VICTORIAN greyhound trainer Darren McDonald was thrilled when Gardam Prince finally gave him a big race win in Tasmania when the dog scored a convincing victory in the Group 3 Devonport Cup last month.
McDonald has now turned his attention to Launceston and next Monday night Gardam Prince has the chance of adding the Group 2 Country Club Tasmania Launceston Cup (515m) to his already impressive CV.
In Launceston last Monday night Gardam Prince produced a brilliant effort to win his heat in a time of 29.83, which was the best of the eight heat winners.
Known as a U-turn specialist he made the most of his box one draw to have no trouble holding the lead to the first turn.
He sped clear down the back and had plenty in reserve when he hit the line almost four lengths clear of Topline Doovee with Pure Thirst over five lengths astern.
Gardam Prince stayed in Tasmania after the Devonport Cup win and was kennelled at Russell Watts’ training complex at Moorleah on the North-WestCoast.
McDonald has a big opinion of Gardam prince and expects him to improve with age.
Another impressive heat winner was South Australian entry Where’s Fly that began brilliantly from box four to find the front.
The son of Where’s Pedro-Somerton Lass gave nothing else a chance on his way to a 2-3/4 length win over NSW dog Mad Magic with Tasmania’s rising star Thirteen Black over two lengths away third.
Where’s Fly stopped the clock at 29.86 for what was his first run on the track.
Pedro Pronto gave his rivals a galloping lesson in his heat, leading all the way to score by almost 12 lengths in a time of 29.89, which was only e length off Gardam Prince’s time.
The Robert Grubb-trained dog has been in brilliant form and he would only need the breaks to go his way to make an impact in the final.
Grubb will have two runners in the final with his smart sprinter Fisherman earning his berth with a scintillating heat win in a time of 29.94.
Fisherman is owned by Grubb but trained at ActonPark by Mark Sutcliffe.
Fisherman showed explosive speed from box six to cross to the fence half-way to the first turn.
Once on the lure he was never going to be run down and went on to score by 6-1/2 lengths from Painted Matty with High Choice a fast-finishing third.
Penguin-based trainer Butch Deverell has won the past two Launceston Cups with Big Moose and his litter brother Akka Boy.
He will be hoping to make it a hat trick with Big Zeus that powered home to win his heat.
Big Zeus began fairly from box six but he was close enough to the lead at the first turn to miss the trouble and track the leader Calamac Blaze down the back stretch.
Calamac Blaze still had a handy lead turning for home but when Big Zeus put in the big strides he hauled in the leader and defeated that dog by almost four lengths with Whispering Blaze over a length astern.
The winner stopped the clock at 30.15 that was a few lengths shy of the best of the night.
Big Zeus has been consistent of late and while he’ll need luck in the final he has a powerful finish and Devereux will be hoping for a similar result in the final.
The in-form Sultan’s Swing cruised into the final with an emphatic win in her heat.
The Debbie Cannan-trained bitch went onto the race with a hat-trick of wins to her credit.
While her time of 30.06 was a personal best she might need to improve a couple more lengths to win the final.
Trainer Donna Goodluck only has a small team at her MountDirection kennels but it is a quality line-up, evidenced by her dog Trilogy Mission powering his way into the final with an impressive heat win.
Trilogy Mission began well from box three but was unable to hold out Chudley that sped clear down the back to set up a handy break.
But nearing the home turn Trilogy Mission slipped into overdrive, collared the leader turning for home and went on to defeat Chudley by a half-length.
Trilogy Mission ran the 515 metres in 30.12, which was a fair effort given he encountered traffic at the first turn.
Uno Keysy made his way into the final with an all-the-way heat win but in the slowest time of the eight heat winners clocking 30.20.
The Len Howard-trained dog made the most of wearing the red vest, gaining a saloon passage run to the first turn while the more favoured candidates including the favourites Keyger Rocket and Decembrist engaged in bumping duels that led to their demise.
The winner of the final will earn a neat $40,000 for his or her owner.
Box draw for the Group 2 Launceston Cup final:
1 – PEDRO PRONTO.
2 – UNO KEYSY.
3 – BIG ZEUS.
4 – WHERE’S FLY.
5 – SULTAN’S SWING.
6 – TRILOGY MISSION.
7 – GARDAM PRINCE.
8 – FISHERMAN.
Reserves
9 – MAD MAGIC.
10 – TOPLINE DOOVEE.