Big Energy Back for Adelaide Cup Redemption
One of the most exciting nights on the South Australian Greyhound Racing calendar, away from cup night, has rolled around again, with heats of the 2024 Adelaide Cup to be run this Thursday night at Angle Park.
The Group 1 feature is the biggest event on the calendar and this year we will see four high quality heats run, with chasers needing to run top two in their respective heats to make the final.
Always a highlight, the Adelaide Cup has brought together a strong interstate contingent again this year, like it has in recent years and the interstaters will create an imposing presence on Thursday night.
One local that will be hoping to defy them is Ben Rawlings, who is no stranger to Group 1 success and he will line up two chasers in the heats on Thursday.
Megastar, Big Energy will be the first of the two, with the top-class chaser heading over to the Rawlings kennel for a crack at the series. A fifteen-time winner over his career who has won over half a million dollars, the fawn dog will come into the series as one of the big guns and it was through conversations with long time mate Steve Withers and his association with Kel Greenough, that has led to Big Energy arriving in the care of Rawlings and his team.
“I got a call from Kel (Greenough) and he was happy to send him over, he was going to America so that’s why he couldn’t bring him.” said Rawlings
“Once the series is finished he will go back to Kel.”
Having not raced since the start of August when he ran over the 715m distance at Sandown Park, Big Energy will arrive on the fresher side when he runs on Thursday night, over a distance that he has done incredible things over before, including a 30.03 run in his heat last year of the Adelaide Cup.
“He came over last Thursday and had a trial last weekend. He didn’t go real good, he flew in on Thursday and trialled Saturday. I spoke to Kel and he said he’s a bit of a sensitive dog and likes plenty of attention, so the change up and trial in two days, he might have just not been feeling great.” said Rawlings
“He had a little (sore) spot but not anything serious, so we worked on that and gave him a run up our straight to get him a bit more used to us and then he had a trial box to box on Sunday just gone and he went really good. He went 5.20-17.50 to the back, so obviously good.”
“Now he’s settled in he’s a different dog, he was a bit stressy at the start but he’s happy and into the routine, he’s settled well.”
Big Energy, who will be looking for redemption after running a brilliant second in last year's cup, will be jumping from box six in his heat, but will have a vacant box underneath him which will help. What doesn’t aid his chances is the strength of his heat, with the likes of Alpha Zulu, Mepunga Ollie and Schillaci all vying against him for a spot in the final.
“Outside of knowing that he is Big Energy and a fast dog, I don’t know a whole lot about him, he’s drawn six so I don’t know if that’s ideal, the vacant box inside probably helps. He does want things to go his own way, so we will see what happens, but he’s obviously a very fast dog and I am excited to just be able to put him around.” said Rawlings.
Rawlings will also have Fear The Dragon lining up in the first heat, as the black dog looks to continue his consistent run of form. Since arriving in South Australia, Fear The Dragon has had six starts and is yet to miss a place, whilst he has won four of those starts. Last week he ran third in a slick 30.48, which Rawlings thinks he can improve on, but concedes he would need to given the strength of his race.
“Fear The Dragon has drawn box seven which he where he wants to be, but he was a little bit disappointing last week in the run home” said Rawlings
“He’s beginning a lot better now but not quite running home as strong, he did have a week off the week before, so I am hoping he runs it out a bit stronger.”
“They are very tough races.”
Rawlings is hoping that he can turn around some poor luck that he has had in the last couple of weeks with some of his top chasers and have some success on Thursday night.
“Unfortunately Riot Rooster tore his achilles last week in the match races so he is getting surgery today, with not a great prognosis on his racing future.” said Rawlings
“Peaky (Boo) was just about ready to go before the match races but his stopper tendon flared up again, so that wiped him out aswell, so we’ve taken a couple of hits leading in but the two going around will do their best no doubt.”
“Stevie Withers is staying with me, with Kanan Stark and Uncle Tommy so we will be hoping for them, Kanan Stark has drawn well and Uncle Tommy has got a heap of early pace, but he’s got to get over from box eight, so we will see how they go.”
Racing will get underway at 6:37pm local time and the first heat of the cup is set to go at 8:08pm.