Opawa Hugo
By Peter Fenemor
Premier racing returns to Addington Raceway this Thursday evening with three classy Group race finals being decided, while the support card is also full of strong, competitive fields.
The box draw for this Group 1 520m event is likely to prove a major factor in deciding the outcome of the $30,000 race, following last week’s two heats.
It’s a pair of recent Group 1-winning greyhounds who now dominate the pre-race markets, and it’s the presence of those two class acts, who have drawn adjacent to each other, where the early action is expected to set the tone for this decider.
The Dave and Jean Fahey-prepared Opawa Superstar ($2.70 – TAB NZ Final Field) requires no introduction, and he stamped his authority over his heat rivals via his bold pace-making 29.98 heat win. The Waterloo Cup 527m winner has been allocated trap-five to exit from.
“He’s come through last week good. Hopefully, he can begin as quickly as what he did last week; otherwise, things could get a bit tricky early on,” said Dave Fahey, who if successful, will enjoy his 10th training success with wife Jean in this event.
Federal Infrared ($2.80) has brought her freewheeling Hatrick racing style south with her for her conditioner Lisa Cole. The recent 520m Spion Rose winner got gunned down (by 1.5 lengths) by Opawa Conan in her heat, and she must use her known early pace from trap-six as Brendon Cole explains.
“Our worry is that she’s likely to cut inwards, while Opawa Superstar tends to come out a bit. Both of them have early pace and yes, if Federal Infrared can get clear early racing room, then her pace can see her being in the race for a long way.”
Both leading conditioners qualified back-up contenders, with the Cole-prepared Blazin’ Master ($10) being required to race from the eight-trap following his 2.6 length heat third to Opawa Superstar.
“We would have much preferred an inside draw for him. The early speed drawn inside him is the big worry for him. He is capable, but he’ll need luck from out there,” suggested Cole.
Gitan ($12) is a proven trap-one performer for the Faheys, although she settled in the midfield from that trap in her heat, where she whacked away for her 3.5 length fourth behind Opawa Conan.
“She needs early space, which could be difficult for her from her draw. If she can get herself onto the early pace then, yes, she could be hard to beat,” suggested Fahey.
Kennelmate Dembe ($18) raced in the midfield during the Spion Rose final and he improved from the rear group in his heat to finish fourth. “He needs a lot of luck from out there (7). He is going good races, although he is better suited by the rail,” Fahey said.
Bruce Dann has mentored Opawa Conan ($4.80) to 17 previous Addington 520m wins. Included was his 30.17 heat victory, where he hunted down the pace-setting Federal Infrared to claim his win. His trap-two draw says his claim on the thick-end of the stake here certainly cannot be lightly dismissed.
Local trainer Craig Roberts provides the remaining two contenders. Quintessa Bale ($9) continues to deliver competitive 520m races, as seen by her sound 2.5 length heat second to Opawa Superstar. She has the ability to race handy to the pace, which is a tactic that she must use from the three-trap.
Kennelmate Oberon Bale ($31) was gallant when stepping up in class for this task, as evidenced by his two-length heat third to Opawa Conan. Trap-four is where he will be sighted racing from.
The $30,000 Canterbury Futurity always provides a competitive race, and this year’s edition of the long-established restricted age race appears to be no different, judging by the keenly contested four 520m heats held last Thursday for the Group 2 event.
Two of those heats saw Dave and Jean Fahey-trained youngsters prevailing, which included the return to racing by the Group 1 NZ St Leger winner Opawa Hugo, who owns the field best 29.75 520m clock.
The warm $1.70 (TAB – Final Field) favourite is likely to have benefited from his 30.11 fresh-up pace-making heat outing, and he takes his place in the decider racing from the five-trap.
“He is a smart dog who I expect further improvement from after last week’s race. He hadn’t raced for a long time,” confirmed Dave Fahey, with the couple having mentored 10 previous winners of this race.
Kennelmate Jovita ($4.50) is likely to relish racing in the pink vest. The current NZ Oaks title holder has no objections about racing out in the open spaces. She displayed her strength when taking out her heat in 30.15.
“She will get a clear run from out there. She is more of a one-pacer type; however, she is very strong,” stated Fahey.
Ironically, the only open class graded contenders listed in the event occupy the reserves bench, and both are prepared by the Faheys. Opawa Linda ($6.50) and Let’s Party ($6.50) can make their presence felt if either of them gain a start in the field.
“Both of them were unlucky in their heats. They will suit inside draws and will be right in it if getting that,” suggested Fahey.
Riley Evans has qualified three finalists, including his 30.41 heat winner Goldstar Davey ($9), who cleared out while rounding the final turn. It was a huge effort, as he brings a C2 grading into the final.
