There’s a strong support card to the two Group race features at the Hatrick Raceway on Friday evening. Included on the card is the straight final for the New Zealand bred stayers in the $12,000 NZRS Distance decider over the extreme 755m trip (race 11).
Pictured: Cristiane Cyborg who will contest Friday’s $12,000 NZRS Distance final
It has attracted a competitive looking field with staying greyhounds representing all three racing regions lining up.
Cristiane Cyborg travels south from the northern based Hayley Mullane kennels for the second Friday in a row. Last week this daughter of Bekim Bale and Nina’s Girl settled back in the field where she remained throughout during her outing over the unsuitable 520m (for her) distance. What was noticeable was the way she was putting in the huge late bounds just prior to the finish which indicated the step up to 755m racing is exactly what she needs now.
She was the third placed finisher in the last edition of the Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar (779m) and just prior to that Cristiane Cyborg ran second to the smart stayer Dusty Gambler in the Group 1 Wanganui Distance final over 755m here.
There are two contenders from the local Central Districts kennels with Bigtime Lonestar being one of them lining up here for Foxton trainers Gary and Sandra Fredrickson. This daughter of Blue Lorian and Lost In Light comes into this event on the back of seven straight Manawatu 660m races, placing in just one of them. She did finish a 5.5 length third in a previous NZRS Distance final over 755m at this venue.
Marcie Flipp will be represented by greyhounds in both of the Group race finals and she’ll will be parading Opawa Plum, who is a member of the March 2015 whelped litter of Barcia Bale and Opawa Secret, to the 755m traps for this feature. She’s fronting up for this event following her recent strong finishing C1 520m efforts. She’s has had one previous 755m attempt here which saw her racing in the midfield throughout.
All of the other contenders are prepared from Canterbury kennels which includes two contenders trained by Dave and Jean Fahey. Translator is a proven, hardened stayer, however the draw frustrations experienced by her connections in feature staying races continues in this event with this noted railing daughter of Bekim Bale and Delusionist drawing out in trap seven.
She demonstrated her staying talents when she led an Addington 645m field all the way, clocking 37.80s last Friday. Translator has contested six previous 755m races here, placing in three of them. One of those came in the April hosted NZRS Distance final back in April when she ran second. She has taken on the nation’s leading stayers over the extreme distances for a long time now.
Friday NZRS Distance contenders includes (from left): Opawa Plum; Translator; Classy Witch
Her kennelmate Opawa Abbie Joy raced in the same Friday event won by Translator where this daughter of Velocette and Opawa Peekay was denied early racing room when held in traffic during the early rush for positions. Her previous 755m assignments here saw her finishing fourth in her Wanganui Distance heat and unplaced in the Group 1 final.
Gary Cleeve is trekking north with a pair of stayers. Know Potential absolutely stormed home late when this son of Bekim Bale and Know Revenge rocketed into a half length second in the NZ Cup night I Pave Concrete Sockburn Cup feature 732m event. He then went onto to finish 6.75 lengths behind Translator on Friday afternoon over 645m. This fella will be making his Hatrick track debut outing here.
Classy Witch, who won an Otago hosted $7,500 NZRS Novice 545m final in January, has been hinting that the staying ranks is likely to be her future racing forte. Cleeve has recently stepped her up in race distance in her last two races which has seen this daughter of Know Class and Know Which snatching her first Addington 645m win (38.53s) in the very last stride and then she produced a 3.5 length second to Translator last Friday. A bold, competitive first race over 755m here certainly wouldn’t surprise.
Robin Wales is sending Opawa Racer north and this daughter of Winsome Opawa and Opawa Andrea will be sighted wearing the red racing vest in it. She owns sound inside trap form and she returns here following her solid last start 3.6 length Manawatu 660m third placing. She didn’t feature in her only previous 755m race here, which was also in the April NZRS Distance final.
The only reserve here is the Maiden graded stayer Go Belle also for Wales. This daughter of Dyna Lachlan and Opawa Andrea has had 19 previous staying races for seven minor placings. Her only outing over a longer distance saw her finishing fourth in an Addington 732m event won by Translator.
Pawnote: It is a real strong set of four races that the Wanganui GRC has carded for the late TAB Quaddie. It commences on the Dash For Cash final (race 9), followed by the Spion Rose final (race 10), then it’s the NZRS Distance final and it all wraps up with a rather competitive looking 645m field.
By Peter Fenemor
