FEW would begrudge Speed Direct a feature race win and next Thursday night he gets his chance in the St Leger final over 461 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart.
Speed Direct scored an emphatic win in his St Leger heat last night (September 20) scoring by almost five lengths from Shanlyn Poh with Pak And Wrap just over a length away third.
The Ted Medhurst-trained dog has been very competitive in whatever he has contested with this latest win his 12th from only 23 starts.
“He has been a much maligned dog but his record speaks for itself,” Medhurst said.
Speed Direct ($2.30) made the most of box one to share the lead but he had to contend with a bumping duel with Franklyn Bluboy to the top turn.
However Medhurst’s dog refused to succumb to the pressure and shrugged off the challenge to boot clear approaching the home turn.
Speed Direct sped clear and hit the line full of running, stopping the clock at 26.51, which was a fair effort given the bumping duel.
“I was very proud of this dog tonight the way he handled the knocks and still forged clear for the run home,” Medhurst said.
It was arguably the dog’s most impressive performance even though his time was well short of his best of 26.01 that he set in June from box eight.
While Speed Direct deserves to win a feature race he will probably have to outshine his kennel mate Zorro’s Legacy if he is to emerge triumphant in the final.
Zorro’s Legacy was very impressive in winning his heat.
He began well from box six and after a battle for the lead with Justin’s Dream he crossed to the rail checking Justin’s Dream.
Captain Cosmic, that was trying to sneak along the rail, copped the worst of it and was checked back to fifth.
Once he caught sight of the lure Zorro’s Legacy burst clear and went on to score comfortably from Justin’s Dream with Barcelona Sun getting up for third just ahead of Martello Towers.
Zorro’s Legacy stopped the clock at 26.13 which was lengths better than the other two heat winners and should he mirror that effort in the final he will be ver6y hard to beat.
Zorro’s Legacy has had 19 starts for nine wins and six minor placings which is testimony to his ability.