They will all converge on The Meadows track for the Group 1 grand finals to be contested on August 26 over the 525m and 730m race distances.
The Dave and Jean Fahey-prepared Opawa Superstar won the right to represent New Zealand in last year’s edition; however, injury intervened, and the multiple Group race winner didn’t make the trip to Sydney’s Wentworth Park.
The son of Fernando Bale and Opawa Tab concluded a hugely successful last season when winning the Group 2 $20,000 Colin Keen Memorial, and he’s looking to start the new season on a winning note in this $25,000 feature event.
“We are happy with him going into Thursday, although he has a tricky draw (five) to overcome. If he gets some clear early racing room, then yes, he can win it,” suggested Dave Fahey.
The Faheys have a sound back-up contender via the ideally trap-1 drawn Mrs Chinn. Last season’s NZ Breeders Stakes winner has proven to be a versatile reliable chaser and her early pace can see her featuring prominently for a long way here.
“If she jumps like we expect her to do, then she can make it interesting from her good draw. She has come through her recent races all good,” confirmed Fahey.
The Lisa Cole kennels provides a pair of sound looking prospects. Included is the multiple Group race winner Federal Infrared, who warmed up for this assignment when delivering her swift seven-length Hatrick 29.93 win last Friday. She also owns a tidy best 29.73 Addington 520m clock.
Kennelmate Blazin’ Master travels south following his recent Manawatu 457m outings, which includes defeating Federal Infrared two races ago. He has also previously raced with credit at the Christchurch headquarters.
Goldstar Brooks led all-the-way when winning a C3/4 520m event in the meet best 30.18 time for her trainer Riley Evans last Thursday. Her seven-trap draw isn’t to her advantage.
“She has to cross the others and lead them early on. If she does that, then yes, she’s a rough chance,” said Evans.
Talbingo Bale is a proven chaser who has been sparingly raced lately. It will be interesting to see if he can match motors early on with Opawa Superstar from trap-6 for his conditioner Craig Roberts, who has also accepted with Oberon Bale. He was a 30.25 C4 520m winner here two races ago.
Opawa Conan has been a consistent Addington 520m greyhound for a long time for local conditioner Bruce Dann. He will be sighted wearing the pink racing vest here, from where he has no option but to get himself straight onto the early pace.
2023 New Zealand Nationals Distance
Two key deflections have impacted on the final line-up for the NZ Nationals Distance final.
The likely race favourite Goldstar Carlito has been scratched after pulling up sore following a hit-out at home.
“He’s not 100 percent and I’m not prepared to risk him. Yes, it’s devastating, however his health comes first. He has done a fantastic job for us,” stated his trainer Riley Evans.
And last year’s Garry Cleeve-prepared Kiwi representative in Sydney, Know Keeper has been retired and the absence of the two classy stayers now presents sound opportunities for the other contenders to secure the trans-Tasman trip.
Centurion has always been a consistent Dave and Jean Fahey-trained stayer, and he is now expected to start as a warm favourite to take the event out.
He brings strong 645m and 732m winning form into this 732m event, and being allocated the one-trap to step away from has certainly enhanced his claims.
“He has really turned the corner lately and he’s a different dog now. His draw couldn’t have been better for him, and I expect him to race handy to the pace from there,” advised Dave Fahey.
Cleeve may have lost the services of his gun stayer Know Keeper, but he will load away Know Effort into the two-trap in this event. He gamely chased home Centurion over 732m when finishing a 2.25 length second to him two races ago.
Adding interest to the field is the presence of the Lisa Cole-trained Big Time Taniwha, who is having her first Addington outing. She is bringing sound Manawatu 660m form south with her, with this being her first crack at an extreme distance. She is a litter sister to the proven stayer Big Time Epic.
The Craig Roberts-trained pair of stayers Rohan Bale and Raja Bale have been regular attendees in Addington staying races, and either of them could secure a post-race podium possie.
Roberts’ sons, Dan and Matt, round out the field with a pair of C1D graded stayers. Dan will parade Opawa Louise to the traps following her recent 645m outings.
Matt has been ticking over Nighthawk Style for a while now and she brings 732m racing experience into this field.
Meanwhile, at 10:43pm NZT, the Kiwi-bred and owned star chaser Postman Pat will attempt to become the Victorian representative for the Group 1 event by winning his Victorian Sprint Final at The Meadows.
His conditioner Jason Thompson produced him for his heat at the same venue last Saturday evening, where after pushing forward to get handy early, he was subjected to a degree of squeezing when approaching the final turn.
The Jose Arthur-owned Postman Pat kicked on stoutly to finish third, hence qualifying himself for the 525m decider, where he will be loaded away into the five-trap.
And all finalists for both Group 1 events will be known following Thursday’s seven State finals on both sides of the Tasman (West Australia held their finals Wednesday evening).
