Caption: The Phillip Muller-owned and Tony Apap-trained sprinter Very Handy goes into Saturday night’s $45,000 Listed Ipswich Rising Stars Final (520m) as the fastest heat winner. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos).
Ipswich Club’s Weekly Wrap with MIKE HILL
OWNER Phillip Muller is hoping his association with leading Gatton trainer Tony Apap can bring rewards again in Saturday night’s $45,000 Listed Rising Stars (520m) at Ipswich.
The pair have impressive heat winner Very Handy jumping from box six in the $30,000-to-the-winner final after being successful with Swap Ya in 2015 when the race was known as the Young Guns.
Muller, who bred both dogs at his Clifton property, south of Toowoomba, said he would have preferred Very Handy closer to the rails.
“However, he’s used to being out a bit,” he said.
“Early in his career he couldn’t draw a good box.”
In fact, the black sprinter has only had four starts inside box four in 23 career outings.
“I would have liked him in a bit,” Muller said.
“He has a little problem with his box manners, but he’s a good, keen chaser and uses his head in races.
“The first 30 metres for him can make the difference.
“He has a good turn of pace, but if he gets a bump early it can take away his momentum.
“It was a great heat win last week.”
Very Handy (Bernardo-Tahlia’s Way) set the standard with the fastest heat time of 30.46s. The other winners were Duffman (30.77s) and Scarlatti (30.79s).
Muller said the winning time did surprise him a bit.
“I hope he can go quicker this week,” he said.
“If he can nail the start he has a good chance.
“He flew out of the boxes at Albion Park when he ran 29.94s in mid-November.”
Muller, who admitted Swap Ya (74: 25-14-4; $125,269) had been his best dog (prizemoney wise) to date, said he would like to think Very Handy could reach similar heights in the future.
“But that will be up to Tony (Apap),” the owner said.
“He does what he thinks is best for the dog.”
Swap Ya (Fear Zafonic-Cels Honey) followed up his Young Guns success with victory in the Ipswich Derby and also ran second in a Melbourne Cup Prelude at Sandown before finishing his career in North Queensland with a second behind Gatsby’s Road in the 2017 Townsville Cup.
Muller said his well-named dog, ‘and he is very handy’, will need luck in a very competitive final that is minus outstanding sprinter Duffman.
The Jedda Cutlack-trained Vince Curry winner was an early scratching after he was injured in his heat win last week.
Jeff Crawford’s Bootin’ Boodie (first reserve) will now jump from box four.
The final is a mini edition of the Golden Chase Sprint (431m) two weeks ago with Kia Kaha (winner), Johnny Koala (third) and Comedy Act (fourth) all back with the added bonus of the Tom Tzouvelis-trained Scarlatti , Very Handy, Chris Brydon’s talented Garrison and the speedy Snowy Waugh (Brent Kline).
Mick Johnston’s smart sprinter Comedy Act is in unchartered waters after drawing the coveted red rug for the first time.
In his nine previous starts, the black son of Cosmic Chief and Who Nose Size hadn’t drawn closer than four.
“Hopefully he can use it,” said Johnston.
But for Jemma Daley, Johnny Koala has again drawn wide in a final.
The Magic Sprite-Rapid State chaser jumped from seven in the Golden Chase Sprint decider and has the outside box this week.
Kia Kaha, prepared by Warren Nicholls and chasing her second successive feature victory, is back in five – a box she is more than familiar with – having drawn it 10 times in 24 starts.
She finished second last week after opening up a large mid-race lead only to be run down by a super fit Scarlatti that goes into the final on the back of a series of 600m runs at Albion Park.
TIPS: Comedy Act 1, Scarlatti 2, Kia Kaha 3, Very Handy 4
SATURDAY’S $7700 Ipswich Past Members Final (431m) looks a tricky race.
Cynthia Suttle has her very consistent Minter Formula stepping from box six, super versatile Get Carter (Grant Franklin) has to negotiate the four, while Mark Saal’s classy sprinter Van Helsing jumps from the outside.
Minter Formula has only been out of the money three times in his past 17 outings and is chasing a hat-trick of victories following a slick 19.57s over 366m at Capalaba and a 24.96s here last week – the fastest of the three heats.Get Carter, with career stats of 12 wins and 34 placings from 65 starts and prizemoney just over $160,000, was unlucky in his heat when narrowly beaten by Van Helsing.
The fawn chaser was forced to run wide and then suffered a check on the top turn.
Van Helsing has a liking for 431m with seven wins from 15 starts over the trip and should have clean air from the outside alley.
*****
NORTHERN NSW trainers Pat Lavis and Jacqueline Davis rugged up winning doubles at Ipswich in the past week.
Lavis, based at Tregeagle, produced his pair last Friday with rank outsider Just Orson ($34) winning a 4th Grade (431m) and $1.50 favourite Bold Gambler successful in a 4th/5th Grade (431m).
Davis from The Pinnacles, near Grafton, was successful with the well-fancied littermates Bugatti Ryder ($2.50 equal fav) and Bugatti Talent ($1.85 fav) in heats of the Pathways (288m) on Thursday.
IPSWICH officials report that preparations for the club’s big Easter Saturday Night celebrations next weekend are gaining momentum.
Highlighting the night will be heats of the club’s $145,000 Golden Chase series over 520m, while away from the track, the focus will be on family activities and having fun.
“Easter Bunny is coming and will be handing out Easter eggs to all the kids,” a club official said.
“We’ll also have a jumping castle in operation and our very popular face painting artist will be on hand producing wonderful creations for all the kids – young and old.
“There will be competitions and raffles during the night.
“And as it’s the last Saturday of the month, the club’s restaurant will feature its ever-popular Steak Night with various cuts of beef high on the menu.
“It could be advisable to reserve a table.”
