The final field to chase after New Zealand’s oldest racing trophy the Waterloo Cup has been finalized and drawn following four competitive heats held throughout the country late last week at three different racing venues. The field that will line up in the $35,000 527m final at Group 1 level at the Manukau Stadium next Sunday is a cracker, which was further evened out following the box draw for the event.
Pictured: Egomaniacal delivering his bold Addington Waterloo Cup heat win (pic Dave Robbie)
Christchurch Waterloo Cup 520m heat
A mistake at trap rise proved to be costly for the hot $1.40 favourite Dyna Elwyn as the Craig Roberts prepared Addington 520m track record holder settled back in the midfield and then encounted first turn traffic problems.
It was the Dave and Jean Fahey trained Too The Nail who won the break from the Addington 520m traps and he scampered straight into the race lead. His kennelmate Egomaniacal slotted in behind him along with the favourites kennelmate Xava Allen.
Too The Nail streamed down the back straight with Egomaniacal pushing up underneath him on the rail. That proved to be the right tactical move as he railed underneath his kennelmate when rounding the final bend and booted clear to confirm his place in next Sunday’s final when claiming his heat win in 30.42s.
Too The Nail also booked his Group 1 final field position when he gamely stuck to his task when finishing 2.75 lengths behind, while he held a length advantage over the strong finishing Dyna Elwyn.
Egomaniacal and Too The Nail both have unfinished business to complete for their trainers. The Waterloo Cup is one of only two Group 1 races on the national calendar that Dave and Jean Fahey hasn’t trained the off – it’s up to these two blokes to rectify that anomaly on their conditioners CV.
Making the Waterloo Cup final from Thursday’s Addington heat was Egomaniacal (left) with handler Katie Wylie and Too The Nail (pics Dave Robbie)
Wanganui Waterloo Cup 520m heat
Blazin’ Carter has really taken to the Hatrick circuit as seen by his two stylish 520m wins prior to this event at the venue which included his sharp 29.83s win from the one in his lead in race for his trainer Lisa Cole.
He was allocated the same trap for Friday from where he bounced away to seize the early race lead. It was a lead he was never going to relinquish as he cruised through his 520m assignment to record his 30.18s heat win which now sees him heading up to Manukau to make his track debut up there in the Group 1 final.
Joining him next Sunday will be the Matt Roberts prepared Quistis Bale who made a smart start from the six trap. She positioned herself in behind Blazing’ Carter when rounding the first turn and she maintained that position for the balance of the trip when arriving home three lengths behind him. The winner’s kennelmate Bigtime Tears pressed on soundly another 1.5 length behind for her third placing.
Lisa Cole will return to the Manukau Stadium to defend the Waterloo Cup she won last year with Bigtime Paddy (pictured) with Blazin’ Carter; joining him from the Hatrick heat will be Quistis Bale
Auckland Waterloo Cup 527m heat 1
As expected it was the Angela Turnwald prepared Nature’s Gent who secured the early race lead in the first of the Manukau hosted Waterloo Cup heats. He was being chased by Cameo Syd from the Ben Craik kennels, while Kiwi Gal was in close attendance for Jared Udy and Denise Cottam.
Improving his field position going down the back straight was Dyna Dave for Canterbury conditioner Craig Roberts. Swinging in for the run home Nature’s Gent still held the advantage, with Dyna Dave ominously looming into winning contention.
Dyna Dave unleashed powerfully over the concluding stages and his momentum saw him snatching the heat victory by the very slimiest of margins over a very gallant Nature’s Gent. He completed his 527m assignment in a handy 30.29s. Finishing solidly from out of the midfield pack was the Lisa Cole trained Ask King Jeff who by finishing 5.5 lengths further behind saw him booking the first reserve possie for next Sunday’s decider.
Handler Georgie Milne with Auckland Waterloo Cup heat winner Dyna Dave; trainer Craig Roberts was then drawn as the last trainer invited to select an envelope that contained Dyna Dave’s Waterloo Cup draw – he revealed the four trap, after earlier he had kindly selected the ace trap for his son’s Matt Waterloo Cup finalist Quistis Bale
Auckland Waterloo Cup 527m heat 2
The talented Pinny Mack started from the ace trap as the hot $1.30 favourite for local conditioner Steve Clark. He didn’t give his army of supporters any concerns whatsoever where after seizing the early race lead he freewheeled his way through his assignment to land an effortless 30.26s heat win.
At the judge he had built a 6.75 length margin over the gallant chasing Bigtime Lily who provides her trainer Lisa Cole with a second Waterloo Cup finalist. She booked her final field position by chasing the winning pacemaker throughout. Ridin’ Shotgun finished stoutly another 3.25 lengths astern to claim third and he’ll occupy the second possie on the reserves bench for his trainer Karen Walsh.
The $35,000 Waterloo Cup draw is
1 Quistis Bale - Matt Roberts
2 Nature’s Gent - Paul Freeman
3 Too The Nail - Dave & Jean Fahey
4 Dyna Dave - Craig Roberts
5 Pinny Mack - Steve Clark
6 Egomaniacal - Dave & Jean Fahey
7 Blazin’ Carter - Lisa Cole
8 Bigtime Lily - Lisa Cole
Reserves
9 Ask King Jeff - Lisa Cole
10 Ridin’ Shotgun - Karen Walsh
Pinny Mack following his emphatic Manukau Waterloo Cup heat win; trainer Steve Clark selected the envelope that held the five trap for his charge for the Group 1 final; there was a reasonably big crowd on course for Auckland’s 14 race Sunday card. The club again ran there very popular Last Man Standing competition, which required teams of five to place all up win and/or place tote bets on five designated races. It was the “Sausage Man” team who successfully punted their through the five races and in doing so they were rewarded with an additional $400 cash bonus provided by the Auckland GRC – their team leader Brian “Deli:”Delimore from sponsor Deli’s Sports Bar Clendon received his teams’ $400 cash prize from Auckland chairman John Roberts
By Peter Fenemor
