Angle Park Preview - 8th February 2024
Tonight’s highlight is the 2024 SA St Leger which is Race 8 on the program, two kennels have a strong hand with the Ben Rawlings team having 4 runners, and the Gavin Harris kennel with 3, Liz Chegia is the odd one out as she has Fantastic Ada engaged but as we all know as punters you can never leave out of your selections. With $10,000 on offer to the winner I went with Peaky Boo down in box 3 as he has been very smart since crossing the border, if you are having a First Four box up 1.3.8.7.
Race 1 - 1,8,6,2
Race 2 - 4,1,6,2
Race 3 - 5,2,1,7
Race 4 - 5,4,1,7
Race 5- 5,1,6,8
Race 6 - 6,3,4,8
Race 7 - 1,2,4,8
Race 8 - 3,8,7,1
Race 9 - 1,2,4,5
Race 10 - 2,5,8,1
Race 11 - 1,2,4,6
Race 12 - 1,6,2,4
Best Bets
Race 1 No 1 - Bandit Hazel
Race 8 No 3 - Peaky Boo
Race 9 No 1 - Fantastic Helga
Best Each Way
Race 4 No 1 - Ravers Army
VACCINATION RULE FOR RACING IN SA
Trainers are reminded that Rule 25 (Minimum Vaccination Requirements) took effect Monday, 1st May, Vaccination Certificates must be received by GRSA prior to close of nominations for affected greyhounds to be considered eligible.
The Boy from the Bush gives his selections for tonight’s wonderful night of racing at Angle Park tonight -
First 4 selections -
Race 1 - 1,2,6,8
Race 2 - 6,4,1,2
Race 3 - 8,7,1,2
Race 4 - 5,4,1,7
Race 5 - 8,1,6,5
Race 6 - 3,2,1,8
Race 7 - 7,8,4,5
Race 8 - 3,8,7,5
Race 9 - 1,2,5,4
Race 10 -5,1,4,8
Race 11-1,2,6,4
Race 12 -6,4,1,2
Best Bets: Race 2 No 6 Dark Thrill
Best Bets: Race 10 No 5 Allinga Zoe
Eachway Bets: Race 5 No 8 Manipulation
ANGLE PARK THURSDAY (City A)
Next week's Angle Park Thursday meeting features -
$4,050 Heats Maiden/Grade 6 – 595m ($5,810 Final Thursday 22/2/24.)
$5,810 Heats Open Series – 530m (Non Penalty. Final 22/2/24)
$3,880 SA Owned Grade 6 – 530m (For greyhounds who have won up to 4 races)
$2,785 Maiden – 530m
$3,680 Special event Grade 5 (worst to best) – 530m (One 8 dog field will be graded from the Weighted Points Score table of Grade 5 pool of greyhounds worst to best grading. No guarding and no reserves. Trainers cannot nominate for this event specifically. Non Penalty)
$6,315 Special Event N/P (all greyhounds considered.G5 must advise if do not want a start)– 595m
$7,140 Open – 730m
* Nominations close Monday 12th February with GRSA at 9.00am.
2024 SA ST LEGER FINAL TONIGHT
There were four terrific heats conducted last week at Angle Park where greyhounds qualified for tonight’s prestigious 2024 SA St Leger final worth $14,275 which is race 8 on tonight’s program due to start at 8.55pm.
The first heat last week was taken out by the Kirin Corby trained Blue Intensity who ran 31.03 for the 530m journey in leading most of the way and defeating Ferocious Ivy. The second heat was taken out by Peaky Boo for Ben Rawlings in impressive fashion winning by 8.50 lengths in 30.41 when leading throughout and defeating Zinfandel Austin. The third heat was won by the Ben Rawlings trained Riot Rooster who ran home strongly of speed to defeat Springvale Rita in 30.61. The final heat saw Fantastic Ada for Liz Chegia get the better of Zinfandel Evie over the concluding stages to win in 30.76. Its shaping as a wonderful race tonight for some of our most promising young chasers who look the stars of the future. Good luck to all connections concerned.
