The stayers are in action at Hatrick this evening
Peter Fenemor • May 16th, 2025 12:52 PM • 4 min read
The stayers are in action at Hatrick this evening
The staying canine athletes continue with their preparations for New Zealand’s premier staying race, the $80,000 Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar with a 755m assignment this evening at the Hatrick Raceway.
The Geraldine based stayer Grande Vue Ace is embarking on another road trip as she continues with her frequent Cook Straight sailings with her conditioner Bob Pringle.
She returns north following her gallant second in last week’s $20,000 Kingston Cup Distance feature over 732m.
Grande Vue Ace sat, waiting for a rails racing passage to open when tracking the pace-setting Opawa Ingrid. The gap never opened, forcing her to come around the outside of the pacemaker to lodge her late claim.
Victory in the Jolt Coffee House Wanganui (Race 8) race will see Grande Vue Ace push through the $200,000 stakes earning barrier in her 111th career race.
“I feel that not being able to push through on the rail was what cost Grande Vue Ace last week. Never mind, that’s behind us now and we push onwards with the Silver Collar (June 8) being her target.
“She has bounced back being her usual happy self and she’s back on her favourite track tonight,” confirmed Pringle. “I’ll stay in the north being lucky to have family and friends to stay with.”
Opawa Ingrid displayed grit and determination when she attempted to lead her rivals’ all-the-way in the Kingston Cup for her conditioner Corey Steele. She gamely stuck on for her third placing and another solid effort can be expected from her this evening.
Sweet And Sassy finished third to Grande Vue Ace over 755m here two-races ago. The early pace that this Jamie Pruden prepared stayer owns can keep her in contention for a long way following her traffic impeded Kingston Cup outing.
Unsurprisingly the evening’s open class 520m event is dominated by Lisa Cole trained contenders. The All The News @ Trackside (Race 9) field features the presence of first two finishers in last week’s New Zealand Oaks final.
Big Time Zip dictated the pace to her Oaks rivals when she led the field all-the-way. She is poised to do likewise from her trap-two draw in this event.
Big Time Favour was bold when claiming her NZ Oaks second placing. However, her seven-trap draw in this event is a concern for this noted railing chaser.
Kennelmates Big Time Brave and Boom Dynamite hold sounder podium claims simply because of their known early pace which they can effectively use from traps three and four respectively.
He’s chasing after his 50th career win in his 134th race start in this event. Blazin’ Master has never missed a podium placing in 12 races (seven-wins) while wearing the red racing vest and he can add to his imposing $353,208 stake earnings in this race.
Waterloo Cup is looming
The open class 527m, 520m and 525m races around the country hold significance over the next ten-days as the top class greyhounds vie for field positions for the looming Group 1 Waterloo Cup heats.
The Waterloo Cup is New Zealand’s oldest feature greyhound event with it first being contested for as a coursing event back in 1878.
Waterloo Cup heats will be held at Addington (May 29), Hatrick (May 30) and Manukau (June 1) with the $30,000 final being decided at Manukau on June 8.
One of the lead in races is Sunday’s Mt. Wellington TAB Stakes (Race 8) 527m event at the Manukau Stadium.
The Mark and John Smith training partnership have been kicking a lot of goals in the north lately.
Winners have been flowing freely from their Te Kauwhata training base and they hold the key to the outcome of Sunday’s 527m race.
They have accepted with two-contenders, both of whom own strength.
Gone Walkabout has returned to the Manukau postrace podium following all seven of his 527m races at the venue. Five of those races has been winning efforts.
Unique Sunrise has recorded four wins and four minors from his nine 527m races, with both greyhounds going into the race with the same 30.59 best winning 527m time.
Involved in the ownership of both greyhounds is GRNZ Hall of Fame member Thayne Green.
Gone Walkabout kicked on stoutly for his Thursday Cambridge 2.50 length 457m third, while Unique Sunrise can be forgiven his fifth placing in the same race. Both of them race more generously at the Auckland headquarters.
The high flying training sisters are enjoying a hugely successful season, having mentored 124 winners, the leading northern based trainers.
Turtle Watch missed out on making January’s Auckland Cup field on a ballot, after recording the same time as another runner in the Cup heats.
He did win the 527m Auckland Cup Consolation event on Cup day when he delivered a 30.49 chase.
