Thursday’s running of the 2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup 520m heats resulted in the bulk of the favoured pre-heat greyhounds advancing through to Wednesday’s set of four semi finals which will ultimately decide the final field who will chase after the $125,000 stake on offer for the November 15 final at Group 1 level.
Pictured: Bago Bye Bye delivering the 29.94s quickest NZ Cup 520m heat time
Two greyhounds, Bago Bye Bye (29.94s) and Dyna Dave (29.95s), broke the Addington 520m 30 second barrier with both of them having been involved in the recent 520m track record breaking spree that has been occurring.
The first five greyhounds from the heats now automatically advance through to Wednesday. The connections of two greyhounds exempted from contesting the heats ran in them. Since the heats five of the remaining six prelude exempted chasers has joined the NZ Cup series at the semis stage, meaning the quickest two heat six place getters remain in contention. The next two quickest sixth placed finishers form the reserves bench for the semis.
Here’s a look back to those 2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup 520m heats.
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 1
It was the Craig Roberts prepared Dyna Monty who made a quick start from the eight trap and that start set up his freewheeling 30.08s heat win. Shallay Pallay punched forward for Dave and Jean Fahey and that led to him leading the chase home behind the pacemaker 7.75 lengths further back.
Lisa Cole trained greyhounds were the next to arrive with Bigtime Lilly claiming third, while kennelmate Dyna Dyamix completed his track debut assignment in fourth. The Fahey’s will return with their fifth placed runner Go Brat. The Matt Roberts prepared Quistis Bale, who raced handy to the pace prior to being denied racing room on the final turn, was credited with one the quickest six place finishing times and therefore remains in NZ Cup contention.
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 1 place getters (from left): Dyna Monty; Shallay Pallay; Bigtime Lily (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 2
It was Roberts again in this heat which saw his recent Addington 520m track record holder Dyna Dave prevailing in a tidy 29.95s. He dashed clear during the run home to land his heat win by a five length margin.
The interest factor in this heat was the track debut outing by the classy Group 1 winning chaser Pinny Mack for Steve Clark. The NZ Cup TAB Futures favourite didn’t disappoint when he briefly took over the race lead on the final turn, from where he kicked on for his second placing. He will have derived immense benefit from his stylish first up effort here.
Blazin’ Aubrey for Cole raced handy to the pace throughout, finishing just a length behind. Roberts also advanced Viktoria Vikkers from this heat as did the Fahey’s with Puzzle Tin. The Malcolm Grant trained sixth place getter Smash Calling becomes the semis second reserve.
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 2 place getters (from left): Dyna Dave; Pinny Mack; Blazin’ Aubrey (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 3
The current 29.59s Addington 520m track record holder Bago Bye Bye stylishly handled his first assignment in the higher grades with the Fahey’s preparing him to deliver the quickest of the NZ Cup heat times with his smart 29.94s gallop.
His kennelmate Mr. Matt also nicely handled his step up in class when he finished up a 5.5 length heat second. Steve and Bonnie Evans remain in this series after Goldstar Ashton kicked on solidly another 2.25 lengths astern. Malaga Molly will also be returning for her conditioner Jon McInerney, after her heat fourth placing. She had used her known early pace from trap five to set the initial pace. Matt Roberts will be lining up Cawbourne Krusty on Wednesday evening after her fifth placing.
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 3 place getters (from left): Bago Bye Bye; Mr. Matt; Goldstar Ashton (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 4
Traditionally there’s always a blow out during the NZ Cup round of heats. That blow out came in this heat when Daniel Roberts prepared Barge Bale to deliver his 520m 30.20s heat win, paying $30.20 on the win tote. It was a strong effort which came from the tricky five trap draw.
The current NZ Cup title holder Nature’s Gent remains in contention, despite a tardy start, after he was sighted finishing stoutly to claim second 1.75 lengths further adrift for Angela Turnwald. Blazin’ Carter set up the early pace and the Cole trained chaser only yielded late when winding up a head back in third.
Gary Cleeve has a contender remaining in the series thanks to Classy Witch’s determined finish for her fourth placing. Egomaniacal whacked away solidly for his fifth placing for the Fahey’s while his former kennelmate Panel Beater, who is now prepared by the Evan’s, wound up in the sixth possie' and he takes his place in the semis by being one of the fastest of the two heat sixth placed finishers.
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 4 place getters (from left): Barge Bale; Nature’s Gent; Blazin’ Carter (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 5
Dirk Bale was expected to prevail in the final heat for Roberts and he duly did so courtesy of his easy pace making 30.12s heat win. He held a comfortable 6.5 length margin over the gallant Marcie Flipp trained Idol Tom who produced his usual stout finish for his second placing.
Another promising chaser from the Fahey kennels continues on in the series with Carltonian being the next home just half a length back, while holding a three quarter length advantage over his kennelmate Opawa Rooster who was the next to arrive. Mark Robinson will be loading away his heat fifth place finisher David’s Legacy into the 520m traps next Wednesday. Don’t Knocka Gee was the third fastest sixth place heat finisher and she now becomes the first reserve for the semi finals for Cole.
2018 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup heat 5 place getters (from left): Dirk Bale; Idol Tom; Carltonian (pics Dave Robbie)
By Peter Fenemor
