Bridge Weekly - Chegia & Rawlings land a treble
Race 1 on another quality Thursday night card at the bridge and it was a decent maiden over the 455m to kick us off. It was a pretty even market with three favourites in the race. Ferocious Steve was first to leave the boxes and led clearly. He put the race away approaching the turn and landed a comfortable 25.62 win. Finnish Flash was eye-catching again but box manners are still hurting him. We saw the super promising Spring Agatha start favourite for race 2 over the 395m. She wasn’t the best away but used box 8 to perfection to sweep around the field and come clear in the straight, landing a nice win. Her run home of 8.74 was very good and I suspect that is the last we saw of her over the 395m trip for a while. A grade 6 over the 395m for race 3 and Spring Spirit was well fancied off the red. He jumped well but was quickly crowded after that which he didn’t handle too well, which caused a scrimmage approaching the turn. Little Genius got the fly from box 8 and quickly put a few lengths on the field. He ran very wide on the turn, with Aston Odyssey storming home behind, but Little Genius just scored in 22.60. The very talented Exhilarating started favourite in the 4th over the 395m. He jumped nicely from box 7 and found the front with a 5.06 early split. Approaching the turn he copped a knock and then put in a few different strides, which allowed Saint Sandy to rail underneath and hit the front. It was a real tussle after that, but as they hit the straight, Exhilarating showed his class and ran away for a nice win.
Rockstar Manners was very well backed in the fifth, as he had his first start in SA off some solid interstate form. It was a good line out with no clear leader but after 80 metres, Rockstar Manners had worked to the front. From there he was never in danger and went on to land a really strong 22.25. Allinga Lorraine was game behind him. Race 6 and another very big market move with Occipital Eyes starting odds on after opening $4. He never ever looked like getting beat as he led all the way, clocking a terrific 8.03-25.46 win. I suspect he has many new friends after pulling off an identical plunge the week before. A super even grade 5 for the 7th of the night saw Undercut just start a $3 favourite. Springvale Slick was best to leave the boxes and led with Crawl able to land behind him in the run. Crawl made things very interesting in the home straight but Springvale Slick was too determined and held on for a nice win, continuing his good run of form. A very nice grade 4/5 over the 455m for the 8th of the card and Gary’s Miracle started favourite from box 8. Gary’s Miracle was able to lead early but Rhyme Nor Reason pushed through and found the front, after that the race was curtains as Rhyme Nor Reason stormed away for a ripping 25.37 victory. It was a much deserved victory for the strapping white and brindle dog!
Photo: Rhyme Nor Reason as he lands a super BON victory
Credit: Kurt Donsberg Photography
Race 9 and it was the Fantastic Radley stakes, as he started $1.10 over the 680m. Radley did the job and picked up his winners cheque, clocking another sizzling 38.62 win. That makes it 7 in a row and is showing no sign of slowing down. His form stacks up pretty good as well with Sir Truculent winning a group 1 during the week and Radley had his measure pretty easy a few weeks ago! Race 10 was a 4/5/6 over the 530m and Fantastic Shell looked pretty well in. It was her race to lose and she started a red hot favourite. The race was over before they even got off the mat as Fantastic Shell led in a flying 11.86 first split. She scorched around in 29.57 and won by 7 lengths in an emphatic display. An intriguing four dog field over the 395m trip for race 11 and the super fast Raging Redline started a hot favourite with newcomer to the state in Aston Clurey starting second favourite. It was a different race when the lids opened and Bailey Rocks crossed Redline and found the front. She was really hiking as she broke the 5 second mark for the first split. Raging Redline had his chance behind her but couldn’t catch the brindle bitch as she clocked a ripping 22.24 win. She is going very nicely and her trainer the young Billy Wudarczyk is having a nice run! The last of the night and another shorty with Terrific Keith starting a $1.30 favourite over the 395m trip. Terrific Keith was very ordinary away and Victa Caleb led from box 1. As they approached the turn, Terrific Keith had navigated a way clear and once he saw the bunny at the top of the straight it was over, as he launched home to land a super 22.26 win. That made it three from four on the night for Ozzie Chegia, who continued his amazing run of form.
Dog to follow: Rhyme Nor Reason - I don’t really like putting a BON winner in here but the dog is just flying and you can back him wherever he goes. He was backed heavily at the beginning of the campaign and didn’t show much at all, but he has certainly found his groove now. The camp has an interesting decision to make, whether to stay at 455m where he has shown he is fast enough, or step back up to 530m. With grade 5/6 heats over the 530m next Thursday I suspect he goes there and would be a lay down misère in a 5/6 race, we just need some sort of price!
Best Bet (Monday night) - Steal The Prize (Race 5 - Box #5) - A tough card monday. It was one for the blinkers fans with this bloke sporting them at his last three starts and saluted last week in quick time over the 395m trip. I suspect things need to go right for him to show his best but with a good map on Monday I think they will. The dogs outside him just lack any speed and don’t have the early split to match his. I think he lands forward and without any pressure to his outside, he will hopefully show his best. He has an endless amount of ability and if he keeps his mind on the job he should be winning this.