EMERALD LEE emerged as one of the top chances to take out this week’s Hobart Maiden Thousand series final after scoring impressively in her semi-final at Tattersall’s Park last Thursday night.
The Debbie Cannan-trained bitch began brilliantly from box three to lead and set up a winning break by the time she reached the top turn.
With splits of 5.18sec and 11.33s she extended her lead at every turn and went on to score by over five lengths from Masters Boy that chased the winner throughout.
The bitch debuted with a second in her qualifying heat behind Franklyn Blueboy beaten a quarter-of-a–length in a moderate time of 26.71 but with that run under her belt she improved many lengths.
Emerald Lee (Paddy’s Flame-Inbetween Days), owned and raced by the trainer in partnership with Ian Sowell, stopped the clock at 26.36.
That was marginally slower than the quickest time set by Zavance Man that led all the way to win his heat by over a length in a time of 26.33s.
Zavance Man is ironically owned by Emerald Lee’s mentor Debbie Cannan but is trained by Ted Medhurst.
Zavance Man won his qualifying heat in a time of 26.55, scoring by 7-1/2 lengths from Wynburn Image.
The son of Head Bound-Its A She improved on that time in his heat and given clear racing room he will be hard to beat in the final provided he begins well from box seven.
Emerald Lee will carry the check vest in the final and only has to mirror his semi-final performance to be the one to beat.
Times Of Grace may not have clocked the fastest time of the eight semi-final winners (26.64) but he was one of the most impressive.
The dog began only fairly from box eight while impressive heat winner Franklin Blueboy began like a shot from box five to set up a commanding lead heading to the top turn.
But Times Of Grace slipped into overdrive at the 340-metre boxes and had the leader in his sights turning for homer. The son of Collision then ran into the back of the leader in the straight but regained balance, switched to the inside and ran on powerfully to score by five lengths.
Times Of Grace will start from box one in the final and provided he can begin with them he too will make his presence felt at the business end of the race.
Wynburn Voodoo matched the time set by Times Of Grace and his effort was on a par as he had to hunt up along the rails after a moderate getaway from box two.
But once clear he sped away and had over four lengths to spare on the line.
Miss Hetti was well backed to win her semi-final. She settled third from box eight but when she switched to the inside to challenge the leader in the home straight she sped clear and hit the line a clear winner in a time of 26.70.
Disney Bound had to overcome a poor start from box three to win her semi.
The bitch weaved a passage through the field from the 340-metre boxes and she pressed on to record a strong win in a time of 26.74.
The Graeme Moate-trained Shanlyn Hirdy won his heat in a time of 26.79 but he had to overcome enormous difficulties to win his semi-final.
Shanlyn Hirdy began fairly from box seven and worked three-wide before crossing to the fence.
But when not quite on the rail he was almost dragged down from behind and los momentum.
Shanlyn Hirdy was third into the straight but he found another gear and went on to score by over two lengths.
Night Train won his semi without much effort. The Anthony Bullock-trained dog began well from box eight and held sway by three lengths at the top turn and went on to win comfortably in a time of 26.67s.