Exciting finishes to Otago feature races
Peter Fenemor • July 31st, 2025 12:14 PM • 4 min read
The judge was kept busy when sorting out the official placings in both feature races during yesterday’s Otago GRC hosted meeting at Ascot Park.
Paw Bradley finished powerfully to win the Group 2 $20,000 Colin Keen Memorial, while Everest Sky snatched his last stride win in the $10,000 Mark Thompson Memorial Dunedin Cup.
It was the Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie prepared Jerry Cola who blasted away from the 457m eight-trap to set up the pace in the Colin Keen Memorial.
The dual Group race winner looked set to win this event when swinging in for the long run home, however with the judge in sight, he began to shorten strides.
Putting in huge late bounds was Paw Bradley and the momentum that the Craig Roberts mentored chaser built carried him through to his neck, 26.58 victory, while carrying the TAB 3 rug.
Jerry Cola’s kennel and littermate Boldly Go also finished strongly to secure the runners-up prize by a neck over Jerry Cola.
It was deserved Group race win for Paw Bradley who during the season finished second in the Auckland Cup (527m) and third in the New Zealand Derby (457m).
“I thought he got a wee bit lost on the bend, being on track debut. However, once he straightened up in the home straight, he unwound strongly. The track being soft was right up his ally with him being so strong,” commented Roberts who indicated that the New Zealand Cup is Paw Bradley’s next major assignment.
The win took Paw Bradley’s career stake earnings up to $102,048 from 40 races, winning 17 and placing in another 13 races for his Australian owner Brendan Wheeler.
It was a hugely successful afternoon of racing for the Roberts family on the worlds southern-most located greyhound track. Craig trained three-winners, while his sons also featured. Dan provided three-winners and Matt won the opening event.
Mark Thompson Memorial Dunedin Cup
Two races earlier it was the Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie training partnership who produced the classy sprinter Everest Sky to gun down the pace making Craig Roberts prepared Hadwin Bale to win the $10,000 Mark Thompson Memorial Dunedin Cup.
Hadwin Bale looked to have his rivals fully covered when swinging in for the long run home up the Ascot Park straight. However, Everest Sky flattened out strongly to nab the pacemaker by a head margin in the final stride, clocking 22.87 for his 390m dash.
Diamond Raider was bold when holding the rail throughout to claim the third placing another half-length behind for Malcolm Grant.
“Yes, it was a keenly contested finish with Everest Sky’s strength showing through. I thought he had left too late, however he showed great determination,” advised Dave Fahey.
Earlier in the season Everest Sky stylishly won the Group 1 Railway Sprint (318m) at Manukau and yesterday’s win took his career stakes tally to $69,670, the result of 20 wins and 11 minors from his 38 races for his breeders and owners Dave and Jean Fahey.
Everest Sky is a member of the high-flying Aussie Infrared and Isavana litter, which includes Jerry Cola and Boldly Go.
Fahey advises that he’s excited about the prospects held by members of prolific producing Isavana’s next litter, by Whiskey Riot who are just starting the qualifying process.
“There’s some handy looking youngsters in the litter with some of them trialling under 17 seconds over 295m,” informed Fahey.
And with this evening’s Addington meeting wrapping up the 2024/25 season the Fahey and Wyllie training combination look set to secure the national trainers Strike Rate title. They currently hold an impressive 0.4923 URD score.
They commenced their training partnership on January 1 and since then they have prepared 189 winners along with 164 minors from the 541 races they have contested.
