The 2018 calendar year finishes on a real high for the Southland GRC with two quality feature events highlighting their 15 race Friday card on the big, sweeping Ascot Park track. The open class Kiwi bred chasers will contest their $12,000 NZRS Advanced final over 457m, while a tidy field of stayers face their tough 732m assignment in the Jingle Bells Distance Final. 

Pictured: Eyrewell Turbo (red) boldly delivering his 26.20s NZRS Advanced heat win (pic Dave Robbie) 

It was the Heather Cairns prepared Eyrewell Turbo who produced the quickest of the three December 11 457m heat times. This son of Cosmic Chief and Boostin’ gamely fended off the late challenge thrown at him by Lord Louie (who has been withdrawn from the final) by a half head margin when landing his 26.20s heat win. He delivered his heat win from the one trap and he effectively used the same trap during his bold subsequent Addington 30.25s C3/4 520m win.

He’ll be wearing the blue racing vest in this decider, while his litter brother and kennelmate Eyrewell Martin sits on the reserves bench following his 5.25 length heat fourth behind Must Be Rusty. Take a look at him in the race 6 390m dash if he doesn’t get a race start here.

The Dave and Jean Fahey prepared Mr. Matt has enjoying a busy and so far successful holiday period. He completed his 457m heat assignment in 26.28s when racing on the pace throughout. This son of Fabregas and Opawa Born then trekked north to Cambridge where he also raced on the pace when delivering his bold 457m 25.94s Farmlands CopRice Waikato Classic heat win at Group 2 level. Expect a competitive effort from trap eight in this final before he returns north for his January 4 final.

His kennelmate Puzzle Tin also travelled to Cambridge where he endured a luckless Waikato Classic heat outing. He gamely chased after Must Be Rusty in his heat here when winding up 2.75 lengths astern of him. This son of Cosmic Rumble and Jinja Power has been allocated the two trap to step away from here.  

Must Be Rusty employed pace making tactics from the ace trap when he completed his heat outing in 26.34s for his conditioner John McInerney. He has no option but to adopt those same racing tactics when he jumps away from trap seven here. The week after his heat win this litter brother to race rival here Eyrewell Turbo produced a 18.77s Forbury Park C4/5 310m win.

 

        

Delivering their respective NZRS Advanced 457m heats wins was Mr. Matt (left) and Must Be Rusty, while a happy looking Bob Cairns is seen here with the quickest heat winner Eyrewell Turbo- pics supplied by Dave Robbie – drobbie91@gmail.com – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos

McInerney will also be returning here with Malaga Molly after she raced handy to the pace throughout when delivering her 2.25 length heat third behind Mr. Matt. The key to the stake earning claims that this daughter of Fernando Bale and Molly Paisley holds in this decider will hinge on her race start. She must jump straight onto the pace when she exits from trap three here.

Gary Cleeve will be loading away his contender Know Hassle into the one trap here He completed his heat assignment 1.75 lengths behind Mr. Matt when this son of Dyna Tron and Know Which produced his normal strong finish after jumping away from trap eight. A similar finish is expected here as he isn’t known for his early pace.

Completing the drawn field are a pair of chasers provided from the Steve and Bonnie Evans kennels. Kia Tere is a consistent greyhound who finished second in the November hosted NZRS Graduation final, also over 457m. This son of Velocette and Opawa Peekay finished solidly for his 3.6 length heat third to Eyrewell Turbo. A carbon copy of that effort followed back up at Addington where he again finished up as a 4.5 length 520m third to the same greyhound. His claims here will be decided on how he exits from the five trap.

Drawing on his immediate outer is Goldstar Ashton, who after a moderate heat start, kicked on stoutly when delivering his 3.25 length heat third to Must Be Rusty. He also contested the same Addington 520m event that was taken out by Eyrewell Turbo where son of Yella Mustard and Know Love Affair finished up 4.25 lengths further behind Kia Tere.

It is the local Southland secretary Bronwyn Eade who provides the first reserve here with Ketchikan Blue. This son of Cosmic Rumble and Molly Paisley was the quickest of the heat fourth place getters when he arrived home 5.1 lengths behind Eyrewell Turbo.    

Jingle Bells Distance Final. 

Highlighting the feature $5,100 Jingle Bells Distance Final is the return to Kiwi racing by the Craig Roberts prepared Dyna Weslyn. She has completed a recent Melbourne staying campaign which saw her stylishly wining two 725m races on The Meadows track. The Addington Group 2 732m winning stayer will resume from trap eight here.

Translator just keeps on boldly delivering in her staying assignments. She treks south after her conditioners Dave and Jean Fahey produced her to nail her thoroughly deserved NZRS Distance final victory over the Hatrick 755m trip earlier this month. At least on this occasion she draws closer to her preferred rails position in the three trap here.

Exiting from the ace trap will be the Ray Adcock trained proven stayer Perfect Result. Completely overlook his current form line as he has prevailed in seven of the nine previous races he’s when sighted wearing the red racing vest. He was the runner up to Dyna Weslyn in the Group 2 Kingston Cup over 732m.

It would appear that the balance of this field are at best likely to be racing for a minor portion of the stake. Dave’s Dot from the John McInerney kennels has proven to be a versatile chaser with her staying career highlight being her gutsy pace making Forbury Park 770m win five months ago, while the Robin Wales prepared Opawa Racer owns proven staying form.

 

        

 

Jingle Bells Distance Final contenders includes (from left): Dyna Weslyn seen here winning on The Meadows Melbourne based track; Translator with her co-trainer Dave Fahey and owner Mark Lin after her recent Hatrick NZRS Distance 755m win; Perfect Result delivering an Addington staying win (last pic Dave Robbie)