THE connections of star Tasmanian greyhound Damek will be on tenterhooks for a week waiting for the state final of the National Sprint Championship series to be run in Launceston next Monday night.
Damek extended his unbeaten record in Tasmania to 11 wins tonight (Monday) when he powered his way to a brilliant win in a state heat of the National Sprint at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston.
He scampered over the 515-metre trip in a slick 29.73 that was clearly the quickest of the three heat winners.
Damek began well from box four but seasoned sprinter Eagle Eye look set to find the rails from box eight.
But Damek dug up and kept him pout and once clear the end result was never in doubt.
Eagle Eye was game but Damek had two lengths to spare over him on the line with Sultan’s Swing almost three lengths astern.
Damek holds the 515-metre track record in Launceston of 29.40 and if a dry track is presented for next week’s final he could better that time.
Prolific placegetter Tombstone Jack made his way into the state sprint final with an emphatic win in his heat. The Stuart Genge-trained dog settled second after beginning with them from box four and always looked the winner as he stalked the leader Hellyeah Jacko into the back straight.
He stormed to the front and went on to defeat Indecision by over four lengths with Hellyeah Jacko hanging on for third 1-1/4 lengths away.
Tombstone Jack had finished second at his four previous outings but the former Queenslander appears to have saved his best for this series.
He stopped the clock at 29.81.
Talented bitch High Choice will make her presence felt in the state final if she can improve on the time she recorded to win her heat.
High Choice settled third and when she made her move heading into the home turn she looked set to storm past the leaders.
But she clipped the heels of one of the Hellyeah Geoff lost two lengths.
She regained her composure and stormed last Hellyeah Geoff and went on to defeat that dog by over a length with the well backed Macey’s Dream almost three lengths astern.
The first two placegetters and the two fastest thirds qualified for a berth in the final.
Box draw for final:
1 Tombstone Jack
2 Indecision
3 Hellyeah Geoff
4 High Choice
5 Eagle Eye
6 Sultan’s Swing
7 Damek
8 Hellyeah Jacko
1st res Macey’s Dream
2nd res Posh Emma