NEXT week’s final of the Group 2 Tasracing Launceston Cup could be a stroll in the park for interstate invader Radley Bale given he was the only favourite to salute of the eight heat winners at The TOTE Racing Centre last Monday night.
The Graeme Bate-trained dog flew the lids from box four and was never headed on his way to a convincing 3-1/4 length win over November Digger .
The son of Big Daddy Cool stopped the clock at 29.91s which was a good effort at his first look at the circle track.
Radley Bale has been racing with success in top company for some time and from box three in next Monday night’s final he should be very hard to beat if he displays the same good box manners that enabled him to win his heat so convincingly.
As winner of last year’s Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park Radley Bale is clearly the best-performed dog to make it through to the Launceston Cu final.
The fastest heat winner was the Graeme Moate-trained Shanlyn Hirdy that careered away from his rivals in the first of the eight heats to score by nine lengths from Wicked Magic and in a time of 25.69s with splits of 5.03 and 17.67.
Moate predicted some time back that the Victorian-owned dog that is raced by the Houndog Syndicate had above average ability and could win a Group race without surprising.
Shanlyn Hirdy ($8.30) has only just returned to racing after an enforced lay-off so he can only improve on what he showed in his heat.
Victorian trainer Max Auld had to wait until the scratchings were declared before knowing whether his dog Max A Zillion would gain a start but luckily for him and the dog’s connections them Mick Stringer-trained Au Revour had to be withdrawn through injury, paving the way for Max A Zillion to line up in heat two.
Max A Zillion (Bombastic Shiraz-Elite Monelli) began brilliantly from box three and eventually claimed the rail and went on to score by over six lengths from Apparently So with Jethro almost a length astern.
The favourite Tonneli Bale (Graeme Bate) was smashed late on all Totes to start favourite at $2.50 but was never in the hunt.
Lika Whisper produced the fastest first split of the heat winners. He clocked splits of 4.99 and 17.67 but his run home was not the best.
The Brendan Pursell-trained dog stopped the clock at 30.13 but it was still enough to defeat the long odds-on favourite Rewind that was coming off a win in the Group 2 Devonport Cup.
Punters were left looking for a place to hide when Mick Stringer’s handy sprinter New Recruit caused a boilover by winning his heat at double figure odds ($15).
The Steve White-trained Paua Of Darkness was heavily backed to start the $2.20 favourite ahead of Bate’s Carol Allen ($2.90).
But they both began only fairly and were inconvenienced at the first turn while Penny’s Angel led from box two with New Recruit able to cross to the rails from box seven and give chase down the back stretch.
New Recruit hit the from in the home straight and went on to defeat Penny’s Angel by two lengths in a time of 30.21s that was the slowest of the night.
The bolters kept coming with Sandbanker leading all the way from box two to win at $50.
The Ted Medhurst-trained dog was a finalists in the Group 1 Hobart Thousand but he was up against David Bale and Clyde’s Angel that was a finalists n the South Australia Cup.
Clyde’s Angel tried hard but the early pressure of the chase took its toll and she had to settle for third as Three Tradies finished powerfully to grab second.
The it was Clyde’s Angel’s litter sister’s turn to rub salt into the wounds of the punters.
Strapper’s Angel ($38) began brilliantly from box two and once on the lure the Doug Hammersley-trained bitch took control of the race and went on to defeat interstate invader Strong Intention from the James Innes kennel.
The winning margin was a length and the favourite appeared to have every chance to run the outsider down.
The remaining heat was won by the Anthony Bullock-trained and owned Classic Camdale that crossed early from box seven and in doing so squeezed up the favourite Shireen Bale that caused her to be midfield at the first turn.
Shireen Bale had every chance to haul in the leader but he was too strong and clocked a reasonable time of 29.90s with splits of 5.11 and 17.71.
Box draw for the Group 2 final next Monday night.
1
Strapper’s Angel
Tas
Dale Hammersley
29.87
2
Sandbanker
Tas
Ted Medhurst
29.86
3
Radley Bale
NSW
Graeme Bate
29.91
4
Lika Whisper
Tas
Brendan Pursell
30.13
5
New Recruit
Tas
Mick Stringer
30.21
6
Shanlyn Hirdy
Vic
Graeme Moate
29.69
7
Max A Zillion
Vic
Max Auld
29.79
8
Classic Camdale
Tas
Anthony Bullock
29.90
9
Strong Intention
29.93
10
Three Tradies
30.07