Outsider wins NZ Oaks on premier night of Greyhounds
Peter Fenemor • May 12th, 2025 12:33 PM • 4 min read
High class Addington premier racing action
High quality chasing action was witnessed at the Addington Raceway last Thursday evening with numerous outstanding performances being delivered during the premier evening of racing.
The nation’s leading Lisa Cole kennels are no strangers to training Rose And Thistle New Zealand Oaks winners and the Palmerston North based kennel added a fourth win in the $50,000 Group 1 event.
Big Time Zip blasted away from the 525m five-trap and she was never headed when cruising to her effortless 30.31 win.
Kennelmate Big Time Favour secured a race start from off the reserves bench with the noted railer slotting into the one trap. She was gallant when chasing after the pacemaker, finishing her bold three-length second.
Lisa and Brendon Cole were completing a South East Asia break away and they viewed the NZ Oaks final on their phones at Singapore Airport.
“It is satisfying winning another New Zealand Oaks final. We are proud that Big Time Zip was bred by us out of our 2022 NZ Oaks winner Big Time Elsa.
The couple were very grateful to daughter Georgia who was stuck in the south following the previous week’s storms.
“Georgia and our staff at home followed programs that we supplied them with. They all did an awesome job with the team while we were away.
“We also really appreciate the help that Bruce and Anne Dann provide us. They have hosted us for years during our trips south,” expressed Brendon.
Astounding win the Trackside Trevor Wilkes Memorial Cup
The late Trevor Wilkes would have thoroughly enjoyed commentating the race held in his memory at Addington last Thursday.
That’s owing to the astonishing way that the Craig Roberts trained Paw Bradley won the $20,000 Trackside Trevor Wilkes Memorial Cup.
Paw Bradley copped a severe check when rounding the first turn. He raced midfield going down the back straight, standing up the pace-setting Lisa Cole prepared Boom Dynamite around seven lengths.
He put in some giant strides, looming into contention on the home turn. However getting squeezed at a critical point saw him losing momentum.
That didn’t faze Paw Bradley whatsoever as he simply balanced himself up and flicked on his turbo chargers which carried him to his stunning two-length victory!
“I don’t know how he won the race. That had to be one of the better performances I’ve seen for years.
“Paw Bradley had no right to finish in the top three, let alone win it! It was a phenomenal effort after getting cleaned up when going around the first turn, then again when turning for home.
“The way he picked himself up and then proceeded to drop them was amazing. It was like he was a Formula 1 car over the last 50m,” enthused Roberts.
Craig Roberts and Trevor Wilkes both became involved in greyhound racing around 45-years ago and enjoyed an association together. Roberts reflects on that period.
“Trev and myself started in greyhound racing around the same time. He was such a bloody nice guy, always acknowledging everyone. It was great to see his family there.”
Trevor Wilkes enjoyed an unbroken 43-year commentating career. His affable personality saw him earning the total respect of all industry participants, irrespective of the racing code.
Super Kingston Cup victory
Garry Cleeve is a renowned breeder and trainer of staying greyhounds. Think back three-years ago when he enjoyed phenomenal success with his champion stayer Know Keeper.
Last Thursday evening Cleeve produced a stayer who has the potential to develop into another high class stayer.
Little Dodo outstayed his rivals when he bounded to his stylish 43.26 win in Thursday’s running of the $20,000 Kingston Cup Distance Feature.
The 732m Group 2 staying event was led for the greater part of the journey by the Corey Steele trained Opawa Ingrid. She was tracked throughout by Bob Pringle’s pride and joy Grande Vue Ace.
Little Dodo was stalking the pair when going down the back straight the second time.
Turning in for the run home Little Dodo strongly extended, which saw him leading home a game Grande Vue Ace by a length margin.
“I’m absolutely rapt with what Little Dodo achieved. With Opawa Ingrid bowling along out in front and Grande Vue Ace tracking her I was thinking that podium position for her would be a good result.
“Little Dodo then got the momentum around the other two when turning in for the run home which carried us clear. I was very, very pleased on how he handled the step up to 732m racing,” commented Cleeve.
The Kingston Cup is a time honoured staying event that acknowledges the immense input that the Kingston family has injected into Canterbury greyhound racing since the late 1940’s.
Gordon Kingston served for years as the Christchurch GRC Secretary/Manger, while also chairing the GRNZ Board for numerous years.
The GRNZ Hall of Fame member was represented by his widow Maureen at the postrace presentation.
“The Kingston family had a long association with the Christchurch club. Gordon and David have been a big part of my time in greyhound racing. It was wonderful to have Maureen join us at the podium,” reflected ‘Crafty’ Cleeve.
Premier racing was the order of the evening with numerous exciting races being witnessed.
Included was the current NZ Cup title holder One Hot Bandit who made it 13 525m wins at the venue from as many races.
His conditioners Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie produced him to easily return the meet best 29.97 525m time in the $9,810 Valley Inn Tavern Stakes.
On this occasion the 16.42 295m track record holder again burnt his rivals when dashing to his 16.46 win in the feature $10,000 The Homekill Guys Ltd Sprint final.
It was Jerry Cola’s 16th 295m win from 19 sprints at the Christchurch headquarters.
Craig Roberts completed a successful evening when he mentored the quinella with litter sisters in the feature $10,000 Springston Hotel Sprint final.
