On Friday evening, at the Hatrick Raceway, the staying canine athletes kick off an intensive three month period where a number of Group race titles will be decided over the longer race distances. They have some fairly large assignments in front of them which naturally includes races like the Group 1 $100,000 Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar (779) and the $30,000 NZ Stayers Cup (732m), along with a couple of Group 2 features interspersed amongst them. Firstly they’ll negotiate the Group 1 $30,000 Wanganui Distance.

Pictured: Dusty Gambler, last year’s Wanganui Distance winner

Friday’s Wanganui Distance 755m feature looms as a potential two-dog battle, well at least on paper. We’re referring to the classy pair of stayers Perfect Result and Dyna Weslyn here.

Perfect Result ($4.20 – TAB Final Field) will be making his Hatrick track race debut from the five trap for his master trainer Ray Adcock. He’s just the type of greyhound who can feature first up on any track. He’s right in the zone for this event as seen by his latest potent staying results.

Two races ago he utterly demolished his NZRS Distance rivals at the Addington Raceway over 732m by a 7.25 length margin. He then ventured south to Ascot Park where he was again ruthless when he stylishly took out his 630m assignment, this time with four lengths to spare.

On the other paw the Craig Roberts prepared Dyna Weslyn ($1.90) has recently resumed racing following a seasonal spell. She is class, all class as you don’t easily win 725m races on the Melbourne based The Meadows track unless you own exceptional staying ability. This girl achieved that feat twice before returning home for her spell.

Her late January return to racing yielded her with some 520m placings, plus an Addington 645m second behind her proven kennelmate Avenger Bale. Then two Friday’s ago she fronted up at Hatrick to finish solidly for her 37.80s 645m win. She has drawn nicely in trap two here.

Okay, what about the other contenders? Roberts’ son Matt has Cawbourne Taylor ($4) engaged in this event. This girl isn’t known for her early pace, however she does own a power packed finish. She has placed in two of her three 755m assignments at this venue and she is poised to add to that from the one trap here after chasing home Dyna Weslyn 2.5 lengths behind her in that recent 645m race.

  
Wanganui Distance contenders includes (from left): Perfect Result; Dyna Weslyn; Cawbourne Taylor

The Gary and Sandra Fredrickson trained Iris Allen ($51) has been over the 755m trip here twice before – in a heat and final of the Group 2 Wanganui Stayers. She was a bold heat second then (behind race rival here Mija Sydney) and she followed that up with her gallant third placing in the final. She arrives into this final, where she will carry the green racing vest, following her luckless last start, traffic impeded 645m outing that was won by Dyna Weslyn.

There’s no question that the trainer of the moment is the Foxton based conditioner Angela Turnwald. She has prepared the winner of the last five Group 1 races that she has lined up contenders in. Another omen pointing towards Friday’s Group 1 feature is the super record she is compiling in Group 1 races with greyhounds who have carried the blue racing vest.

Mija Sydney ($12) will carry that rug in this event. Now, he is a proven stayer, despite his rather dented looking form line he brings into this event. He has been sparingly raced lately having been sighted in January and early February 645m races here. He has been a 45.22s winner over this 755m distance. In all likelihood his race is likely to be decided by what sort of an early racing passage he receives here.

Kennelmate Cawbourne Palmer ($51) will hop away from the eight trap here. He gamely stuck to his task when he grinded out his last start four length 645m fourth behind Dyna Weslyn. The unknown factor about him is this race being his first attempt over an extreme racing distance. All of his staying races has been contested over either the 645m or 660m distances. Both of his staying wins came over 645m at this venue.

Another Turnwald prepared contender here is the first reserve Hot Platter ($9). She has attempted just the one staying event where she was sighted finishing strongly over 645m here six races ago. She appeals as a potential stayer for the future, however at this stage she looks better placed in the race 3 645m event on Friday’s race card.

The balance of the field is provided from Canterbury kennels. Goldstar Sydney ($31) is having her first taste at the longer trip here for her trainers Steve and Bonnie Evans. She is travelling north following a strong finishing Addington 645m win six races ago, then two races back she produced a handy 645m second at the same venue.

  
Wanganui Distance contenders includes (from left): Iris Allen; Mija Sydney; Goldstar Sydney

Gary Cleeve has always had a handy stayer or three lurking around in his kennels. He has accepted with two stayers here who it would be fair to say have bright looking future staying careers in front of them. For example Know Pudding ($9) was real bold when he was sighted putting in some big late bounds for his four length Ascot Park 630m second behind the proven Perfect Result when he made his staying debut. He has placed in all four of his races from trap seven and he’ll be sighted with the black vest on here.

Cleeve also provides the second reserve with his litter sister Know Anxiety ($18) who has had two unplaced career staying races. The first of them was a real cracker and that was when this Maiden graded greyhound was sighted putting in some huge late bounds for her recent Addington NZRS Distance 732m fourth placing (won by Perfect Result).

By Peter Fenemor