Race 8 @ 8.55pm - 2024 SA St Leger Final over 530m ($10,000 to the winner) -
1. Ferocious Ivy -- Ben Rawlings
2. Zinfandel Austin -- Gavin Harris
3. Peaky Boo -- Ben Rawlings
4. Blue Intensity -- SCR
5. Zinfandel Evie -- Gavin Harris
6. Fantastic Ada -- Liz Chegia
7. Springvale Rita -- Gavin Harris
8. Riot Rooster -- Ben Rawlings
9. My Khaleesi (Box 4) -- Ben Rawlings
10. Magical Mystic (2nd Res) -- SCR
LENA JINX AT THE MEADOWS ON SATURDAY NIGHT FOR GROUP 1 ZOOM TOP
Angle Park 730m track record holder Lena Jinx for trainer Gavin Harris will be taking on the best stayers in the country on Saturday night at the Meadows in the Group 1 Zoom Top. With $75,000 to the winner it has drawn together a sensational line up which includes our SA owned, trained and bred staying star. Lena Jinx has drawn box 5 with the Zoom Top race 8 on the program due to start at 8.05pm SA time.
The meeting will also feature 8 heats of the Group 1 Australian Cup and the Group 1 Temlee.
2024 GAWLER PRODUCE STAKES – SECOND PAYMENT DUE TOMORROW (FRIDAY 9TH FEBRUARY)
GRSA advises that the second payment for the 2024 Gawler Produce series will be due on Friday, 9th February. Please contact GRSA for further information if required.
MAIDEN/GRADE 6 LOW GRADE FEATURE THIS MONTH
The low grade series in February at Angle Park is a Maiden/Grade 6 series over 595m with $4,050 Heats on Thursday, 15th February with the $5,810 Final on Thursday, 22nd February.
• Nominations for the Heats close Monday, 12th February at 9.00am.
GAWLER BREEDERS 2024 HEATS THIS MONTH
The first part of the Breeders 2024 series kicks off with $1,600 Heats on Sunday, 18th February over the 400m (Short Course).
The $3,300 Final will be run on Sunday, 25th February 2024. For SA Bred greyhounds paid up for Breeders 2024
• Nominations for the Heats close Wednesday, 14th February at 9.00am.
LAUNCHING PAD SA SERIES BEGINS ON 22nd FEBRUARY
Again, this year the Sandown GRC will offer a sweepstake ticket into the rich Launching Pad Series.
There are special conditions on the race, being for greyhounds that have won between 1 and 6 races and have not had more than 30 starts at close of their nominations.
The Heats will be run at Sandown over the 515m on Thursday, 14th March with the Semi-Finals on Thursday, 21st March and the $150,000 to the winner Final run on Thursday, 28th March. GRSA will secure a ticket and will give one greyhound the opportunity to compete in this lucrative series. We will run a Heat and Final series to determine who will make the Launching Pad Heats on 14th March.
Our Heats will be run on Thursday, 22nd February over the 530m at Angle Park for greyhounds that have won 1-4 races and no more than 28 starts at time of nominations. The Heats will be worth $4,050 and will be Non Penalty events. The Final will be run at Angle Park on Thursday, 29th February over the 530m with prizemoney of $5,810 and will also be Non Penalty.
The winner of the Final will take their spot in the Launching Pad Heats two weeks later, however, if the winner cannot take their spot (would need to be confirmed by GRSA as a satisfactory reason) then the next qualified greyhound will be given that spot.
GRSA has restricted the series to 1-4 wins and 28 starts incase a greyhound wins both the Heat and Final so this will still keep them eligible. If greyhounds win outside the series this may deem them ineligible for the Sandown series. We have also made our Final two weeks before the Launching Pad Heats at Sandown to give the trainer an opportunity to get across the border and trial for the big race.
• Nominations close with GRSA for the SA Heats at 9am on Monday, 19th February.
NEW MT GAMBIER COMMITTEE
Following the club's AGM and first committee meeting for 2024 please be advised of the Mt Gambier GRC new committee.
President: Noel Perry
Vice President: Jason Newman
Secretary: Ruth Lewis
Committee: Scott Blacksell, Mark Dwyer. Dave Green, Garry Harding, Allan Holmes, David Lewis, Ben Price and Michael Robinson.
REGUPOL FLOORING FOR MOUNT GAMBIER KENNEL HOUSE IN APRIL
GRSA and the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club have organised for contractors and their maintenance teams to install Regupol flooring in the Mount Gambier Kennel House from Monday 15th April. Works will take a week and will have an affect on racing and trialling during this period.
A schedule of work and dates are below.
