Caption: Trainer Harold Hovi with his latest kennel star Cry Wolf, one of the main fancies for Tuesday night’s $6500 Young Guns Final (380m) at Townsville (Photo: Louise Partland)
MIKE HILL previews this week’s Qld regional greyhound racing
CRY Wolf looks to be on the verge of landing his first feature in tomorrow (Tuesday) night’s $6500 Young Guns Final (380m) at Townsville.
The talented youngster has been a model of consistency since winning a maiden first-up in an outstanding BON effort (21.84s) early last month.
And he has since strung together five impressive wins from six starts, his only failure a fifth in a novice when he missed the start.
The Harold Hovi-trained sprinter has drawn the coveted rails box for the final and on form only has to jump with his rivals to land the $4225 winner’s prize.
He was the fastest heat winner last week with a BON 21.78s, while the Greta Thomson-prepared Seaton Key clocked 21.80s and Brad Belford’s Showtime Joe recorded a 21.84s.
“I would have preferred box two, but one is much better than seven or eight,” said Hovi.
The Gumlu-based trainer seems to have a knack of finding and producing talented youngsters with litter mates Excuse Me Jack and Redemption Day two of his most recent track stars.
Excuse Me Jack (My Redeemer-Fancy Dancer) won his first six starts over the Townsville 380m last year – all in BON times – including the Young Guns final in a slick 21.44s.
He also finished third to Dulceria in last year’s Group 3 Townsville Cup (498m) – the very race Redemption Day triumphed in a few months back.
Cry Wolf (Zambora Brockie-Zipping Spring) has a best 21.69s to his credit and a repeat would make it hard for his rivals, although the Michael Hickmott-prepared Instant Gold also has a 21.69s PB and from box two could be a threat.
However, he hasn’t been able to get near that mark in recent runs.
A surprise packet could be the Brad Belford-trained Showtime Holly.
She clocked the fastest first section in last week’s heats with a flying 7.38s before finishing second behind Seaton Key.
“That’s at least two lengths quicker than the others,” Belford said.
“If she can repeat that and there is a bit of trouble behind her, we’re in with a chance.
“She got run down last week but I’m expecting her to be stronger in the final.”
Only a fraction of a second separates the four runners in the middle boxes – Showtime Holly (21.81s), Free At Night (21.83s), Perfect Pacific (21.83s) and Showtime Joe (21.82s).
And for Greta Thomson, it’s going to be a sad farewell, win or lose.
Seaton Key, drawn badly in box eight, is having his last run for the Black River-based trainer.
“He’ll be going back to Rob Lound after the final,” Thomson said.
The Keybow-Bogie Princess youngster arrived at Lound’s Jensen kennels in late June before being transferred to Thomson’s care in mid-September.
“I’ll be sad to see him go,” she said. “He’s a special little dog and I have enjoyed the journey with him.
“After the final he’s going back to Rob.”
Thomson has done a remarkable job with the black sprinter picking up five wins and a second from just eight career starts and he has a slick 21.73s to his credit.
However, box eight may be a problem for the talented youngster.
He missed the start when jumping from the outside at his first ever run back in late September and was again slow out last week.
However, from box one he was able to rail up and win his heat.
With so much speed inside, Thomson knows Seaton Key can’t afford another slow start.
*****
LEADING kennels will be strongly represented in the 4th/5th Grade Christmas Gift heats over 407m at Rockhampton on Wednesday night.
The powerful Ken Boody operation looks to have early favourites in three of the five heats, while Andrew Suli, with runners in every heat, has the talented sprinter Danish Cake jumping from box two in heat four.
Dallas Beckett has the smart Dad’s News also in heat four, while the Thompsons – Clint and Juanita – will miss representation in just one heat.
Danish Cake (Zambora Brockie-Alpha Nemesis) had her five-race winning streak broken last Tuesday night, but she roared back to form with an impressive 23.74s (BOD) victory over the Gift distance on Friday.
She began quickly from box five and led all the way, in stark contrast to her run earlier in the week when she was never out of trouble from box six.
Drawing box two this week should be a huge advantage, particularly as Dad’s News, likely to be her main danger, jumps from six.
Boody’s big hopes are White Like Snow (heat 1) with a slick 23.57s (PB) to her credit, Pitter Patter (heat 2), going for three on the trot, and the smart Sorrento Breeze (heat 3), chasing her fourth win in a row.
The final heat looks the toughest for punters although the Rob Weeding-trained sprinter Angel Harks could be one to watch.
The Blazin’ Bomber-Elle Bale brindle bitch has been racing the likes of Enrique Fernando and Zip Stream in Best 8 company in recent runs and will appreciated the drop back in class.
Four starts back Angel Harks ran a slick 23.79s narrowly beating Say Some Words from box five and the run before that finished second to Chips In.
*****
MEANWHILE, Dallas Beckett has a strong hand in the Newsxpress Richardson Road 1st/2nd Grade Sprint (407m) at Rockhampton with three definite chances – Bank Heist (box 2), Chips in (four) and Enrique Fernando (six).
Bank Heist hasn’t missed a place from six starts out of box two, including three wins, while Enrique Fernando is seeking his third win from four recent starts over the distance.
Beckett said the dog needs to be near the fence to show his best, but with box five vacant inside him the Fernando Bale sprinter should get a clear run early and if he can get to the front he’s hard to run down.
Chips In, with a 24: 7-5-5 record, was an encouraging third behind Enrique Fernando in a similar race last week and the white and black chaser will also appreciate the vacant box on its outside.
Smart Peta Boon-trained Velocity Kayla looks the strongest threat to the Beckett trio.
A last start winner in similar company, the Keybow-Velocity Marlina bitch hasn’t raced for two weeks although she ideally drawn in one.
BEST BETS:
Townsville (Tuesday night): Race 1 – Ebby Von, Race 4 – Balts Agenda, Race 8 – Cry Wolf.
Rockhampton (Wednesday night): Race 8 – San Marco, Race 9 – Sorrento Breeze, Race 10 – Danish Cake.
