Last season’s Auckland cup winner Dirk Bale has commenced his new racing season in the same manner he concluded last season – winning a Group 2 457m final. He defied his rivals to run him down in Thursday’s $15,850 Angus Wright Memorial Invitation at the Cambridge Raceway. They couldn’t.
Pictured: Angus Wright Memorial Invitation winner Dirk Bale, with (from left) Sharon Wright, handler Emma Potts, trainer Craig Roberts
The Craig Roberts prepared Dirk Bale hopped away smartly from trap seven to seize the early race lead. Pushing forward underneath him was Beautiful Boy for local trainer Ben Craik, while the trap one specialist Nature’s Gent made a better than usual start for his trainer Angela Turnwald.
Heading into the big, sweeping Cambridge turn it was Dirk Bale in control, while Nature’s Gent was ominously looming into contention on the rail. This pair had put a break on their rivals at this point.
Balancing up for the run home it was Dirk Bale still dictating the pace, although he was out wide, presenting clear racing room inside him to any chaser who wanted to take it. Nature’s Gent was the only greyhound who was positioned to do so and yes he did close down the margin on the pacemaker.
Dirk Bale responded when he dug deep, real deep and kicked back to claim his Group 2 win by a length margin. He clocked a very respectable 25.47s for his freewheeling 457m gallop. Nature’s Gent was resolute when finishing second, which was the same position he finished in his prior outing in the 520m Wanganui Cup at Group 1 level.
A further 3.5 lengths behind it was race on for the final position to be occupied on the podium. Beautiful Boy had maintained a forward possie in the chasing pack, however he yielded to the strong finish that the winner’s kennel mate Dyna Dave produced when he snatched the third placing over a gallant Beautiful Boy by half a length.
The connections of Beautiful Boy was rewarded with the Breeders bonus associated with this Group 2 event with this consistent son of El Grand Senor and Just Jordana being the first Kiwi bred greyhound to finish in this event.
Dirk Bale had used similar pace making tactics when he claimed the $15,850 Far South Challenge over 457m at Group 2 level on Ascot Park on the last day on the 2017/18 racing season. It was exactly the same tactics he used to annex his Auckland Cup victory.
“I thought you bloody beaut when I saw Dirk take the early race lead. I then thought on the turn that he didn’t have a big enough buffer on Nature’s Gent for him to hold on (win). But geez, Dirk kicked strongly during the run home to nail his win. He’s a greyhound who always tries his hardest.
“I watched Dyna Dave miss away and immediately thought that’s the end of him (stakes). I was rapt with the way he made up ground for his placing – he went really good. I’ll keep both greyhounds ticking over with their next major assignment being the Waterloo Cup heats (Christchurch 520m heat September 20),” advised Roberts.
Angus Wright’s daughter Sharon presenting her father’s memorial trophy to Dirk Bale’s handler Emma Potts – trainer Craig Roberts is seen with the third placed Dyna Dave; the full Angus Wright Memorial Invitation podium
Dirk Bale, who is a member of the extremely talented Fernando Bale and Langi Bale litter, is maintaining a high winning strike rate as seen with this win being his 19th from just 37 race day outings. He has placed on a further six occasion which now sees his stake earnings sitting at $123,018 for his owner Jan Wheeler.
Roberts was also pleased with the second place effort that his promising stayer Dyna Weslyn produced in the 650m $7,000 Dusty Gambler WGRC 2017-18 Distance feature. “I was rapt with her race, especially with it being her first long trip away on a new track (for her). I thought she got a bit lost when going into the last turn. She’ll head into the Kingston Cup heats (Addington, 732m September 13),” said Roberts.
It was the Karen Walsh prepared Dusty Gambler who strongly won the event in the race named after him, being the leading Cambridge stayer the previous season. He boldly stalked the pace setting Dyna Weslyn down the back straight. Dusty Gambler slipped through underneath her on the final turn and booted clear to secure his 18th career win ($97,136 in stake earnings) by a comfortable four length margin.
It was a quality field of stayers who contested this feature with the third placed Cawbourne Krusty confirming her future as a staying greyhound for Roberts’ son Matt, while the fourth placed Angela Turnwald prepared Argus Filch was a Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar finalist last season.
The feature Cambridge Cannonball open class 375m sprint saw an astounding win for the Steve Clark trained Pinny Mack. He was tardily away from the four trap and then he was bounced around like a pin ball when he was attempting to recover.
Meanwhile up front setting the pace were a number of renowned sharp sprinters like Kiwi Boy and Just One Smile. They were joined by the Jinja Mongo from the local Wayne and Tracy Steele kennels when turning in for the run home. He looked set to claim an upset win, until the blue racing vest worn by Pinny Mack was sighted flashing home late.
It was a potent finish that the former West Australian chaser produced as he fairly sizzled to the line to stop the clock in a sharp 21.16s – sharp considering all the early race incidents he went through. Jinja Mongo finished half a length behind him and he shaded Just One Simile in what was a busy finish by a quarter of a length.
Commentator Peter Early summed up the sprint delivered by Pinny Mack, who had endured a couple of luckless previous races since crossing the Tasman, with this statement. “This has been big – he is all, all class. There’s no excuses for the beaten runners, believe you me.” He is spot on with that comment.
Handler Sophie Whittaker with Dusty Gambler after he won the 650m feature event named after him; trainer Steve Clark and handler Yani Castro with the sharp Cambridge Cannonball winner Pinny Mack – pics Waikato GRC
