High class chasing action gets underway this evening
Peter Fenemor • May 29th, 2025 1:49 PM • 3 min read
The curtain raiser for Sunday’s huge Manukau meeting will be played out at the Addington Raceway this evening with the Christchurch GRC hosted Waterloo Cup heat (M9 R8).
The Waterloo Cup is New Zealand’s oldest greyhound race, being first contested for in 1878 as a coursing event.
The first three finishers tonight will travel to Manukau to contest the June 8 $30,000 Group 1 final. They will be joined by the qualifiers from Sunday’s two Manukau 527m heats.
This evening’s 525m heat presents the mouth-watering clash between One Hot Bandit ($2.80 & $1.36 – TAB Futures) and Paw Bradley ($4.50 & $1.70).
The Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie prepared One Hot Bandit has yet to taste defeat in 14 Addington 525m races which includes winning the New Zealand Cup with the quickest being delivered in 29.62 seconds.
Paw Bradley is a lethal Craig Roberts trained chaser who is the current 29.50 Addington 525m track record holder.
Favoured to be the third qualifier appears to Opawa Shirley ($16 & $4) from the potent Fahey and Wyllie kennels. She’s a dead set railing chaser who has drawn ideally in trap 3 with the inside two traps being vacant.
The Matt Roberts mentored Let Him Cook ($26 & $6) is proven at this level and he will have his supporters to make the final.
First up (Race 9) she lines up Boom Dynamite ($8 & $2.40) who travels north following his strong Tuesday Manawatu 25.83 457m win. His known early pace is an asset that he must use here.
Joining him in this heat will be his kennelmate, the current Auckland Cup title holder More Magic ($11 & $3). He was also successful during Tuesday’s meeting, winning over 457m in 25.85.
Xisco Bale ($18 & $4.40) owns an abundance of early pace for Roberts, while the Sam Lozell mentored Opawa Stacey ($18 & $4.40) arrives into this heat after claiming stylish recent 457m and 527m wins.
Featuring in the second heat (Race 10) is the Cole mentored Group 1 winner Fear To Tread ($8 & $2.40). She is a proven Manukau 527m performer, who has drawn to feature from trap 2.
Garry Cleeve is traveling north with his consistent chaser Zestful ($16 & $4), and he adds intrigue to this heat being on track debut. Another on track debut is the NZ Cup finalist Sinead Bale ($18 & $4.40) for Roberts.
The leading local heat contender looks to be the Lisa and Tracey Craik trained Turtle Watch ($41 & $9) who won the 527m Auckland Cup Consolation.
Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar heats
While the Waterloo Cup is nation’s oldest trophy, the Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar is definitely New Zealand’s most prized greyhound trophy.
Three heats this Sunday at the Manukau Stadium over the 779m distance will determine the eight staying canine athletes who will return to race for the solid silver collar, that was donated by Prince Phillip to the Auckland GRC in 1970.
The first heat (Race 6) features the early series favourite Grande Vue Ace ($3.60 & $1.52 - TAB Futures). Bob Pringle has given his charge a pair of 520m and 527m races to keep last year’s Silver Collar third placegetter ticking over. She found the line powerfully in both races.
Garry Cleeve is a renowned conditioner of staying greyhounds and he’ll be looking to advance Tess ($16 & $4) into the decider.
The veteran stayer Trenzalore ($51 & $11) is returning for his third attempt on a Silver Collar. His trainer Rob Roper prepared him to stylishly win a recent Cambridge 650m race.
Long Non White ($26 & $6) pressed on stoutly for her recent Manawatu 720m fourth and she has since backed that up with sound 660m races for Lisa Cole.
A stayer who has given every indication that the 779m trip will be ideal for her is the Sean Codlin prepared Go Purple ($8 & $2.40). She was sighted finishing powerfully in her last start Cambridge 650m outing.
The Cole mentored Johnny Football ($6 & $2) takes his place in the second heat (Race 7). He has been cleaning up his 660m and 650m races with ease lately. He stuck on gamely when winning his recent 720m Group 2 Manawatu assignment.
Little Dodo ($5 & $1.80) is another Cleeve prepared stayer who will strongly run out the distance as seen by his bold recent Addington Group 2 732m victory.
Thrilling Muse ($13 & $3.40) is a stayer for the future as seen when Sam Lozel produced him to win his recent Cambridge 650m race. His mum Thrilling Amelia won the 2021 Silver Collar final.
Time To Race ($26 & $6) was bold when delivering her Tuesday 660m second for her Pahiatua trainer Wayne Morris.
Opawa Ingrid ($26 & $6) returns to Manukau following her recent Hatrick 755m third to Grande Vue Ace. Her trainer Corey Steele trialled her over 527m, running 30.82 last Sunday.
The reigning Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar title holder Chief Dribble ($6 & $2) returns to defend his title in the third heat (Race 8). He shattered the Manukau 779m track record when delivering his 46.01 chase. He has been raced sparingly lately however he would have benefited from his Tuesday 660m third behind Johnny Football.
Sweet And Sassy ($26 & $6) gamely led her 755m rivals for a long way before being claimed by Grande Vue Ace at Hatrick recently. Her mentor Jamie Pruden brough her north last week for her first look at Manukau, racing over 527m. She’s an improver after that.
Opawa Louise ($21 & $5) is a Morris prepared stayer who is proven over the extreme distances. She has won staying races on both sides of the Tasman and has placed twice over 779m here.
Boom Lateral ($26 & $6) was a Silver Collar finalist last year. Roper has kept him ticking over sweetly with him showing his versatility when winning two recent Cambridge 375m sprints.
