It’s all about quality Kiwi bred greyhounds racing at the Cambridge Raceway this Thursday afternoon where two intriguing looking $12,000 New Zealand Racing Series finals will be contested. First up is the NZRS Distance final (race 9) over the demanding 747m trip and that event is followed by the NZRS Advanced final (race 11) which will be decided over 457m.
Pictured: Stefano who is a strong winning prospect in Thursday’s Cambridge hosted NZRS Advanced final
Local conditioner Arch Lawrence is enjoying a fair amount of success with his latest Fast Archer – Trillise litter members. Included is the very promising chaser Stefano who has really stamped his authority over his recent Cambridge 457m rivals. Five straight 457m wins with the latest coming in a swift 25.57s last Thursday certainly confirms that. He will be sighted racing in the black vest on Thursday.
The powerful Karen Walsh kennels is represented by three contenders while she also provides the second reserve. Thrilling Amigo requires no introduction here being the current Cambridge 457m track record holder with his slippery 24.96s clock. He is returning to his home track following his Monday 457m 1.5 length Manawatu Cup heat second placing. This strong son of Fabregas and Thrilling Quest will race from the three trap here.
Jumping on his immediate inside will be his litter brother Thrilling Uma. This owner of a best 25.79s winning 457m time has been quietly taken along by his astute conditioner with this event being his 16th race day outing. He endured a traffic impeded 457m race last Thursday when he struck traffic problems heading into the big sweeping bend. He will load away into trap two on Thursday.
Thrilling Jo is also returning from her Monday Manawatu Cup 457m heat race where she suffered from a hindered racing passage. This daughter of Fabregas and Thrilling Ella will be sighted racing from the eight trap here. She hasn’t received any racing favours in her three races since she resumed from a spell. It was in her tidy May 2 C3/4 25.53s win when she posted her quickest winning 457m time prior to going out for her spell.
Kennelmate Thrilling Carley is the second reserve and this daughter of Fabregas and Thrilling Ella will be resuming from a break if she gains a race start here. This owner of a best 25.83s 457m time was also luckless in her last start August 5 Manawatu 457m assignment.
Opawa Deal had his first look at the Cambridge circuit last Thursday for his trainers Dave and Jean Fahey. Making a moderate start from trap eight didn’t assist this son of Fernando Bale and Opawa Jay Jay and then he copped a check on the big, sweeping bend here. He is a likely improver following his distant fourth placing behind Stefano, although he hasn’t been provided with any favours after being allocated the tricky five trap to hop away from here.
Our Rick is more than capable of delivering strong 457m effort, even though he hasn’t drawn the best in trap six. This son of Cosmic Rumble and Opawa Patty is better suited to drawing handy to the rail. His trainer Emma Potts produced him to run a solid Sunday 2.75 length C4/5 527m third. He was bold when led all the way from the ace trap for his C4/5 30.53s Manukau 527m win three races ago.
Completing the drawn field are two chasers from the locally based Shirley Ross kennels. Athenais secures the draw advantage via the one trap for this event. This daughter of Fast Archer and Fleur Du Liys has had five previous attempts over 457m for three minor placings. She was jostled during the early rush in his C4/5 375m sprint last Thursday, losing all claims. Her kind draw here can aid her stake earning claims here.
Her kennel mate Typical was also the victim of an impeded racing passage in the same C4/5 375m dash last week. The challenge that this son of Dream Collector and Little Dreams faces in this event is trying to improve on his 457m race record. He hasn’t secured a podium position in any of his seven 457m races here. He will be loaded away into trap four here.
The first reserve is Jinja Might from the Jared Udy and Denise Cottam kennels. This daughter of Swift Fancy and Jinjawinga downgraded back to C4 after she lost all claims when copping a first turn check in her Sunday Manukau C4/5 527m race.
Thursday Cambridge NZRS Advanced contenders include (from left): Thrilling Amigo; Opawa Deal; Our Rick
NZRS Distance final
The Kiwi bred stayers are also seeking to deliver Breeders’ bonus payments to their respective breeders’ in the $12,000 NZRS Distance final over the testing 747m journey. The field features a number of Canterbury trained and former Canterbury trained stayers. All ten of the listed stayers for this feature commenced their racing careers in the province that now holds the Ranfurly Shield (at least until this weekend)!.
The recent New Zealand representative to Perth for the Aussie Nationals Distance final Opawa Hilary checked out the Cambridge track for the first time last Thursday. She got involved in some jostling going into the first turn and suffered from traffic issues. The Dave and Jean Fahey prepared stayer jumped from the seven trap then and she’ll do likewise in this final.
This daughter of Barcia Bale and Opawa Michelle prefers drawing closer to the rail. There’s no doubting her staying ability as seen by her strong recent Addington 732m assignments which includes her Group 2 Kingston Cup second over that trip two races ago.
Sticking with the Opawa Racing theme are the three stayers that Robin Wales is sending up north to contest this feature. Opawa Tab also checked out Cambridge for the first time last week when she contested the 650m event. She was sighted doing her best work over the later stages when she pressed on for her 6.75 length fourth. She is a proven stayer with a Group 1 732m third placing listed beside her name. She has been provided with the tricky five trap to race from here.
Opawa Plum certainly didn’t receive any racing favours when she made her Cambridge track debut in the same 650m event last Thursday. This daughter of Barcia Bale and Opawa Secret copped an early check from which she never recovered from. She raced from the three trap then and she is required to do likewise here.
Last Thursday’s 650m winner Dig Dig Dig has been scratched from this final and that lets the first reserve Opawa Silver into this race for Wales. This girl is enjoying a busy week as the daughter of Velocette and Miss Idol contested an Ascot Park C3 457m event on Tuesday where she delivered a sound 1.25 length second. She is still a C0D graded stayer who will be sighted racing from trap two here.
Now we take a look at the two Opawa Racing bred and owned Glennis Farrell northern region trained stayers. Go Angel will be sighted wearing the red racing vest here from where she has compiled a sound record from even though this daughter of Dyna Lachlan and Opawa Andrea tends to race away from the rail. She has been a consistent performer over the 650m distance at this venue and she finished fourth in her only 747m attempt which was also in an NZRS Distance final in January.
Kennelmate Amy Amy set up the pace in the same NZRS Distance 747m final and she was only gathered in right on the line when she went under by a half head margin. This daughter of Bekim Bale and Opawa Amy isn’t known for her early pace and she displays a preference to race out wider on the track. You can expect this girl to make her presence felt in this event after she exits from trap four here.
Goldstar Sydney is making the trek north for her conditioners Steve and Bonny Evans. It seems remarkable that this daughter of Know Peace and Noble Fantasy has won just the one staying race which was over the Addington 645m trip. She has been a consistent stayer as seen by the 11 distance minor placings she has secured. That includes her bold 6.5 length Addington Kingston Cup 732m Group 2 third placing two races ago.
Little Apple charged home at the business end of her C1 Sunday 527m race to snatch her strong win 31.55s. This Wayne and Tracey Steele trainer daughter of Bekim Bale and Ambilight is still a Maiden assessed stayer also finished solidly when she wound up a 3.5 length second behind race rival here Go Angel over 603m four races back. She will be wearing the green racing vest here
The second reserve Aleng is a litter sister to Little Apple who is prepared by Shardae Hunt for her breeder and co-owner Mark Lin. She is also a C0D graded stayer who suffered from a hindered racing passage in last Thursday’s 650m event.
Thursday Cambridge NZRS Distance contenders include (from left): Opawa Hillary; Amy Amy; Goldstar Sydney
By Peter Fenemor
