assignment in a handy 30.48s. After running a bold 457m debut second on Ascot Park on Tuesday, he cruised to his heat win holding a comfortable five length margin over Bahama Queen, who was then an injury related withdrawal from the final prior to the box draw. Puzzle Tim achieved that win from the one trap – on Thursday he moves out to trap eight.
Kennel mate Opawa Lara hopped away smartly from the seven trap which saw her controlling the pace throughout, resulting in her effortless 30.64s heat win. She is provided with repeat claims from trap two here.
Yi Feng was making his race debut in his heat which turned into a solid effort when he gamely chased after the pace setting Jay Shirley throughout for his 1.25 length heat second to her. This bloke will be sighted wearing the green racing vest for the final.
Robin Wales will be dishing out the collars and leads as he qualified four runners for the final, plus he also provides both reserves. Jay Mike was real bold, where after making a moderate start and settling in the rear, he received a saloon racing passage around the first turn when the bulk of the field got involved in jostling.
He railed into the race lead, pursued by his kennel mate Born Quick, who also wasn’t the quickest away from the traps. The race order remained the same from that point with Jay Mike prevailing by a four length margin in 30.91s when leading home his kennel mate. They will start from adjacent traps with Jay Mike exiting from trap three, while Born Quick will be on his immediate outer.
The remaining heat winner for Wales was Jay Shirley who dictated the pace throughout from the one trap when landing her 31.20s heat win. She is required to move out to the seven trap to be loaded away into here. Zara Jinx has been allocated the five trap to exit from on Thursday after his 6.25 length heat third behind Opawa Lara. He has no option but to push forward onto the early pace from trap rise.
Garrard’s Horse & Hound Canterbury OTB Maiden heat winners were (from left): Opawa Lara; Jay Mike; Jay Shirley - pics supplied by Dave Robbie – drobbie91@gmail.com – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos
Occupying the first possie on the reserves bench is Jay Wendy who was involved in the vain chase after the freewheeling Puzzle Tim. She arrived home 10.75 lengths astern of him, while second reserve Opawa Rockstar was sighted pressing on from the midfield when he wound up a 1.25 length heat third behind Jay Shirley.
The remaining field slot is held by the Gary Cleeve prepared Know Anxiety who will lead the field in the parade to the 520m traps wearing the red rug. She jumped from that trap in her heat from where she kicked on stoutly for her 5.75 length heat second to Opawa Lara.
Pawnote: With no Thursday Harness meeting being held, a $20,000 terminating TAB Pick6 will be offered on this meeting. Go back a couple of Thursday’s ago which saw a terminating $25,000 Pick6 pool being terminated with a declared dividend of $250,000 or in other words a 10 per cent unit claimed the entire $25,000 pool that was on offer. The Pick6 on this meeting commences on race 7 (6.16pm).
By Peter Fenemor
