After being sidelined by a “one in a million” injury, Group 1 Maturity Classic finalist Handsome Rhino will ‘charge’ back into action at Healesville on Sunday afternoon, taking what trainer Paul Galea hopes are the first steps on the path to the Melbourne Cup. Prior to his enforced spell, Handsome Rhino had been highly competitive in elite company, qualifying fastest for the Maturity at The Meadows in July with a 29.85sec heat victory, before running fifth to Qwara Bale in the final. The May 2019 son of Aston Dee Bee…
Author: Editor BOAY
Daily Mail: Jonah eyeing Geelong Derby berth
Promising greyhounds converge on Geelong this evening with three outstanding heats for both the Geelong Derby (460m) and Geelong Oaks (460m). Recent G2 Healesville Cup placegetter Hill Top Jonah (14 from 28 – 6 of last 7) highlights the first Geelong Derby heat, but Kinson Bale (4 of last 5) will be a formidable foe. Nikoli Bale (2 from 2 Trk/Dst) and dual Group finalist Mr. America (10 from 19) headline the second Geelong Derby heat, while Street Riot (8 from 15) and Peaky Blazer (4 from 7) have the…
Merit in Aston’s Meadows debut
Co-trainer Jason Sharp is adopting a wait-and-see approach with exciting sprinter Aston Merit ahead of the recent Group 2 Healesville Cup finalist’s city debut at The Meadows on Saturday afternoon. After brilliantly winning the Highway 31 Maiden Challenge at Healesville (pictured above with handler Liam Sharp), in what looks like being a fantastic form race, trainers Jason and Jessica Sharp threw the son of 2015 G1 Hume Cup heroine Secret Spell in the deep end, contesting the G2 Cup heats at just his third start. The Sharps’ judgement was vindicated…
Just what Dr. Tucker ordered!
Leading local trainer Bill McMahon hopes to leave an injury-interrupted 2021 in the rear-view mirror when hometown hero Dr. Tucker makes his eagerly-anticipated return in Sunday night’s Sale Sprint Championship (440m) heats. Dr. Tucker (pictured above after winning Healesville’s Winter Cup in July) started his career with a bang, winning nine of his first 12 starts, including the Group 3 Great Chase at The Meadows 11 months ago. However, the son of McMahon’s former gun sprinter Bernardo has been restricted to just 10 starts this year, of which he’s won…
Kevin’s ‘Kraken’ Grassroots Pearler
After winning only one of her first 20 starts, Kraken Pearler gave Murchison owner/trainer/breeder Kevin Eyles a $7000 pay night when storming to victory in the inaugural $10,000 Grassroots Regional Distance Final (660m) at Ballarat on Wednesday. Kraken Pearler had earned just short of $3000 in prizemoney heading into Grassroots finals night, which also featured the Regional Championship Final (450m), taken out by Joe Borg’s odds-on favourite Avenger Lass. Showcasing the Grassroots theme to perfection, Kraken Pearler, a home-bred daughter of Dyna Double One and Kraken Sal, came into the…
Daily Mail: Ruby set to shine at Sandown Park
A terrific line-up of stayers including G3 winner Mepunga Ruby (12 from 19 – 41.44sec PB) feature in today’s 715m Free For All at Sandown Park. The Watchdog’s top selection faces potential topliner Gypsy Wyong (12 from 20), victorious in the $35,500 G3 Top Cat Video Cup final at The Meadows almost two weeks ago. Dual Group finalist Knicks Bale (3 from 4 Trk/Dst) and G1 winner Here’s Tears (41.16sec PB) are also big threats. G1 runner-up Fernando Mick (2 from 5 Trk/Dst) v G2 winner Jax Bale (29.14sec PB)…
Remembering the legendary Bill Collins
Bill Collins OAM: 23 September 1928 – 14 June 1997 With many of this year’s big Group 1 races fast approaching – across all codes of Australian racing – including the G1 TAB Melbourne Cup for greyhounds at Sandown Park, it’s an ‘odds on’ chance that free-to-air television networks will at some point replay an ‘underestimation’ by one of the world’s greatest race callers, the late Bill Collins. “Kingston Town can’t win!” is something that is played year-in, year-out. It’s a tired, and with time, increasingly disrespectful acknowledgment, of a…
Earthquakes and greyhounds
Following today’s earthquake, GRV advises people to please check on greyhounds in their care. Make sure you check kennel buildings, fences and gates for damage, cracks, gate latches that have opened and gaps where greyhounds could escape or get injured. Also check water bowls, water pipes and drainage for leakage. There may be additional tremors, so please continue to check after each one. If a greyhound is injured, please seek veterinary care.
‘Allstar’ Rupee’s Adelaide challenge
Newly-crowned Sandown Park record-holder Aston Rupee is chasing a berth in the Group 1 Adelaide Cup final when he makes his interstate debut as hot favourite in Thursday night’s TAB Match Race Challenge (530m) at Angle Park. After smashing Sandown’s 515m record at his most recent start, clocking a sensational 28.79sec, Aston Rupee, trained by Glenn Rounds, is all the rage in TAB’s market on the Challenge, which comprises four ‘two-out’ match races. The superstar son of KC And All and Aston Miley, bred and raced by Ray Borda, dominates…
Traralgon track update
Due to COVID 19 restrictions both in the construction industry and in the Ballarat region – where track sand is sourced – the ability to deliver sand to Traralgon for its track surface is now delayed. Access to the track by engineers and other specialists to approve works has also been halted. It is anticipated that the current timeline will extend the final works at the track by only a few weeks, with the opening of the track now being scheduled for late November to early December. Further news including…