1. Work would begin on Sunday evening, 14th of April with Maintenance clearing the kennels from the area after racing has concluded. (This is the Group 3 Mt Gambier Cup meeting)
2. Contractors would begin their work on Monday 15th April with a view to have this completed by the Friday 19th April (Including the morning of Saturday 20th April in case of slippage).
3. Maintenance staff would reinstall the kennels on Saturday 20th April ready for racing on Sunday 21st April.
4. Trials for the week will be cancelled including Saturday 15th April due to staff availability.
5. The Race meeting on Thursday 18th April will be cancelled.
Both Club and Authority have looked as these dates as the best option and least disruption to participants that starts after the Group 3 Cup series and is competed in a week with only one race meeting cancelled.
LOCAL MATCH RACE SERIES “THE SA EASTAR” IN LATE MARCH
The SA Local Match Race series coined “The SA Eastar” will be held on Thursday night, 28th March (Easter) at Angle Park.
Eligibility for South Australian local greyhounds will be based around the Nationals conditions. They will need to be trained in SA 76 days out of the last 150 prior to the close of nominations.
Selection for this series will only be based around winning times at Angle Park. For greyhounds that have run over the 530m at Angle Park on any meeting since 1st November, 2023 their fastest winning time will be recognised and put them on the list for selection.
The head to head matches will be decided based on the final listing and nominations. Match 1 will be 1 v 4, Match 2 will be 2 v 3, Match 3 will be 5 v 8 and Match 4 will be 6 v 7. There will be no manual selection from the Grader. The top 4 seeded greyhounds will be rewarded with more prizemoney.
Winners of match races – Match 1 – 1 v 4 $4,500, Match 2 – 2 v 3 $4,000, Match 3 – 5 v 8 $3,500, Match 4 – 6 v 7 $3,000 There will be $500 Runner’s Up. Overall SA Eastar winner (based on overall times) - $6,000, second $2,500, third $1,500.
Those greyhounds that have won at Angle Park since 1st November, 2023 are (Top 17 – subject to eligibility) GRSA will separate equal times to a third decimal point if required closer to the event– (updated 7/2/24)
1. Fiorano – 30.15
2. Adhana Rico – 30.27
3. Springvale Rita – 30.28
4. Where’s Poppy – 30.37
4. Victa Marli – 30.37
6. Long Haul – 30.41
6. Peaky Boo – 30.41
8. Minter Redeem – 30.45
9. Bobby Axelrod- 30.48
9. Carton Of Bear - 30.48
11. Dash Of Blue - 30.49
12. Unholy Reign - 30.51
13. Peaky Boo – 30.53
14. Mepunga Roz – 30.57
14. Dazzling Cruiser – 30.57
14. My Khaleesi – 30.57
17. Riot Rooster – 30.59
“EASTAR” MATCH RACE TRIALLING
GRSA will allow trialling opportunities in a lead up to this series to be conducted on a race night with dates to be advised. These trials will be run between races at the discretion of the stewards. Trainers must book these trials with Greyhound Racing SA by 11.00am on the day.
Greyhounds will be eligible to trial at the total discretion of the Grader where a trainer may have to provide information in support of trialling. Local eligibility conditions still apply.
Each greyhound will only be allowed to trial once in an effort to improve their position or obtain a spot on the list.
STAYING EVENTS TO MOVE TO 5 RUNNERS AS A MINIMUM FROM JANUARY 2024
For a number of years GRSA has supported our staying ranks by running these events with a minimum of 4 runners. GRSA has tried to encourage this pool to grow at the expense of other events on a program, even with such small numbers. However, from meetings drawn in January 2024 any staying event programmed will need to be a minimum of 5 runners to be considered in the program. This will affect the Angle Park 730m, Murray Bridge 680m and Mt Gambier 732m.
GRSA will continue to review processes in relation to the field size and scheduling.
BREEDING SUPPORT CLAIM RESTRICTION REMOVED
In July of 2022 after consultation with the ICG, GRSA introduced a restriction on the number of Breeders Support Claims that could be applied for in a 12 month period to assist with sustainable breeding. At the most recent ICG meeting, held this week, and after reviewing current and forecast breeding numbers it was agreed to remove this restriction effective immediately in support of our current breeders. There is no retrospectivity regarding claims that were not processed due to the policy at the time. Please contact Racing Manager, Shaun Mathieson for further information if required.