CAPTION: The Tony Apap-trained Smart And Classy is one of the main hopes in Saturday night’s $18,500 Corporate Dollars Challenge (520m) at Ipswich after producing the fastest heat win last week. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos).
By Mike Hill
TRAINERS Tony Apap and Jeff Crawford go into Saturday night’s $18,500 Corporate Dollars Challenge (520m) at Ipswich with double-pronged attacks.
Apap will be represented by fastest heat winner Smart And Classy (box 3) and Baccarat Boy (box 5), while Crawford rugs up litter brothers Teddy Foodle (box 2) and Mukali (box 6).
The $12,025-to-the-winner Challenge is quickly gaining a reputation for producing above average sprinters, with two-time Group victor Velocity Bettina, Tungsten Miss, a Group 2 winner and four-time Group finalist and Group performers Red Rocket , Rapala Boy, Spring Bonanza and Brandi Alexander all triumphant in the series, which was first run in 2006.
Apap was impressed with Smart And Classy’s heat victory last week after a couple of disappointing runs at Albion Park.
The Gatton-based conditioner has only had the white and black dog (Hooked On Scotch-Vince A Bella) since mid-December after the sprinter was previously prepared by David Plummer in the Bundaberg region.
Smart And Classy has raced six times for Apap for a win and three placings.
The well-credentialed trainer said he wasn’t overly happy with some of the sprinter’s Albion Park performances and thought he’d try him at Ipswich.
He said last week’s win was Smart And Classy’s first time out of the Ipswich 520m boxes.
“To run 30.22s (BON), it was fantastic,” Apap said.
“Not too many go quicker than that … so far, so good.”
Smart And Classy has drawn three in the final, the same box he had in his heat.
“If they leave him alone early he’s a good chance,” the trainer said.
Apap was also happy with Baccarat Boy’s second last week behind the Gerard Bowe-prepared Narkunda, despite a seven-length margin.
“It was a good run. He was held up in the back straight and came home strongly. I’m not saying he would have won, but he would have finished a lot closer,” he said.
Apap had been hoping for a better box for Baccarat Boy, who’ll again jump from box five in the final.
“He has ability and goes well at Ipswich,” the trainer said. “With a clear run he could be in the finish.
“I’m never ever confident going into finals and the draw does favour the red dog (Narkunda).
“He can be quick early.
“Whoever gets the luck at the first turn will be in the box seat.”
Meanwhile, Crawford, who’s happy to have runners in the Challenge final for the first time, considers Mukali the better of his pair.
“He has the better early speed and is the more rounded race dog at the moment,” the trainer, based at Buccan in the Logan region, said.
Mukali (Go Wild Teddy-Eulogia) showed his potential with an impressive heat win last week beating the Tom Tzouvelis-trained $1.45 hot favourite Scripted.
Although it was the Crawford sprinter’s second successive victory over 520m – he’s only had two runs at the distance – it was the manner of the victory that was impressive.
Jumping from the outside box, Mukali manoeuvred himself to be on the fence inside Scripted (box 1) going down the back before hitting the lead.
The black sprinter held on for an impressive three-quarters-of-a-length victory in a smart 30.59s.
Crawford said he was disappointed that Teddy Foodle had missed the start badly in his heat, but was buoyed by the way the chaser had worked his way through the field to finish second behind Smart And Classy.
Although he’d also been slow out over the 431m trip, the trainer said he was hoping the 520m straight line start would have suit the sprinter better.
Crawford has just stepped the brothers up to 520m and said there was always a question mark over their ability to handle the distance.
“However, they are starting to show that they can be competitive,” he said.
“They seem to be able to navigate through a field and should get better with more race experience.”
Crawford said the dogs in boxes one and three (Narkunda and Smart And Classy) looked to ‘have the wood on their rivals’.
“But it’s a dog race and anything can happen,” he said.
Terry Priest, with Rich Tapestry in box four, also has second reserve Alberton Park in the final.
The Corporate Dollars Challenge Final (520m): 1- Narkunda (sponsor: Garrard’s Horse & Hound), 2- Teddy Foodle (Century Pools), 3- Smart And Classy (McLeod Publishing) , 4- Rich Tapestry(M & K Butchers), 5- Baccarat Boy(Just Greyhound Photos), 6- Mukali (Red Dog Mechanix), 7- Tarawi Lola (Greyhound Gear), 8- Scripted (G J Walsh & Co). Res: 9- Bogie Dominator, 10- Alberton Park.
