Caption: The presentation after the Darren Sultana-trained Mr America took out the National Straight Track Championship at Richmond. (Photo: Lachlan Naidu)
RICMOND Greyhound Club is hoping to develop its new $34,000 Listed Straight Cup (324m) into a high quality race to match its famous Derby and Oaks features.
The Derby and the Oaks, first run in 1957, are the club’s premier events, run over 520m on the circular track, while the Cup will be contested up the club’s straight track, opened in early 2021.
It’s construction allowed NSW to join the Australian straight track fraternity embracing Victoria (Healesville), Queensland (Capalaba) and South Australia (Murray Bridge).
And when Richmond hosted the state’s first-ever TAB straight track meeting in April, 2021, it heralded a return to straight track racing in the state for the first time since October, 2014 (at Appin).
“I didn’t think I would ever see it,” said Peter Rodgers, Richmond GRC president at the time.
“It started off just as a slipping track. But you’ve got to remember this is new for old.
“The old track used to go up here. I think it was closed in the early ’60s to make way for a circle track when the TAB circuit came in.
“But basically it’s the same route that the old track went. It was a 323-yard track and this is a 324-metre track.”
Club manager Leanne Barnes said she was expecting strong support for the Cup from owners and trainers, particularly after the success of last year’s National Straight Track Championship at Richmond.
The first national title series was launched between Victorian, Queensland and South Australia in 2019 with the final run at Healesville.
“We’ve had growing inquiries about the Cup and there has been plenty of interest from trainers requesting trials up the straight track,” Ms Barnes said.
The Cup final, carrying $25,000 to the winner, will be run on February 4.
Some of the standout straight-track sprinters expected to contest the series include Michelle Sultana’s ‘flyer’ Sacred Stance with a PB 17.39s, Mitch And Murray (17.38s) from the James Porter kennels, the Adam Wade pair Blow Your Horn (17.55s) and Lepidoptera (17.65s), while Jason Magri has Oscar Moses (17.28s) and Anthony Godden’s best look to be Trunkey John (17.43s).
An interest runner new to the Richmond straight track is the Group performer Gatlin, from the powerful John Finn kennels.
The current track record of 17.11s belongs to retired sprinter Mr America, set in early September ’22.
Another outstanding sprinter that won’t be seeking Cup glory is Zulu Warlord.
The grand campaigner retired last month after finishing runner-up in a Richmond straight race named in honour of his retirement.
The son of Fernando Bale and Zulu Power contested his final race, a Masters sponsored by his connections to farewell the winner of 26 races (60 starts) and more than $148,000 in prizemoney .
He had gone into the race on the back of an all-the-way win at the track the previous Saturday (17.76s) – his sixth victory over the straight trip.
