It’s all about Kiwi bred racing in the Central Districts on either side of the weekend. First up at Hatrick the lower graded greyhounds will contest their $7,500 NZRS Novice final over 520m on Friday evening. The action moves across to the Manawatu Raceway on Monday afternoon where the intermediate graded chasers line up in their 457m, $8,500 NZRS Graduation final.
Pictured: The exciting young chasing prospect Amorini who was the quickest NZRS Novice Hatrick 520m heat winner pictured here after his top back up Manukau 527m Sunday win.
$7,500 NZRS Novice 520m Final – Hatrick Raceway, Friday (race 5)
It was cut throat heat chasing action at the Hatrick Raceway a couple of Wednesdays ago where seven 520m heats, containing numerous promising greyhounds, decided the final field for this feature final. Obviously the seven heat winners will be joined by the quickest second place heat finisher for the decider.
It was the Ben Craik prepared Amorini who returned the quickest heat time when he cruised through his assignment in a smart 30.32s. It was a stylish effort by this member of the talented looking Barcia Bale – Katcha Fire litter. He then flanked that form when he produced an outstanding Manukau 30.60s C1 527m win with his time being the meeting best 527m clock. He is seeking secure his fifth career win from the three trap here.
Melisa Olden has her charge Cossie Cooper ticking over very nicely at the moment. This son of Fast Archer and Opawa Cookie seized the early race lead from trap four in his heat and he was never headed when he dashed to his 30.37s win. He shifts out to trap eight on Friday from where he has been a winner from before.
Lisa Cole is returning with two heat winners, plus she also provides the second reserve. Bigtime Leads has made a bright start to her racing career having won five of her seven races (two placings) including her pace making 30.61s win which was her first taste of 520m racing. She landed her heat win by a 2.5 length margin. Early pace is an asset that this daughter of Barcia Bale and Night Pearl owns and she displayed that when she delivered her effortless Monday 23.65s win by six lengths over the Manawatu 410m dash. She will be wearing the blue racing vest on Friday.
Jumping from the adjacent five trap will be her kennel mate Bigtime Kiss. She also owns a fair amount of early pace which she must use when this daughter of Fabregas and Kissing Gwyneth exits from the five here. She bravely held on for her narrow head heat win when clocking 30.71s. She then headed off to the Manawatu Raceway on Monday, where after setting the pace, she yielded during the run home to another kennel mate and the second reserve here Bigtime Rod by 3.25 lengths.
Friday’s Hatrick NZRS Novice contenders includes from left: Cookie Biscuit; Bigtime Kiss; Opawa Plum
Second reserve Bigtime Rod made a mistake at the start in his heat which left him having to chase after the freewheeling Amorini, which was a difficult task when considering the time the pacemaker was cutting out. This son of Bekim Bale and Mammy Brown did a great job when closing to within 5.5 lengths of Amorini at the judge. He then finished strongly when claiming his 26.31s Monday 457m win.
Foxton trainer Marcie Flipp is churning out a steady stream of current winners and she will be represented by three finalists here with all three of them owned and bred by the Opawa Racing team. Cookie Biscuit also undertook a pace making role when this son of Swift Fancy and Opawa Cookie returned 30.65s when claiming his first 520m win here after jumping from trap eight. He moves in one trap for this decider.
Go Ring produced a resolute finish when he secured his 30.71s heat win after having settled just in behind the pace makers. It was making a better start than usual that saw this son of Dyna Lachlan and Opawa Andrea being rewarded with his place in this field. A similar start from trap two by him is required in this event.
Completing the Flipp prepared trio of contenders is Opawa Plum who earned her place in this field by being the fastest second place finishers when she wound up three lengths astern of Cossie Cooper. This daughter of Barcia Bale and Opawa Secret is renowned for her strong finishing efforts. Drawing the ace trap here can assist her especially as her form from that trap is rather sound looking.
