In Brief
- Wynburn Sheean on target for Shepparton Cup heats following Ivory Memorial win.
- Ben Englund in awe of his chaser having trialled in track record time.
- Star sprinter to be transported across Bass Strait on Friday night.
Wynyard trainer Ben Englund is setting a solid plan towards the upcoming heats of the Group 2 C.K.H Painting Shepparton Cup next Monday night after his star chaser Wynburn Sheean delivered yet another barnstorming victory taking out the Reg & Aileen Ivory Memorial Final (452m) in Devonport on Tuesday afternoon.
Ben Englund, who has enjoyed immense success racing the top flight son of Aston Dee Bee and She’s All Class, says the campaign towards the Shepparton Cup series was a serious acid test for the young Tasmanian-bred chaser.
A track record trial at Shepparton in between the Ivory Memorial series was going to be a big ask for the young dog.
Backing up just four days from that red-hot run, Wynburn Sheean turned up for the $6,195 Tasbred classic on Tuesday, jumping from box six by leading all the way in setting a dazzling new personal best time of 25.21 seconds.
He scored by seven lengths from Fabulous Baroque and Highland Wonder, notching up his ninth win in Devonport.
It was his 18th win at start 22, having earned $108,425 in prizemoney for the Wynburn Racing Syndicate.
“It’s been a big week going back and forward, I couldn’t be more satisfied on how the dog backed up,” trainer Ben Englund said.
“To be honest the way things panned out with being in the Ivory Memorial series and going to Shepparton it felt like we were asking a lot from Wynburn Sheean, but to his class and nature he did an exceptional job to win the final.
“With restrictions still in place with COVID-19 it’s about time and management to get this dog across for a crack at the big races on the mainland, the Shepparton Cup has been on the radar so hopefully we are heading the right way.”
Venturing across Bass Strait via the Spirit of Tasmania on the weekend, Englund had set an exhibition trial for both Wynburn Sheean and Wynburn Dancer at Shepparton over 450m in lead-up to the $47,000 country cup series.
Trialling between races last Saturday night, both Wynburn Sheean and Wynburn Dancer were both put through their paces taking sight of the Seymour Rd venue, with Wynburn Sheean setting a track record run in his trial from box one running 24.76 taking 0.003 seconds off the mark set by 2020 Melbourne Cup winner Hard Style Rico.
Wynburn Dancer clocked a rather impressive 25.01 seconds coming from box three in her debut trial effort.
“Speaking to local people in Victoria and understanding the times around Shepparton, for Wynburn Sheean running 24.76 first go is a real big accomplishment especially having never left Tasmania to race at all,” the trainer detailed.
“In the last 10 years I haven’t seen a talented dog like Wynburn Sheean put together such a brilliant career record.
“Shepparton is a real speed track and the best greyhounds in the land have won there on route to major group wins.”
With the scratching of Wynburn Dancer from the final on Tuesday, Englund reported he was to be cautious having just come back from a long injury lay-off, though she will still head across to the mainland in the coming months.
Englund added that Wynburn Sheean will be transported to Victoria on Friday night again via the Spirit of Tasmania and will be housed with trainer Kel Greenough in readiness for the Group 2 Shepparton Cup heats on Monday night.
Watch the victory of Wynburn Sheean (box 6) taking the 2021 Reg & Aileen Ivory Memorial Final.