Sunday sees the running of the $16,000 New Zealand Sire’s Produce Stakes (race 11) at the Manukau Stadium which is a Group 2 527m event that recognises the New Zealand registered stud dogs. The Manawatu GRC has done a fantastic job in promoting New Zealand sires with race names at their Monday meetings throughout June featuring a number of the local sires that is available to be used by greyhound breeders in this country.
Yella Mustard is the current NZ Sire of the Year and the prolific producing dad is represented by three sons in Sunday’s event, plus also the first reserve. All four of those greyhounds were bred, are trained by Gary Cleeve who races them with his partner Gaylene Turnwald. “Crafty” has enjoyed considerable success in previous NZ Sires’ Produce Stakes editions having bred and mentored the winner of six winners of the race since 2008, plus in 2007 he bred the winner.
Know Betrayal was brought north to check out the northern venue three weeks ago and it turned into a stylish 30.70s C3 527m win for him. He has since endured a luckless Hatrick 520m NZ Breeders Stakes heat outing and from there a likewise hindered Addington C4/5 520m race. A competitive effort can be expected by him from trap four.
Know Refusal also contested the same Manukau 527m race where he was sighted charging home late for his 3.5 length third behind his kennelmate. He also went onto the NZ Breeders Stakes series, where he finished a close fourth in his 520m heat. From there it was back to Addington where he delivered a strong finishing 30.48s C3 520m win. He won’t object about being required to wear the pink racing vest on Sunday.
Know Threat checked out the Manukau Stadium back in February where he contested an Auckland Cup heat where he didn’t receive any racing favours. He resumed from a spell for the NZ Breeders’ Stakes heat which saw him finishing in the midfield. He also was a victim of an impeded racing passage in his last start Addington C4/5 520m assignment. He will be loaded away into trap five on Sunday.
Know Denying will be making his northern debut if he’s required in this event (he is drawn to contest the race 9 C3 527m event). He finished solidly for his last start Addington C3 520m third behind his kennelmate Know Refusal.
“All of our runners are all ready to go on Sunday, even if they aren’t blessed with good draws. Each of them had a nice midweek hit out and it’s just case of getting them north now. It’s a nice looking field which has some depth to it which is great to see with the New Zealand sires producing some quality greyhounds. I guess the best of our chances looks to be Know Refusal. Hopefully we can do it for the old boy (Yella Mustard),” advised Cleeve.
There are two open class greyhounds lining up on Sunday and the Lisa Cole prepared All About Space is one of them. This daughter of the multiple Group 1 winner Above All was an Auckland Cup finalist, while she also contested the recent NZ Breeders Stakes final. She then went onto deliver her freewheeling 26.28s Manawatu C5 Monday 457m win. She’s likely to relish hopping away from trap two on Sunday. Her 18181 form line heading into this feature is a rather interesting look.
“If she gets the start right, then yes she can lead the field all the way. She is a very capable greyhound at the top level. Everything is looking good with her for Sunday after her Monday win,” confirmed Brendon Cole.
Sunday NZ Sires’ Produce contenders includes (from left): Know Betrayal; Know Refusal; All About Space
Local trainer Glennis Farrell also provides two contenders, plus also the second reserve. Gao Gao is the other open graded chaser here and he is likely to be sighted going his best work at the business end of this event, just like his dad Dream Collector did when delivering his numerous race wins. Gao Gao has endured traffic impeded recent racing passages with his third in the Auckland Derby being a real eye catching effort. He will exit from trap seven on Sunday.
His kennelmate and litter brother Tianyu stylishly won that Auckland Derby final and he has been provided with the draw advantage via the one trap. He is also a strong chaser who has compiled tidy looking trap one stats.
“If Tianyu leads or his handy to the pace going into the first turn, then he’ll be awfully hard for the others to beat. It’s a pity that Gao Gao has drawn out wide, however both of them are very strong greyhounds. Both of them trialled nicely on Wednesday which has topped them off nicely for Sunday,” confirmed Geoff Farrell.
Farrell also confirmed that their kennel iron greyhound Ekali is ready to be rehomed after having recently been retired from his stellular racing career. It was remarkable innings for the veteran aged greyhound who completed his racing duties after enjoying 198 race day outings. He won 21 of those, was placed in another 77 races winning $57,843 in stakes. He was raced by his breeder Mark Lin, who also bred and races Gao Gao and Tianyu. “He was a wonderful greyhound to race – he was such an ultra consistent fella and he was a real pleasure to have in our kennels,” added Farrell about the five year plus old greyhound.
The recently retired iron greyhound Ekali
Opawa Magic is the Farrell prepared second reserve and she’ll be making her Manukau track debut for her new trainer is this girl sired by Dyna Vikkers gains a race start. She finished in the midfield in her last start NZ Breeders’ heat and she’ll also contest the race 9 C3 527m event if she isn’t required here.
Another son of Dyna Vikkers will contest this feature with Waiterimu Ripper being prepared by Ross and Lynne Udy. He will be checking out the 527m trip at this venue for the first time on Sunday. He has been up into the C5 sprinting ranks and is currently C4 graded. He has been the winner of two of his three Cambridge 457m races. He’ll be loaded away into trap six for this feature.
Buddy Bloke was a leading stayer during his career and he will be represented by Buddy Loaded in this event for his Wanganui based trainer Glenn Hodgson. This C3 graded chaser warmed up for this assignment when enduring a badly impeded racing passage in Wednesday’s Hatrick 645m staying event. He will be making his track debut from trap three on Sunday.
Sunday NZ Sires’ Produce contenders includes (from left): Tianyu; Waiterimu Ripper; Buddy Loaded
By Peter Fenemor
