IF Tasmania’s representative in next week’s National Distance Championship is not from a litter bred by Leigh Alexander then it is highly unlikely that the home state can produce the National winner.
Three of the Head Bound – It’s A She litter have made it through to the Tasmanian final comprising Jethro and Beaudine from the Butch Deverell kennel and the Ted Medhurst-trained Bell Haven.
Jethro won his heat over 709 metres in track record time (41.30s) while Bell Haven also won her heat but clocked a slightly slower time.
However it was Bell Haven’s record of 41.33s that Jethro broke last week.
Beaudine had the distinction of defeating Bell Haven in the last few strides of a graded distance event at their previous meeting
Tomorrow night’s final (race six at 9.05 pm) sees Jethro drawn ideally in box two as is Bell Haven in eight, while Beaudine will; again need luck in running wearing the blue vest.
Medhurst also has Tadmore Dunoon (1); Baretta Bee (5) and Collyn Tiger (7) engaged giving the two top mentors six of the eight runners.
While Medhurst has half the field he will be pinning his hopes on Bell Haven to finish first or second to qualify for a place in the National Championship to be run over 709 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart on Saturday August 25.
Medhurst is already on record as naming Bell Haven the best stayer he has trained while Deverell regards Jethro as “a freak”.
“This dog is a freak, his constitution and recovery is phenomenal, he was pulling me back to the kennel block after the run,” Deverell said after Jethro won his heat last week.
“That was only his second run over the trip having won the Winter Stakes at Launceston at his first look and three weeks ago he was running in the heats of the Maturity in Melbourne,” he said.
Should Bell Haven find the front then she will be hard to run down but if Jethro begins well and has the sit on his litter sister than there is little doubt he will be the one to beat.