SA dogs shine bright in Murray Bridge Cup heats
On a hot card of racing at the Bridge, the locals have shone brightest in the cup heats, with South Australian trained greyhounds taking out 6 of the 7 heats.
Spring Vinnie was the first cab off the rank, with the Bob Fletcher trained chaser using an inside box to muster hard and lead his heat, before powering away to win in 25.41. It’s been an unbelievable training effort from Bob Fletcher to get this dog peaking again and to make the final is so well deserved.
Photo: Bob Fletcher with Spring Vinnie
The grandmaster of greyhound training, Cameron Butcher won the second heat with Rosie Red, who has been only back in his kennel for a few runs. It was a scintillating 7.95 first split which proved the difference, with Rosie Red getting an uncontested look at the arm. With that, she was just too slick for the others, getting home in 25.44. Cameron then made it two in the final with Jack’s Well proving their is still life left in his legs, by coming from last to first, to complete a sensational 25.50 victory. It’s hard to comprehend how he won after copping a huge check approaching the turn, but he did and will have a live chance in the final on Sunday.
Photo: Jayde Hurley with Rosie Red
Ben Rawlings won the first of the night with his Impeached taking home the maiden, but the night was made a lot sweeter when Mr. Ticket won with real authority to take out the third heat (25.45), and also land a good betting plunge! He was first up for two months, so it was a very neat training effort as well from Ben to have him ready to fire first up.
Photo: Ben Rawlings with Mr Ticket
The Victorian raiders did have a taste of success, when Weblec Ranger won the fourth heat for Angela Langton. This was a ripping win and was also the quickest of the night, with the Ranger clocking a blinding 7.86-25.27 run. Not to be totally left out, Weblec Ranger has plenty of SA flavour, being owned by club president Neville Loechel. Weblec Jet was also able to qualify by running the fastest second, so Neville will have a hand in two of the finalists on Sunday night.
Photo: Callie Wilson, Damon Donelly, Neville Loechel with Weblec Ranger
Troy Murray trained She’s A Hotshot landed the sixth heat with a ripping 7.89-25.36 all the win, holding off a fast finishing Mepunga Mustang. While She’s A Hotshot is generally vulnerable late, her first split is going to make her a real chance in the final.
The last heat went to Ozzie Chegia, with Fantastic Victor displaying his brilliance to run down Aston Profit and hold out Weblec Jet, in a real slick 25.33. Victor has been totally airborne in recent times, but it was a new challenge for him to drop back from 600 metre racing to the Cup distance of 455m, but he handled it super.
The heats were fantastic and the final on Sunday is going to be a deadset cracker!
The box draw is as follows:
- Rosie Red
- Weblec Jet
- Mr. Ticket
- Fantastic Victor
- Spring Vinnie
- Jack’s Well
- She’s A Hotshot
- Weblec Ranger
- Mepunga Mustang (first reserve)
- Earn The Answers (second reserve)