Off To The Dogs: A long weekend's worth of racing
Peter Fenemor • February 6th, 2025 11:49 AM
Both Thursday greyhound meetings will be twilight/evening meetings with the Christchurch and Waikato clubs racing in conjunction with each other.
It’s the annual Memorial meeting at the Addington Raceway with all races named after numerous people who built and shaped greyhound racing in the Canterbury region over many, many decades.
The Kingston family has been a significant influence in building greyhound racing within Canterbury with the Christchurch GRC and GRNZ Life and Hall of Fame member Gordon Kingston being remembered in the Gordon Kingston Memorial Stakes (Race 10).
The $9,400 525m event has attracted a field that would be worthy of Group race status, however the scratching of the 29.50 525m track record holder Paw Bradley has detracted from the event.
Obviously One Hot Bandit will start as the short priced favourite. He was the previous 29.62 525m track record holder and the current New Zealand Cup title holder finished a bold third in the Auckland Cup for his conditioners Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie.
Paw Bradley’s kennelmate Xisco Bale must use the sharp early pace that he displayed during his recent northern campaign. If he does, then the Craig Roberts prepared chaser will loom as a postrace podium prospect.
The Garry Cleeve trained pair of Jay Walker, who is a Group 1 525m winner at this venue, and Stuck Throttle are likely to be sighted doing their best work at the business end of this event.
A small, but select field of stayers will contest the Gerald & Lindsay Cleeve Memorial Distance over the 732m trip (Race 7).
Chief Dribble makes his return to Addington for Matt Roberts following his solid recent Manukau 527m efforts. He is expected to relish returning to 732m racing here and he holds the 42.67 field best 732m time.
Grande Vue Ace can be forgiven her last start Manukau 779m miss. She has reportedly been working extra well since her return south for her owner/trainer Bob Pringle and she commands respect whenever she stretches her legs out over 732m.
Riley Evans sent Goldstar Ginny north to check out the Manukau 779m distance during the Auckland Cup meeting. It’s best to overlook her miss up there and keep her safe back on her home track.
Cambridge Thursday
The Cambridge last race May Hounds Greyhounds Rehoming Group Stakes sees the open class chaser matching their paws over the 457m trip.
The hardened Lisa Cole trained Blazin’ Master is in the twilight stages of his distinguished 117 race career, however his legs can still turn over quickly. He brings in the field best 25.38 457m gallop into this field.
There was plenty to admire about the 30.62 Manukau C5 527m feature win that kennelmate Russian Ahead secured two-races ago. A competitive 457m effort can be expected from her.
Turtle Watch stylishly won the 527m Auckland Cup consolation race in 30.49 two-races ago. The sisters Lisa and Tracey Craik will have him fully prepped to resist the challengers offered by the visiting chasers in this event.
The meeting starts with the stayers contesting the Welcome to Cambridge Raceway Distance with Rob Roper bringing his strong last start 779m Auckland Stayers Cup winner Boom Lateral back to this venue for his 650m assignment. He will be wearing the TAB 3 rug.
Johnny Football is a lethal chaser over the 650m distance as seen by his nine wins from as many races over the trip. Cole will have him primed to make it a perfect ten 650m wins.
The biggest asset that the Wayne and Tracey Steele prepared Tin Lizzy brings into this event is her early pace. She must use that attribute and if she does she will stick on gamely at the business end of this contest.
Hatrick Friday
The feature Baldricks Cunning Plan C5 520m event (Race 8) promises to turn into an intriguing paw wrestle between a pair of Lisa Cole mentored contenders.
The recent potent Auckland Cup winner More Magic makes his return to the Hatrick Raceway and drawing the two-trap suggests that this is his race to lose.
Or is it?
Because stepping away from the adjacent trap, wearing the TAB 3 rug will be the pacey Boom Dynamite.
This bloke led the field down the back straight in the Auckland Cup, then wound up in a creditable fourth-position, He led last week’s version of this 520m race here, prior to being gunned down by the super strong chaser Johnny Football.
The drawn Sportz Bar Wanganui C5 305m sprint (Race 5) field is an all Lisa Cole prepared line-up.
Big Time Atlas went under to kennelmate Big Time Lime in last week’s 305m dash. The experienced sprinter can bounce back into winning form from the two-trap here.
Space Conspiracy was allowed to miss last Friday’s sprint, with Cole opting to trial her over 305m where she clocked 17.47. She can feature while wearing the TAB 3 rug in this sprint.
Manukau Sunday
Lisa Cole’s daughter Ella is traveling back to Manukau and on board will be the 520m Group 1 winner Fear To Tread who will contest the Mt. Wellington TAB Stakes (Race 10) over 527m. She has compiled a respectable Manukau 527m record.
Opawa Turn has been contesting strong recent 527m races without a great deal of racing luck. He is more than capable of being able to add value to the race combos from the two-trap for his conditioner Glennis Farrell.
The open class 318m Hewlett Electrical Sprint field (Race 9) has drawn a competitive, even looking line-up.
The Jared Udy and Denise Cottam trained Kiwi Moments set up the pace to take out last Sunday’s feature 527m Sunline Trophy and she is just as smart over the sprint distances.
Big Time Lime brings last start 17.31 Hatrick 305m winning form north with her and a repeat of that effort should be enough to see her featuring at the business end.
Farrell produced Hunter Karen to win last week’s C5 318m dash in 18.52, while Portland Ding Us was bold in finishing a half-length second to her for the sisters Lisa and Tracey Craik.
Picture at the top of the page: More Magic, seen here winning the recent Auckland Cup, returns to the Hatrick Raceway this Friday Credit: Auckland GRC
