PENNY’S ANGEL staked his claim on a berth in this year’s Minister’s Gift final with a resounding win in an opening round heat over 461 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart on Thursday night.
Penny’s Angel showed her customary early speed to find the lead from box five and he was never headed on his way to an impressive 3-1/2 length win over Posh Emma with Hellyeah Bluey a close up third.
It was another professional performance from the black sheep of the litter .Penny’s Angel (Collide-Ricky’s Angel) is a sibling of Topgun invitee Rewind and Terry and Betty Penny’s classy bitches Miss Roman Nose and Clyde’s Angel.
Miss Roman Nose and Clyde’s Angel quinellaed the Tasmanian Oaks and Tas Country Oaks earlier this year.
Penny’s Angel stopped the clock at 26.39s on a slow track that was clearly superior to most of the heat winners.
The Minister’s Gift final will be made up of the top eight point scorers from the two rounds of heats.
Heat winners receive 11 points with eight allocated for second and six for third.
Points reduce by one through to seventh with no points for last.
Leica Taipan earned top points in his heat with a powerful display.
The Sonya Martin-trained dog began only fairly from box three and settled midfield in the run to the top turn.The leaders jammed up and a couple were checked in the scrimmage but Leica Taipan missed the interference by switching wide turning for home.
Capetown Annie (8) loomed to run on after racing wide from box rise but she had no answer to Leica Taipan’s powerful finish.
Leica Taipan hit the line almost three lengths clear of Capetown Annie with Whitney’s World coming from well back to grab third a neck astern.
The winner clocked 26.85 on a slow surface and it was his first win from 14 tries on the U-turn track.
Posh Will won his heat courtesy of a dream rails run close to home.
The Sandy Elphinstone-trained dog showed no early speed from box one but he improved gradually and in the home straight he powered home to grab victory in the last fee strides to score by a neck from Whitney’s Rose with Hellyeah Stella the same margin away third for what was a blanket finish.
Posh Will stopped the clock at 26.64 with splits of 5.24s and 11.33s.Stylish Kim notched her third win on the track when he she took top, points in the fourth of the five heats.
The Tony Dawson-trained bitch settled midfield but when the leaders packed and struck trouble turning for home Stylish Kim swept around the pack to hit the front turning for home and went on to score comfortably from Winklee Weeper and Crashin’ Koby.
Our Silhouette made amends for a last placing in the Laurels with a decisive win in her Minister’s Gift heat.
Topline Dee began brilliantly from box six to lead with Our Silhouette camped third to the top turn.
But when Our Silhouette slipped into top gear she hauled in the leader and went on to score convincingly from Whitney’s Furnee with Topline Dee a close-up third.
The next round of heats will be run in Launceston on Monday night (Oct 17) with the final at Devonport on October 26.