2022 TAB MATCH RACE CHALLENGE – SA V ALL STARS REVIEW
There was a lot of excitement last night at Angle Park with Australia’s fastest greyhound in town, Victorian Wow She’s Fast for Jackie Greenough was competing in the SA v Allstars Match Race Challenge. A strong crowd was on hand to witness the 4 best greyhounds from SA taking on the 4 best from interstate but it was mainly about seeing this star chaser in real life and possibly a track record performance. She was drawn in the final match and as the series started the anticipation began to grow.
The first Match on the night brought together one of the best middle distance greyhounds in Australia in Stout Monelli for Victorian trainer David Geall who has been in brilliant form in Victoria winning 8 of his last 11 starts including the Group 2 McKenna Memorial matched up against local Fly For Trix for Jane McNicholl who recently was crowed the SA National Sprint Champion followed by a 5th placing in the Group 1 final in NSW. An evenly matched contest where leading to the first turn would be crucial. As the start was affected Stout Monelli began very well quickly assuming the lead. Fly For Trix tried to stay close during the middle stages but the strength of Stout Monelli would see him control the race from the front going on to win by more than 2 lengths giving the Allstars a 1-0 lead. His time of 30.20 was close to his personal best and set a really strong time to beat for the other 6 challengers.
The second Match Race saw Queensland flyer Just A Sort for Tony Brett who recently ran second in the Group 1 Brisbane Cup matched against Giant’s Flash for South East trainer Tracie Price who holds the Mt Gambier 600m track record and has shown he has untapped ability. The first surprise of this match was than Giant’s Flash was able to beat out Just A Sort and lead to the first turn. From there “the Flash” was too powerful and raced away from his rival winning in a brilliant 30.15 by 10 lengths for the 530m journey, in the process taking the club house lead and squaring the challenge at 1 – 1.
The next match saw one of the states best chasers in Victa Grosso for Tony Rasmussen who has been in blistering form setting track records at Mt Gambier for the 512m and the 531m at Gawler recently matched against highly exciting Victorian Amron Boy for Brooke Ennis who has run 29.07 at Sandown and 29.55 at the Meadows in only his short career. As this match begun Amron Boy showed good speed to lead early with Victa Grosso hot on his heels. Turning for home Victa Grosso would not go away and pulled out to challenge however Amron Boy gutsed out his win at his first look at Angle Park going on to win by 1 ½ lengths in a slick 30.29 however this time would not challenge the top three.
The stage was now set for Dual Group 1 winner and million dollar star Wow She’s Fast to first of all take care of her challenger, Mallee Magic for Tony Rasmussen who was the second fastest dog to go around the new Angle Park circuit in 29.97 and has won the SA Derby and 50th Anniversary Cup so it would not be easy. Eyes would then turn to the clock to see if she could go lower than 30.15 to take the Match Race challenge and then the track record of 29.95 set by superstar Aston Rupee in last years series.
With plenty on the line and a large crowd now hanging over the fence the green light was turned on with history in the making. Wow She’s Fast began brilliantly from the boxes to record a flying 5.18 first section and lead easily as they raced out the front straight. Mallee Magic just couldn’t keep with the star Victorian as she left the back straight in a blistering 17.37. The win was now well in hand and the 30.15 for the series was covered but all eyes were now on the 29.95 track record. As she turned for home the big crowd cheered as the big girl was in full flight supported by a wonderful call by Tab Radio’s Tim Edwards. Wow She’s Fast crossed the line with a 6-length margin back to Mallee Magic with all eyes focused on the semaphore board. It quickly came up as a 29.8 something which meant a NEW track record but by how much? The crowd’s pleasure and cheers grew as the official time was posted at 29.86 smashing the previous track record by over 1 length and leaving no doubt who is the fastest greyhound in the land.
Wow She’s Fast win helped the All Stars claim the TAB Match Race Challenge series 3-1 and her track record performance also guaranteed her spot into the Group 1 $100,000 to the winner Adelaide Cup final on Friday 7th October and can now by pass next weeks Heats.
GRSA thanks the TAB and Sky Racing for their ongoing support of this series however would especially like to thank the local trainers and the interstate trainers for making the series such a spectacle.
Match Results -
Stout Monelli (All Stars) – 30.20 defeated Fly For Trix (SA) – 30.36
Giant’s Flash (SA) – 30.15 defeated Just A Sort(All Stars) – 30.86
Amron Boy (All Stars) – 30.29 defeated Victa Grosso (SA) – 30.39
Wow She’s Fast (All Stars) – 29.86 defeated Mallee Magic (SA) – 30.29
Watch Wow She's Fast in the 2022 TAB Adelaide Cup!
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