Completing the drawn field is the Wendy Kite prepared Stormy Jay who dictated the pace to her heat rivals when she led them throughout for her 30.61s win. She has been competitive over the 520m trip on her home track. A quick start is required from trap six by this daughter of Magic Sprite and One Broke Girl.
The Bill Hodgson prepared Midnight Molly was a late scratching from her Wednesday C1 520m assignment when a wart was discovered on a paw. This daughter of Speed Legend and Molly Darling wasn’t given a race stand down. She had gamely led the chase after the pace setting Stormy Jay for her length heat second to her.
Dams with contenders representing them in Friday’s NZRS Novice final includes (from left): Katcha Fire; Kissing Gwyneth; Opawa Cookie
$8,500 NZRS Graduation 457m Final – Manawatu Raceway, Monday (race 5, meeting 9)
It required just two 457m heats to establish the finalists for Monday’s $8,500 NZRS Graduation final at the Manawatu Raceway (race 5, meeting 9). It’s no surprise that the powerful locally based Lisa Cole kennels provides five finalists, along with the first reserve.
However it was the visiting Steve and Bonnie Evans trained Kia Tere who took out the heat time honours when this son of Velocette and Opawa Peekay completed his 457m assignment in 26.24s. He made it back to back wins from trap eight when he extended strongly during the run home. He holds repeat claims from the three trap on this occasion.
Bigtime Talker provided Cole with the other heat win when she recorded 26.51s for her effort. This daughter of Cosmic Rumble and Allegro Star slipped around the outer after also hopping away from the eight trap. She will be loaded away in to trap two on Monday after she completes her Friday race 6 Hatrick 520m assignment.
Bigtime Doug, who is a litter brother to Bigtime Talker, set up the initial pace, then he was rundown over the concluding stages by Kia Tere when he wound up a length behind him. He had dropped significantly back in class for this event as his prior outing was in a C4/5 457m race. He also has a Hatrick Friday evening assignment where he will contest the last race C3 305m sprint. He will return here to be loaded away into trap eight.
Manawatu Monday NZRS Graduation contenders includes Kia Tere (left) and Bigtime Doug
Running third in his heat 0.6 of a length behind Bigtime Talker was her kennelmate Bigtime Liam. He hopped onto the early pace from trap seven and on Monday this son of Magic Sprite and Hello Ello will be sighted wearing the blue racing vest. Prior to that he is required to contest the Hatrick race 3 C3 520m event on Friday.
The Cole kennels provided both of the heat fourth place getters with Bigtime Mike 2.85 lengths astern of Bigtime Talker after he had got himself tangled up in early traffic in his heat. This son of Barcia Bale and Eruza can contemplate jumping from the five trap here after having been given Friday evening off.
Bigtime Kate was brave when clinging onto a qualifying position when, after placing herself handy to the early pace, she was hindered therefore the seven length fourth that this daughter of Magic Sprite and Sweet Rubyjane produced contained merit. She will exit from trap six here which is the same trap she’ll jump away from when she matches her paws against Bigtime Liam on Friday evening.
Bigtime Acacia is the first reserve for Cole. This daughter of Mildean Panther and Lost In Light was impeded during the early rush for positions which saw her being held in the midfield pack throughout resulting in her heat fifth placing.
Keeping on with the ‘Bigtime’ naming prefix here is the Gary and Sandra Fredrickson prepared Bigtime Chris who was sighted finishing solidly for his half length heat second to Bigtime Talker. That was a strong effort from this litter brother to Bigtime Acacia. He will be wearing the black racing vest for the first time in his career on Monday.
Completing the drawn field and receiving the draw advantage via trap one is the Marcie Flipp trained Our Tyson. He kicked on stoutly when this son of Spring Gun and Opawa Gem pressed on for his 5.5 length heat third to Kia Tere.
Occupying the second possie on the reserves bench is Tuff Knight from the Bernie Mitchell kennels. This son of Oaks Road and Tuff Diamond didn’t receive any racing favours in his heat when he was forced wide when racing into the turn. He kicked back for his heat fifth place finish.
By Peter Fenemor
