2020 Eastar Match Race Series Review
The second running of the Eastar Match Race series saw another exciting series with 8 of the state’s fastest greyhounds going head to head in 4 x 2 dog races.
It was the Bill Wudarczyk trained Alfieri who come out on top with a blistering overall time of 29.54 for the 515m to claim the $6,000 first prize however he had to wait right to the end in a nail biting finish.
In the first Match Race Alfieri took on Cairnlea Ebony for Petar Jovanovic and after a slow beginning and railing hard down the back straight Alfieri was able to race past Cairnlea Ebony and stretch away for a very quick 29.54 victory. The series favourite posted a very sharp time and most thought it would be hard for that time standard to be challenged.
The second match race was very exciting with the Ben Rawlings trained Two Times Twice taking on the up and coming Maddison Kaye for Des Hockley. As most expected Maddison Kaye showed her early brilliance to lead with Two Times Twice just in behind. Two Times Twice is very strong and angled for the inside run down the back but Maddison Kaye held him off. Turning for home the run appeared for Two Times Twice who drove through and the pair settled down to fight out a neck and neck finish. Maddison Kaye held her more experienced counterpart for a great win in a flying 29.62 putting her in second spot overall.
The third match up saw the most even pair on paper with Double By Design for Sharyn Gray taking on Wooden Tiger for Petar Jovanovic both with very similar racing patterns. As the start was affected Double By Design jumped to the rails first with Wooden Tiger going up with the lids and missing the start however he did muster quickly. Like the second match race the run eventually came into the front straight for Wooden Tiger who was able to drive through for a narrow victory. His time was a very good 29.78 considering he missed the start and connections might be wondering what might have been had he gotten away cleanly.
There were only two chances left to beat Alfieri’s 29.54 when It’s A Riot for Ben Rawlings and Boss McLaren for Don Foster matched up in the last two dog battle.
As the boxes flew open It’s A Riot began brilliantly to lead easily to the first turn and rocketed into the back straight with Alfieri’s time looking in danger. Boss McLaren was doing his best to keep up but he was just of the blistering pace It’s A Riot was setting. It’s A Riot was about 4 lengths quicker than Alfieri’s time of the back straight however at only his second run back from illness race fitness was always going to play a part. It’s A Riot was brave to the line and stopped the clock in 29.6 something as the official time was about to be adjusted. The official number came up and his time of 29.58 was just outside Alfieri’s time standard. He beat Boss McLaren and pushed Maddison Kaye back to third overall but Alfieri would be crowned our Eastar champion for 2020.
Alfieri is by Fernando Bale and Rhonda Rocks being bred by Bill, he is owned by Kirin Corby and Bill and now has won 21 races from 32 starts with 5 placings and career prizemoney of around $50,000.