Caption: A flying Kia Kaha takes on some smart sprinters in the $45,000 Brisbane Young Guns Final (520m) at Albion Park on Thursday night. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)
By MIKE HILL
WARREN Nicholls gives his fearless sprinter Kia Kaha ‘a real good chance’ in the $45,000 Brisbane Young Guns Final (520m) at Albion Park on Thursday night.
The Churchable-based trainer said the black chaser was ‘suited’ drawn in box 6 and suggested she would strip a lot fitter.
Kia Kaha was having her first run in almost a month when a solid runner-up to Golden Bear, beaten one-and-a-quarter lengths, in one of last week’s four heats.
“She needed the run and I wasn’t disappointed with the performance,” Nicholls said.
“She got out good and she’ll be a fair bit stronger this week.”
Kia Kaha hadn’t raced since finishing third in a drama-packed semi-final of the rich Golden Chase (520m) at Ipswich in early April after collecting the Sprint edition of the series over 431m two weeks earlier.
She was extremely lucky to stay on her feet after being turned sideways in a first-corner scrimmage.
“She suffered shoulder and pin muscle soreness and we had to work on her for a couple of weeks,” Nicholls said.
“But she’s back on track and I’m happy with her going into the final.
“She’s extremely competitive and I think she’s a real good chance.”
Nicholls said he wasn’t overly concerned that the daughter of Zipping Garth and Daniel’s Loss hadn’t yet broken 30s at Albion Park, not even in a trial.
“But she’s not a trial dog,” he said.
“She shows her best under race conditions.
“She as tough as anything.”
The trainer said Kia Kaha had clocked 30.37s in winning at Ipswich in late March.
“That equates to a 29.85s at Albion Park,” he said.
“And I expect her to break 30s there in the near future.
“It could come this week or next.”
Nicholls knows Kia Kaha has to produce one of her explosive starts to be in the mix.
She has the fastest first split (5.41s) of any runner in the final and she showed her early zip with a flying 5.46s first sectional last week.
“I think she can get across and lead,” Nicholls said.
“And if she can, then they have to chase her and things can happen behind.
“But it’s not going to be easy.”
Nicholls believes Sandra Hunt’s outstanding sprinter Kahlo Hayze, the Tom Tzouvelis-trained Saanvi, Golden Bear (Adam McIntosh) and visitor and fastest heat winner Warm Cockles look the main dangers in the $30,000-to-the-winner final.
“Sandra’s dog is an unbelievable sprinter, a very good chaser,” he said.
Kahlo Hayze has hit a super vein of form with 10 wins and a second from her past 11 starts, including victory in the Winged Runner Trophy Final (520m) at Albion Park two runs back in a slick BON 29.74s.
Saanvi is coming off a courageous win in the Capalaba Young Guns Final (366m) on Sunday after claiming the rich Group 3 Golden Chase at Ipswich in mid-April, while Golden Bear, a heat winner last week, was victorious in the Eric Thomson Memorial (520m) at Albion Park late last month in a smart BON 29.85s.
He also chased Saanvi home at Capalaba at the weekend.
Victorian visitor Warm Cockles is certain to have plenty of support despite drawing the outside box.
The David Burnett owned and trained sprinter has only raced nine times for a 5-2-0 record but his heat victory last week in 29.86s indicated he has enormous potential.
The black sprinter (Fernando Bale-Ma’s Plum Jam) was making his Albion Park debut and his all-the-way win couldn’t have been more impressive.