“When he’s on, he can run along at some clip. It’s a tough ask for him, but if he can repeat last week’s run, I will be thrilled. He took the gaps then, which was great to see,” advised Evans.
His kennelmates, the litter sisters Goldstar Rita ($26) and Goldstar Brooks ($18), both gamely chased home the Fahey-prepared heat winners.
“Goldstar Rita has been racing really good, and I liked what she did last week. She is very strong, although she isn’t quick away. She has a lot of engine when she gets going.
“Goldstar Brooks does have early burn and she needs to hit the jump. It will come down to what she does early on. All three of our runners worked up good during the week,” said Evans, who has set a kennel goal of chasing down 300 winners and a million dollars in stakes for the season.
The quickest 30.10 heat winner Silky Adobe ($8.50) is provided by the local trainer Matt Roberts. He controlled the pace throughout and he does own a slippery 29.93 best winning 520m time around this circuit. Going close to that time is likely to see him featuring at the business end of this event.
Roberts’ brother Dan will slot away his strong-finishing heat runner-up Grand Vue Ace ($13) into the ace-trap. She is a renowned as being a stayer, who is likely to be sighted seeking clear racing air, so she can strongly bring home her gallop.
Know Speed ($9) is provided by Garry Cleeve, and he was sound when chasing home Silky Adobe, two-lengths astern of him. That followed on from his previous stylish 30.02 PB C2 520m win.
“I have always held him in high regard. A toe injury held him back for a while. He has a nice draw (2) and he can get some of it with a nice jump,” suggested Cleeve.
The stayers are in action when they contest the $20,000 Group 2 race over the 732m journey. The event recognises the valued decades of outstanding participation by the inaugural human inductee Ray Adcock into the GRNZ Hall of Fame.
The box draw appears to have added spice to the contest, with the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar winner Goldstar Carlito ($1.70) being allocated the ace-trap to step away from, after his strong 38.06 645m win last Thursday.
“Yes, he looks to be a good chance again. I was rapt with his win last week – very happy with that. He galloped really good during the week, and as long as he picks the jump, he will be in it for a long way,” confirmed Evans.
The reigning NZ Greyhound of the Year and last year’s winner of this event, Know Keeper ($4.50), is seeking to defend his title that he so easily won last year from trap-three and he races from the same trap on this occasion.
“I guess the race is shades of the Silver Collar, with Goldstar Carlito in the one. Kev (kennel name) is very well and has pleased me with his work. I appreciate that he’s not a 645m dog anymore, as seen when he was beaten fair and square last week.
“It’s up to him to show us what he’s still got left, and I like to think that he can knock them off again; however, age has to eventually give way to youth,” stated Cleeve, who has also accepted with Know Price ($31).
Centurion ($5) is a consistent stayer for Dave and Jean Fahey, as seen by his runner-up position in last year’s edition of this race. He is likely to enjoy racing from the two-trap.
“Yes, he has a good draw and I thought he raced really good last week (second). He came through the race good and I consider him a top-three prospect,” advised Dave Fahey.
Opawa Gina ($10), who won the Canterbury Futurity at this meeting last year, provides the Faheys with another option. She is a stayer on the rise.
“She should be seen racing on the early pace and she is improving all the time. Both of our stayers have early speed and are strong,” said Fahey.
Craig Roberts has his stayer Raja Bale ($10) ticking over sweetly at the moment and the Silver Collar runner-up is match fit and race hardened for this engagement. He owns the ability to race handy to the pace.
Kennelmate Willene Bale ($31) could very well be the combo’s booster. She tends to settle back in her fields; however, she can bring it home really strongly if she receives an uninterrupted racing passage.
Roberts’ son Matt has been guiding Nighthawk Style ($26) along nicely and she was sighted finishing very resolutely for her tidy second in her Hatrick 755m assignment two races ago.
Thursday’s meeting also features an extremely strong support card, including the recently introduced 2023 Springston Hotel Canterbury Futurity Sprint final.
Four 295m heats for the locally-bred speed merchants decided the final field. The two Dave and Jean Fahey-mentored finalists have previously broken the Addington 295m 17-second barrier.
Who Gives took out the honours in his heat returning a 17.29 sprint, while the current NZ Breeders Stakes title holder, Mrs Chinn, prevailed in her heat, returning 17.22.
The other heat winners were Lerado Jewel in 17.36 for Craig Roberts, while Tony Hart, who qualified three finalists, presented Famous Grouse for his 17.61 heat win.
Fannin plans to target the $200,000 Grand National Steeplechase in August.