It sure was competitive short course sprinting at the Addington Raceway on Friday afternoon where eight 295m heats for the 2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint sorted out the speed merchants who will move forward into Wednesday’s semi final rounds of four races. From there the eight greyhounds required for the November 15 $30,000 Group 1 final will be decided.
Pictured: Sheza Rippa as captured by Dave Robbie delivering the quickest of the Galaxy Sprint heat wins
Here’s a wrap up from those heats:
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint, heat 1
It was the visiting Idol Nifty who led his heat rivals all the way after the Marcie Flipp trained sprinter hopped away nicely from trap one. He completed his 295m dash in a handy 17.17s. Jumping away with him was the Jason Dunn prepared Pita Ramos and she pushed on solidly for her 3.25 length heat second.
Racing handy to the pace throughout was Sergess for John McInerney and she remains in this series via her finishing another two lengths back in third. Shady Banjo was the next to arrive for Calum Weir.
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint heat 1 place getters (from left): Idol Nifty, Pita Ramos, Sergess (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint, heat 2
Calum Weir mentored Swimming Goat to victory in the last two Galaxy Sprint editions. He will be returning on Wednesday with Sunlit Johnny who stepped away smartly from trap two to lead his rivals throughout for his 17.16s heat win. Fired Up Jasper came across from trap eight to chase the pacemaker which saw this Bruce Dann trainer sprinter claiming his second placing.
Ohoka Clare tracked the pace setters all the way and Lisa Waretini will return with her after she delivered her heat third placing another 3.5 lengths further behind. Pressing on stoutly for her heat fourth was the John McInerney prepared Debbie Baxter.
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint heat 2 place getters (from left): Sunlit Johnny; Fired Up Jasper; Ohoka Clare (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint, heat 3
Sheza Rippa sure is a ripper of a sprinter for Dave and Jean Fahey and she cruised to her effortless heat win a slick 17.05s. The hot $1.20 favourite never gave her army of supporters any concerns whatsoever as her 4.75 length winning margin suggests.
Hatfield broke nicely from the three trap for Lisa Waretini and he maintained a solid sprint throughout being rewarded with his heat second. He held a 2.5 length advantage over the Ashley Bradshaw third place Flower Bomb who in turn shaded Elodea from the Rosemary Blackburn kennels by a head margin.
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint heat 3 place getters (from left): Sheza Rippa; Hatfield; Flower Bomb (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint, heat 4
Using strong railing tactics saw the John McInerney trained Think Tank prevailing in 17.40s in this heat. It was a heady effort from this sprinter. He led home Special Affair who provides Jason Dunn with his second semi finalist by a half length margin.
Hilton Hangover had led the field out from trap one, however she diverted out wide on the turn, allowing the first two place getters to slip through underneath her. She kicked back strongly to nail her third placing for Ashley Bradshaw another 1.25 lengths back. Leading the balance of the field in when finishing fourth was the Cawbourne Britty for Craig Roberts.
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint heat 4 place getters (from left): Think Tank; Special Affair; Hilton Hangover (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint, heat 5
There was a wall of sprinters who all jumped together in this heat which ultimately saw Dizzy Banjo punching forward into clear racing air after he jumped from trap five. He maintained his heat lead for Calum Weir and he was rewarded with his 17.27s heat win.
Holding down the rail for Craig Roberts was Oskitz and he pressed on solidly for his heat second a length behind, while he held the same margin over the third placed Fiery Affair who provided Jason Dunn with his third semi finalist. Tucked in just behind them was Idol Hot for Marcie Flipp.
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint heat 5 place getters (from left): Dizzy Banjo; Oskitz; Fiery Affair (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint, heat 6
Opawa Jumper is in a solid current patch of winning form and his trainer Robin Wales maintained that form line by producing him to win this heat in 17.19s. He was handily placed on the turn from where he used his strength to claim his heat win.
Botany Cold made his usual slick start for John McInerney and his on the pace racing tactics saw him being rewarded with his second placing 4.75 lengths astern. The race favourite was the Craig Roberts prepared Nelso Allen who found himself tangled up in early traffic. He finished resolutely once he was in the clear to secure his third placing 1.5 lengths behind. Lord Louie kicked on soundly for Ray Adcock to arrive home in fourth place.
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint heat 6 place getters (from left): Opawa Jumper; Botany Cold; Nelso Allen (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint, heat 7
This sure was a keenly contested heat with a number of sprinters sighted contesting the pace here. At the business end it was the Rosemary Blackburn trained Treville who put in the telling late bounds to take out the heat in 17.37s.
Platinum Marshall had secured the race lead when turning in for the run home for Craig Roberts however he yielded by a half length margin. He held the same margin over a gallant Steve and Bonnie Evans trained Goldstar Jay Jay who delivered the race of her career to nail her third placing. Another 1.5 length back saw Ohoka Alex for Ray Adcock nosing out Nozzno Fear from the Ashley Bradshaw kennels for the fourth placing.
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint heat 7 place getters (from left): Treville; Platinum Marshall; Goldstar Jay Jay (pics Dave Robbie)
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint, heat 8
It was a stylish finish to the Galaxy Sprints heats for local conditioner Rosemary Blackburn as she produced the strong finishing Danziger to make it back to back heat wins when he landed the last heat in a handy 17.11s by a comfortable 2.5 length margin.
It had been the Ashley Bradshaw trained Loco Lola who led the field out and she gamely held onto her second placing fending off the Calum Weir prepared Custom Paint by a half a length margin. Know Approval finished solidly for his fourth placing for Gary Cleeve.
2018 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint heat 8 place getters (from left): Danziger; Loco Lola; Custom Paint (pics Dave Robbie)
By Peter Fenemor
