Footrot Fender springs a Champion Puppy surprise
Footrot Fender has taken out the 2023 Fresh Pet Food Co Champion Puppy final producing an upset in the feature event on Thursday night at Angle Park.
Trained by Bosko Stamenkovic and Christine Costa, Footrot Fender overcame a box seven draw and held off the fast finishing Buzz The Hustler trained by Maurie Kiley, stopping the clock in 30.95 as it won by three quarters of a length.
Hurricane Carter for Craig Jaensch finished third while the well-backed favourite One Last Kiss finished fifth after being slow away and then finding trouble on the first turn. Speaking after the race, Costa said that she didn’t give Footrot Fender much of a chance from box seven.
“I gave him no chance from box seven!,” Costa said in the post=race presentation.
“I thought he would make the race for Bill’s dog (One Last Kiss) and that dog was pretty unlucky but he (Footrot Fender) is such a good chaser and strong himself, we had some luck around the first turn and it came our way.”
It was a second career win from three starts for Footrot Fender, who won his maiden in 30.80 before finishing second to One Last Kiss in the prelude last week.
A promising run gave the team hope for the final but a good start was always going to be the key for Footrot Fender.
“I hope that he would begin because he is a very outgoing dog,” Costa said.
“Getting his box manners right has been the secret to his success and he did it.”
It is not Stamenkovic’s first success in the 42-year history of the Champion Puppy with superstar Bothing taking out the event in 2005. Co
While not placing any expectations on Footrot Fender to hit the heights of Bothing, Costa was optimistic about Footrot Fender’s future.
“He is actually related to her (Bothing) through a sister, we have done the full circle but we are back baby,” she said,
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While the Champion Puppy was the feature on the Angle Park card, there was a number of other impressive performances on the 12-race program.
In race seven Coorong Cam made it three wins from its last four starts defeating a quality field in the open event of the evening.
Jumping well and getting to an early lead from box four, it was able to power away down the back before winning in 30.64.
Springvale Roxy for Mick Giniotis finished in second while Victa Marli produced an eye-catching run after missing the start to finish third in its return to South Australian racing following campaigns in Brisbane and Melbourne.
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While there was no joy for Victa Marli, the Rasmussen team did enjoy a good night at Angle Park with Tony and Lisa combining for a quartet of winners.
They began the night with a double with Gone Away winning from box five in race one before Special Herbs made it two from two with a 30.96 run in the maiden in race two.
Victa Kerle claimed race eight on the card holding off the in-form Dazzling Cruiser and the fast-finishing Hoogley before Victa Kurt finished the night with a 30.92 win in the second heat of the Mixed Masters series.