Honours split in 2023 North vs South Challenge
The finals of the 2023 North vs South Challenge were held at Gawler on Sunday with two fantastic feature races split between the Northern and Southern participants. The first of the feature finals was the 400m event with the race going the way of the Michael Stewart trained Go Go Snow who was representing the South team.
Jumping from box three in the reserve rug after late scratchings, the white dog came out well and got herself to an early lead, with a pack chasing behind her. Heading into the home turn, Go Go Snow had extended her lead to three lengths and was doing it well in front but Toby West had burst through the pack and loomed as a big danger.
It was a tight finish but Go Go Snow proved just a bit too quick and won by a length in 22.72, ahead of Toby West in a cracking race!
In the 531m final, the well supported favourite Dash Of Blue took out the race for trainer Richard Pearce in a highly competitive race. Dash of Blue’s form through the heats was terrific and he deserved to be favourite, but things were looking a bit dicey when he was led from box one early.
Going into the first turn, Dash Of Blue was sitting in second but he wanted to get a little wide and cost himself a couple of lengths doing with Finniss Surprise for Ryan Tugwell barging through to the lead. However, Dash Of Blue came again in the home straight surging clear late and winning emphatically in 30.86 ahead of Finniss Surprise and Finniss Whisper.
One of the other highlights for the night was a masters final over 400m with an even field assembled for the race. It was an even charge into the first turn, with Flaming Bubbles getting herself to an early lead, but it didn’t last long, with the June Sharpe trained Aston Stella working around her down the back straight.
Once in front, she put a couple of lengths on Flaming Bubbles. Aston Stella started to get weary late, but had done more than enough, winning by a length in 23.14 which was career victory number 22.