SHANLYN HIRDY produced a career best performance to win his heat of the Silver trophy at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart last Thursday night.
While it was not a classic race heat it was the way the dog overcame extreme difficulties to win that had everyone talking up the win.
Shanlyn Hirdy missed the start from box three and tailed out last and when he set sail after the pack he ran into multiple dead ends and more checks.
He was still near last turning for home but hugging the rail he unleashed an incredible finish to score by almost a length from Zavance Man with Lucky Norris over a length astern and just in advance of Megastar Spargo.
It was an unbelievable effort and one that had trainer Graeme Moate salivating over the dog’s prospects.
“When this dog gets the rail and clear running he’s Zoom Top,” Moate said.
“He is the sort of dog that can get people back to the race tracks because of his ability to come from anywhere and win a race,” he said.
Shanlyn Hirdy has always shown exceptional ability and it has only been bad luck in running that has denied him a better strike rate.
“He came to be from Victoria as a maiden after five unplaced suns over there but he has really taken to his life with us and he’s now one of the most exciting dogs in the state,” he said.
Despite the multiple checks Shanlyn Hirdy covered the 461 metres in 26.33s that was only a length outside his personal best of 26.26 that he set in March.
It was a super impressive win but New Recruit probably ensured he will start favourite in this week’s Silver Trophy final (461m) with an impressive heat win.
New Recruit began only fairly from box eight while Katsidis (2) and Penny’s Angel (7) shared the lead heading to the top turn.
New Recruit mustered speed to cross down to the fence and land third and he was poised to pounce when the field hit the to of the home straight.
Katsidis sped clear but New Recruit proved too strong at the business end of proceedings and went on to defeat Katsidis by almost two lengths from Katsidis that edged out the fast-finishing Collyn Tiger that spotted the leaders about eight lengths turning for home.
New Recruit stopped the clock at 26.29 and would only need clear running to emerge triumphant in the final and that would give him his ninth win from his past 12 starts.