It’s shaping up as an enthralling Total Bodyshop Supplies North Island Challenge Stakes final at the Manawatu Raceway next Monday afternoon in what is looming as a classic lower North Island verses northern North Island trained paw wrestle. Four competitive 457m heats held last Monday ensures that the $28,000 final will be a keenly contested Group 2 event.
Pictured: Bigtime Levi won last year’s North Island Challenge Stakes final with his handler Shane Kendall and he’s returning to defend his title next Monday (pic, Sue - Palmerston North GRC)
The first of the heats saw last year’s North Island Challenge Stakes winner Bigtime Levi asserting his strength over the concluding stages to boldly book his return to defend his title when he prevailed in 26.23s for his conditioner Lisa Cole.
Northern trainer Peter Ferguson would have been delighted with the solid effort that his charge Thrilling Billy put in when he finished resolutely to claim his second placing 1.25 lengths astern him. Tucked right in behind him a neck back was the Cole prepared Bigtime Acacia.
It was a reversal of the same kennels in the second heat which saw the recent Ferguson trained City Of Palmerston North Golden Chase winner Robson gamely sticking to the rail and he was rewarded with his solid 25.99s heat win by a comfortable three length margin.
Bigtime Archie pressed on stoutly when claiming his second placing and with it his final field position. He cut back the gallant pace making Mark Goodier trained Fare Dodger back to third another 1.25 lengths behind.
In stepped the next northern trainer Karen Walsh and she produced the new Cambridge 457m track record holder Thrilling Amigo to unleash powerfully when he flew late to annex his strong 26.13s heat win by three quarters of a length.
It was a blanket finish as the Cole prepared Trojan Hoarse kicked on solidly after racing handy to the pace throughout and his second placing ensures that he’ll return to contest another Group race final. There was just a head back to his third placed pace making kennelmate Bigtime Cooper.
It was Walsh to the fore again in the final heat when she produced her classy chaser Thrilling Talk to stylishly take it out in a tidy 25.79s. Finishing solidly was Bigtime Rod and his length second ensures that he’ll return to contest the final also for Cole. There was a further two lengths back to his kennelmate Bigtime Brody who was the next to arrive home.
Therefore the Cole kennels will provide half of the final field (plus both reserves) and her squad will take on the northern four chasers from the Walsh and Ferguson kennels in what be a ripper of an inner region contest next Monday afternoon.
The decider will be a leg of the terminating $20,000 TAB Pick6 which will feature during all of the July Monday afternoon Palmerston North meetings. The same $20,000 Pick6 terminators will apply to all July Manukau Sunday meetings.
Total Bodyshop Supplies North Island Challenge Stakes heat winners were the northern trained greyhounds (from left): Robson with his trainer Peter Ferguson; Thrilling Amigo and Thrilling Talk with their conditioner Karen Walsh (pics, Sue - Palmerston North GRC)
By Peter Fenemor.
