High class, quality, sublime chasing action – that’s the apt description of the 12-race card at Friday’s enthralling premier meeting at Manawatu Raceway.
Outstanding performances, from the first race to the last race, by numerous classy greyhounds were witnessed throughout the twilight meeting.
TheLisa Cole-prepared Federal Infrared produced a knock-out blow to her rivals when she convincingly won the $30,000 Great Mates Rehoming Programme Feature Final.
She blasted away from the two-trap, leaving an outstanding field of chasers struggling in her slip-stream. The early damage she did to her rivals is measured by her sharp 8.97 first sectional.
The daughter of Aussie Infrared and Flo Jo Focus completed her 457m assignment in a slippery 25.35, just 0.10 of a second outside of Federal Morgan’s Manawatu 457m track record. She advanced her career record to an impressive 20 wins from 27 race starts, collecting a tidy $120,452 along the way.
The minor placegetters both bombed the start, settling in the rear. Both Mustang Charlie and Opawa Superstar improved sharply along the rail, with Mustang Charlie finishing solidly to provide the Cole kennel with the feature race quinella. Opawa Superstar arrived home a further three-quarters of length behind for his third placing.
“Federal Infrared was super – they were never going to pick her up. When she highballs it to the front, she is extremely hard to catch.
“Mustang Charlie was massive after blowing the start. Yes, we’re happy with the result – long may it continue,” expressed Brendon Cole.
$20,000 Nightrave Greyhound Adoption Distance Final
It was game, set and match for Thrilling Rogue, when the field of stayers reached the first turn during their 720m assignment. The Karen Walsh-trained stayer had seized a race lead that he was never going to relinquish.
It was a freewheeling gallop by the son of Magic Sprite and Corinth Bale, who was never seriously challenged as can be seen by his 4.25 length winning margin which he built during his 41.64 chase.
A lack of early pace saw the warm race favourite Know Keeper settling back in traffic, while his kennelmate Know Attempt took up a more forward early position. The litter brothers weren’t able to close in on the tear-away pacemaker, with Know Account fending off the solid late challenge lodged by Know Keeper by a length.
“I’m absolutely rapt with him. Rogue looked like he was a lot stronger and he was on a mission. I thought going into the home turn Know Account was close enough to challenge him, however he seemed to come to the end of it, then I realised that Know Keeper wasn’t within striking distance,” advised Walsh.
Thrilling Rogue has been on a recent feature race winning spree for his owner Gary Harding, having won the equivalent 720m feature race here in October, then going on for his potent Group 1 NZ Stayers Cup victory over 732m at Addington last month.
When asked if the Tirau team would consider racing Thrilling Rogue in Australia, Walsh responded with, “Not sure; yes, we would like to, but things are busy around here at the moment. Then the new quarantine regulations make a trip like that very much harder.
“At this stage, we’ll stick to home and aim him towards the Nancy Cobain (Group 2, 720m, December 21). Hopefully that race will get off the ground, as stayers like Rogue need consistent racing. Following that, there’s a feature Cambridge 747m programmed (January 12).”
Thrilling Rogue’s solid form now sees his career earnings standing at $84,633, the result of 13 wins and 11 minor placings from his 39 raceday appearances.
Typhoon Tim stamped his authority over his short-course rivals, when the Lisa Cole-prepared sprinter seized the early race lead in this 375m feature sprint. It was an early lead he was never going to hand-up, as confirmed by his two-length, 21.17 win.
It was another feature race quinella for the Cole kennels, as his consistent kennelmate Big Time Prada gamely chased him home. Ritza Alert placed himself handy to the pace and he kicked on stoutly to claim third for his conditioners Gary and Sandra Fredrickson.
Typhoon Tim never looked in doubt in the $15,000 Greyhounds As Pets Feature Final. Photo credit: Jack McKenzie.
“That was a massive effort by Tim – it makes up for the bad luck he endured in Christchurch. He’s awfully hard to cut back when he hums along like that. Big Time Prada continues to deliver top-class sprints – she’s a super good bitch,” stated Brendon Cole who was satisfied with the six winners and multiple placings that the nation’s leading kennel claimed during the premier meeting, saying, “We are ecstatic – the girls (Ella Cole and Claire Harding) are really pumped up. It was a big day with the best of the best racing.”
As mentioned above, the support card to the feature events produced volumes of outstanding performances, especially from a number of exciting young greyhounds. Here’s a wrap on those low-flying efforts.
The meeting kick-started with an exceptional chase by the talented Dave and Jean Fahey-mentored hot-favourite Gitan, who dictated terms to her rivals when claiming her effortless 37.83 650m win.
Tony Hart is preparing a team of exciting young greyhounds from his Dunsandel kennels, including the exceptional Postman Pat. The son of Hooked On Scotch and Birdie Tee was outlandish in the extraordinary way he rocketed to his sizzling 25.34, C4 457m victory and in doing so, secured his open-class chasing strides after just nine career races (seven wins).
Kennelmate Big Daddy (Fernando Bale – Rosa Tee) also didn’t waste any time, when he cut out his C3 457m assignment and in doing so made it seven wins from just eight races.
Space Boy is also an excitement-plus youngster from the impressive SH Avatar and All About Space litter, who landed his fourth win from as many races when winning his C2 457m event in 25.93.
“This litter are very, very fast dogs who are as strong as oxes and have extreme pace,” said Brendon Cole, who wrapped up the card with 375m wins by Big Time Sonic (C3, 21.48) and Big Time Katy (C4, 21.27). Earlier the kennel produced Big Time Taniwha for her bold fresh-up 21.56 C2 375m win.
And the phenomenal winning strike-rate that Jamie Pruden and Sophie Whittaker continued when Thrilling Hallie defeated a quality field of open class greyhounds. She made it eight straight wins for the partners when she scampered to her easy 25.75 457m win.
The recent Springston Hotel Galaxy Sprint winner Opawa Ryder was super strong, when after bombing the start from trap-eight, he powered around the outer to nail his 21.35 C5 375m win for his conditioners Dave and Jean Fahey.
