AN inside draw was enough of an advantage for lightly raced dog Cavern Club to score his first win in a heat of the HGRC Maiden series over 461 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart last night.
The Robin Stocks-trained dog had been placed at his two previous outings from awkward box draws in Hobart and Devonport.
Cavern Club (Kilty Lad-Private Universe) began only fairly from box one but mustered speed quickly to be on the heels of the leaders approaching the top turn.
He tried to scoot through a gap near the rails but Lashing Holly (4) took the spot and checked the favourite.
But when Lashing Holly clipped heels Cavern Club slipped through along the rails and powered his way to a comfortable victory over the fast-finishing Myrtle’s Turtle with Shot Gun Painter hanging on for third ahead of Classic Judd.
Cavern Club has started 14 times for this latest win and five minor placings.
He stopped the clock at 26.87 which was the slowest of the three heat winners but the interference suffered had a bearing on his time.
The Pauline Green-trained Urana Bolt (Ningbo Jack-Diamond Thor) showed he will be a force in the final with an emphatic win in his heat.
Urana Bolt began well from box five to share the lead with Classic Chong and Leo Gets.
But when Green’s dog sighted the lure he sped through to take the lead and had a winning break turning for the run home.
Urana Bolt hit the line well clear of Prince Solo that rattled home at the rate of knots, coming from last on the home turn.
Another 20 metres and the result may have been different.
The well backed favourite Vague Intention from the Rod Ransley kennel was only moderately away from box eight and was nearer to last when the field hit the top turn.
Vague Intention was making his debut and ran home well to grab third, just in advance of Joe Emery that trailed the leaders throughout from box two.
Urana Bolt ran the 461 metres in 26.53.
The final heat was taken out by the Anthony Bullock-trained Kialdu Audrey wearing the black vest.
Kialdu Audrey began well but travelled four-wide to the top turn outside of Feraro Fortitude (4), Buckle Up Dude and Howzat Ernie.
But it was Kialdu Audrey that proved the toughest as he swept to the lead turning for home and went on to score comfortably from Howzat Ernie and Buckle Up Dude with Feraro Fortitude and Black Est dead-heating for fourth.
Kialdu Audrey was having her 12th start and had only placed three times prior to this latest assignment.
She was well supported on the Tote paying $4.80 and $2.50 the place but she started at $9 fixed odds with Tattsbet.
Kialdu Audrey was the fastest of the three heat winners clocking 26.52 to better Urana Bolt’s time by only one hundredth of a second.
The first two placegetters and the two fastest thirds progressed to next week’s final over 461 metres on Thursday night.