First up is Jovita ($14 – TAB NZ Futures), who cops the tricky five-trap draw. The winner of six of her 12 career races brings in a handy 30.06 best 520m clock.
“It is a nice heat to be in, however we would have preferred her to draw out wide – she is going to have to jump and run. She has been working really good,” said Wyllie.
Holding the class edge in this heat via her open class assessment is the Malcolm Grant-prepared Diamond Neena ($7). Her qualifying claims have been enhanced by her trap-one allocation and she brings the field best 29.88 520m winning time into this heat.
The powerful Lisa Cole kennels commence another premier racing assault, with the promising stayer Big Time Epic ($14) making her track debut from the six-trap. She dropped back to 520m racing at Hatrick last week to deliver her C2/3 half-length second.
Ava Effort ($26) is a C4 graded chaser for local trainer Ashley Bradshaw and she will be sighted wearing the white racing vest in this heat.
Goldstar Rita ($16) is the first of the Riley Evans-trained heat contenders, who draws handily in the two-trap after some recent traffic impeded outings.
The second heat sees the Group 1 NZ Breeders Stakes 520m winner Mrs Chinn ($7) occupying the one-trap for the Faheys. Wyllie informs us on how she expects the holder of a smart 29.87 520m best time to perform.
“Stoked with her draw, as she definitely has the pace to lead them out. She is in great condition going into Friday – she has been working up a storm.”
Drawing alongside her kennelmate is the C2-graded Chance To Shine ($16). “She can be quick out and I would prefer to see her take a sit just in behind Mrs Chinn. She has been working solidly and she trialled nicely on Monday.
Big Time Blazer ($12) has quickly advanced through the grades for Cole, with her attaining open-class status. She has the ability to contest the pace and using that healthy tactic from the four-trap can see her returning for the decider.
Garry Cleeve will load away his charge Know Hurry ($31) into the outside trap, and she won her only previous task from Box 8.
“Her last two races have been very pleasing and I don’t mind the field that she’s racing against,” advised Cleeve.
Opawa Linda ($3) lines up in the third heat, and she warmed up this assignment when delivering her strong finishing 30.35 C4/5 520m win here last week. Her favouritism for this series is secured by her 10 wins from her 14 520m races at this venue, which includes her searing 29.64 best 520m gallop.
“She is our leading prospect. Her draw (2) is favourable – she just needs to come out quickly. She is super within herself and we are proud of what she has achieved so far.”
Kennelmate Tin Lizzy ($41) draws on her immediate outside, with Wyllie suggesting, “She is a hard dog to follow. She hasn’t had a lot of recent racing luck.”
Know Poise ($12) secures the draw advantage in this heat via the ace-trap, from where she won her only prior race. She is resuming from a six-month injury spell.
“We thought her career was over after metacarpal breaks. She is back to where we want her after a long recovery. Her trials have been very pleasing, with her inexperience being the concern we have about her,” explained Cleeve.
Inner Space ($21) is a Cole-prepared litter sister to the recent Auckland Cup winner Space Boy. She is provided with swooping claims from her trap-eight draw in her track debut appearance.
Goldstar Brooks ($21) represents the Evans kennels in this heat. She is a proven Addington 520m performer who will load away into the seven-trap as a C4 assessed greyhound.
The former long-time Christchurch GRC Secretary and GRNZ President Gordon Kingston is remembered by the annual running of the $20,000 Kingston Cup for the stayers over 732m at Group 2 level.
Two heats (Races 12 and 13) for the stayers ensure the strong tradition of this race will be maintained.
Garry Cleeve has accepted with a pair of his homebred stayers in both heats, with Know Account lining up in the first heat. “He is very well and I expect him to qualify for the final,” said Cleeve.
Kennelmate Know Valour is having his first taste of 732m racing after delivering competitive 645m efforts. “He has been racing really good over 645m and with the Silver Collar (779m) being only five weeks away, we thought we’d use this series as a measuring stick,” suggested Cleeve.
Centurion represents the Fahey kennels in this series, with Katie Wyllie advising us, “His draw (8) certainly isn’t ideal for him. He tends to wait for gaps to get down to the rail, although in saying that, he has previously jumped and run from out wide. He’s super going into his heat.”
The stayer they all have to beat in the first heat looms as the Craig Roberts-mentored Rohan Bale, who surprisingly has yet to win over the Addington 732m distance. He has placed in three of his four attempts over the trip, all behind the star stayer Know Keeper.
Kennelmate Willene Bale has secured a couple of minor 732m placings from the four previous attempts she’s had over the distance. She will be boxed away into the one-trap.
Know Keeper is seeking back-to-back Kingston Cup victories after winning last year’s edition of this race by a convincing eight-length margin, and he headlines the second heat.
Last week, he was sighted pushing home strongly for his 2.75 length 645m second behind race rival here Goldstar Carlito.
Cleeve was satisfied with that effort, saying, “I was pleased with the way he finished off Thursday’s race. I consider Kev to be as good as he’s ever been, and I don’t mind his trap-eight draw.”
Kennelmate Know Effort missed in his only previous 732m attempt three weeks ago.
“He didn’t really show anything in his 732m race. He has drawn handily (2), and I would like to see him put himself into a handy early position,” suggested Cleeve.
The Riley Evans-mentored Goldstar Carlito adds a tremendous amount of interest to this heat. He has proven to be potent over 645m, including last week’s strong 38.02 win. His first race over the 732m distance will be keenly anticipated.
And Roberts also has a solid looking qualifying prospect with Raja Bale, while his son Dan has produced his stayer Grande Vue Ace to deliver competitive staying races, including a win and placing over 732m. She’s likely to be sighted racing handy to the pace from her kind trap-one draw.
The meeting kicks off with five The Fitz 2 Sports Bar heats (Races 1-5) for the straight-out speed merchants over the 295m dash.
And the outstanding unbroken 43-year commentating career by the late Trevor Wilkes is remembered by the running of three-520m heats (Races 9-11) for the restricted age male greyhounds in the Trevor Wilkes Memorial Cup.
