Omega Tyson is the local ‘great white hope’ in the $75,000 to-the-winner Group 1 GOLD FM Sale Cup (650m) on Boxing Day. And his Seaspray breeder-owner-trainer Barry Harper, 73, hopes he plays ‘hometown hero’. “The money is always handy, but to win the Sale Cup would be absolutely sensational – the highlight of my career in the sport,” Harper said. And that’s saying something considering Harper finished second with Zippity Magic, beaten a half-length, in the 1994 G1 Melbourne Cup won by champion Light Of Fire. Omega Tyson is also attempting…
Author: Editor BOAY
Sale Cup Final: Armchair Guide
Chasing a second Group 1 Gold FM Sale Cup title on Sunday night, Jeff Britton is cautiously optimistic it will be a case of third time lucky on the Group 1 stage for TAB’s $2.20 favourite Mepunga Ruby in the Boxing Day showpiece. Britton won the Sale Cup in 2014 with classy Western Australian Star Recall, while his GRV Hall Of Fame inductee father Allan and brother Robert have also won the event in 1997 and 2010 with Shannen’s Storm and Symmetry respectively. Mepunga Ruby (Box 1) has been racing…
‘Impulsive’ quest for Futurity
‘Bargain basement’ purchase Impulse Buy will double her current earnings if successful in tonight’s $40,000 to-the-winner Group 2 Bogie Leigh Futurity final (520m) at Albion Park. Impulse Buy has been a ‘priceless’ acquisition for former jockey Emily Azzopardi, 23, and her G1-winning partner Matt Lanigan, 29. The Aug ’19 Orson Allen x Paua To Excite speedster was bought on ‘impulse’, predominantly with breeding in mind, for $5000. Impulse Buy has now raced on 25 occasions for eight wins, eight seconds and two thirds with $40,195 in prizemoney. And she’s giving…
Daily Mail: ‘Lala’ to go ta-ta at Sandown Park?
G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Lala Kiwi is the in-form chaser in tonight’s 515m Free For All at Sandown Park, but there are many challengers including dual G3 winner Barooga Smoke. Two-time G1 finalist Junk Food Junkie, Tynslee Bale and G2 Warrnambool Cup finalist Got The Torque are also strong chances. Blue Tiger v King Of Calypso v Russian Sub v G2 Laurels runner-up Gracie Bale v Hazey Roy is expected to be a great battle. Brother Bearing is eyeing four straight wins, while G3 Provincial Plate finalist Dusty Lyn and…
Tesla ‘electric’ in Silver Chief heats
The future was now at The Meadows on Wednesday night when the best young male sprinters in Victoria were showcased in eight ‘sudden death’ heats of the Group 1 TAB Silver Chief Classic (525m). Heat honours went to Andrea Dailly’s Zippy Tesla, which clocked his second Best Of Night performance at The Meadows in the space of five nights, when running 29.77sec in the third run-off. The son of KC And All and Zippy Daph, bred and raced by Dailly Greyhound Farms, continuing their recent success with homebred stock, backed…
Kayla’s Fernando ‘life-changers’ retired
Teenage trainer Kayla Cottrell’s dream ride with Fernando Bluey and Fernando Cazz has come to an end with the star littermates both retired. Cottrell, 19, created history during the Australian Cup Carnival in February, becoming the youngest Victorian trainer to win a G1 event when Fernando Cazz was victorious in the Rookie Rebel (600m). A fortnight later the young Pearcedale mentor came within a half-head of winning the G1 Australian Cup, when Fernando Bluey was edged out by WA superstar Tommy Shelby. Fernando Bluey also qualified for the G1 Harrison-Dawson…
Lakeview Walter scratched from TAB Phoenix
Second reserve Lakeview Walter has been scratched from Saturday night’s $1.145 million TAB Phoenix at The Meadows after succumbing to a ligament injury on Monday. The Gippsland superstar is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks, leaving Lala Kiwi as the only available reserve in the inaugural Phoenix. With the box draw for the TAB Phoenix race being conducted (and therefore finalised) last Sunday, conditions did not allow for another greyhound to fill the second reserve position in place of Lakeview Walter. The TAB Phoenix reserves were to face off…
Just ‘Do It’ in Hobart Thousand
Adelaide Cup hero Do It will take aim at a second interstate Group 1 victory in Thursday night’s time-honoured Hobart Thousand final (460m). Trained by Jeff Britton, Do It defeated litter brother and kennelmate Mr. Fix It to win the Adelaide Cup in October and he’s on the third line of TAB’s Hobart Thousand market at $4 from Box 6. Fellow Victorian stars, three-time country cups winner Ferdinand Boy (Box 8) and G1 Melbourne Cup finalist Aussie Secret (Box 1) head betting at $2.60 and $2.90 respectively. Aussie Secret, trained…
‘Billy’ a Phoenix hero?
Meet greyhound racing’s Clancy of the Overflow, Ian Gilders, and his ‘bush hero’, Billy Creek. Gilders, 71, hopes to write his own ‘bush ballad’ with Billy Creek in the inaugural $1.145m TAB The Phoenix (525m) at The Meadows on Saturday night. Based at Beryl in the Central West region of NSW, around 300km from Sydney, Gilders has only been involved in the sport for five years and Billy Creek is a member of the only litter he has bred. Naturally, Gilders and Billy Creek – a winner of 10 races…
Daily Mail: Titanic battle at The Meadows
The promising Titan Blazer has won consecutive races (8 from 19 overall) and faces G1 Adelaide Cup finalists Weblec Blazer and Came And Went in a terrific Grade 5 525m race at The Meadows this afternoon. G3 Silver Bullet finalist Xavien Bale is the standout chaser in a Mixed 3/4 525m event, while Osprey Phantom v El Cazador v Sambar Chief should be an entertaining Grade 5 600m race. G2 Bendigo Cup finalist Lots Of Chatter headlines a Mixed 4/5 450m race at Ballarat this evening, while prolific winners Rocket…