It was a fleeting visit to the Manukau Stadium on Sunday afternoon for a couple of members from the owning Super Sid & Mangonui Hotel syndicate to watch their greyhound Cameo Syd hold on for his thrilling 527m win in Sunday’s feature Founders Day Stakes. Two races later Jinja Mongo stormed to his victory in the feature Founders Day Trophy over the 318m dash.

Pictured: Cameo Syd following his stylish victory in Sunday’s Founders Day Stakes

The Ben Craik prepared Cameo Syd drew ideally for his racing style out in the seven trap. The $3.10 race favourite immediately seized the early race lead which ultimately proved to be the winning tactic. Ramblin’ On from the Wayne and Tracey Steele kennels was going to be a major player in the race finish. However, as per normal, she was the last greyhound to enter the first turn.

Cameo Syd led the field going down the back straight. Looming up to apply pressure to him when rounding the final turn was the Jared Udy and Denise Cottam trained Jinja Might. Cameo Syd shrugged off that challenge when racing out wide during the run home.

Unleashing powerfully over the concluding stages was Ramblin’ On and her strong finish saw her coming up half a head short after judge Murray Larmer studied the race photo finish print. Sticking on gamely to claim the third placing just a further three quarters of a length behind was Jinja Might.

 

Manukau Founders Day Stakes winner Cameo Syd, handled by Tracey Craik, with some of his owing syndicate members Ray Waters (left), John Roberts and Sel Loader – the last two named then dashed straight to Auckland Airport to board an international flight; runner up Ramblin’ On; third place Jinja Might

Cameo Syd, who recently won the $12,000 NZRS Advanced final on this track, completed his 527m assignment in 30.52s. It was his eleventh career win and after adding in 15 minor placings sees the stake earnings won by this member of the talented Kilty land and Kiwi Girl litter now sitting at $35,628 from his 39 race day outings.

It was a hugely successful afternoon for the Craik family kennels with daughter Tracey attending the podium on four occasions, following the wins delivered by the Katcha Jordana syndicate owned promising Barcia Bale – Katcha Fire litter mates Amorini (30.48s, meet best 527m time), Heart Shaped Box (30.98s) and Your Valentine (2nd 318m).

Founders Day Trophy

It was very nearly a Founders Day feature race double for the Wayne and Tracey Steele training partnership when, after narrowly going under with Ramblin’ On, they produced Jinja Mongo to deliver a potent front running 18.38s 318m victory in the Founders Day Trophy sprint. The feature dash was all over as a contest the moment Jinja Mongo seized the race lead from the four trap as he is generally sighted finishing strongly after making moderate race starts.

Most of the favoured contenders tangled up when getting involved a fair amount of jostling, which allowed the wide drawn pair of sprinters Highland Laddie and Thrilling Katie to swoop around the outer to lead the chase after the pacemaker.

And that was how the field positions remained at the sharp end of this sprint for the remainder of the 318m dash. Jinja Mongo landed his win a personal best 18.38s time, while holding a 3.5 length margin over the Hayley Mullane prepared runner up Highland Laddie, while there was another length back to Thrilling Katie from the Emma Potts kennels in third place.

Jinja Mongo has been a consistent Manukau 318m open class sprinter since he transferred north into the Steele kennels after having commenced his racing career under the mentoring skills of Dave and Jean Fahey. This son of Fabregas and Jinja Ruby is still owned in Canterbury by the hugely successful Pave The Way syndicate. He has now won 12 races, placed in another 20 meaning his 46 race day start has yielded his owing syndicate $26,549 in career stake earnings.

  
Tracey Steele with Jinja Mongo following his Founders Day Trophy win; runner up Highland Laddie; third place Thrilling Katie

Big Time 410m Track Record to Basher

It was always likely that the Manawatu Raceway 410m track record was going to be lowered owing to the recent frequency of racing over the 410m sprint trip during the Palmerston North clubs’ trial period with all sprints being held over that dash.

Last Monday afternoon the Lisa Cole trained Bigtime Basher zipped through his 410m assignment in 23.17s and in doing so lowered the jointly held previous best 410m track time held by his kennelmates Bigtime Crackem and Bigtime Eve at 23.26s.

Bigtime Basher who is now the new Manawatu Raceway 410m track record holder after posting his swift 23.17s time

By Peter Fenemor