SA National Distance and Sprint Review
VELOCITY LILLY BOOKS HER TRIP TO MELBOURNE IN A BOILOVER
Velocity Lilly created one of the upsets of the season when she claimed victory in the State Final of the Crocmedia Distance Championship and in the process booked her spot in the Group 1 Nationals in Victoria in two weeks’ time.
Starting at over 20/1 for trainer Kim Johnstone she began well from the inside box to position in behind the early speed. Red hot favorite Cairnlea Jet began well to lead for trainer Petar Jovanovic with Springvale Choix who was also well in the market hot on his heels for trainer Gavin Harris. As the field moved into the back straight Cairnlea Jet was leading but wasn’t getting away from his rivals as firstly Springvale Choix moved to his outside and then Velocity Lilly made her run three wide as the field left the back straight. The remainder of the field struggled to make ground as Springvale Choix quickly ran to the front turning for home with Velocity Lilly still making ground. As they drove to the finish Velocity Lilly stuck her nose out at the right time to claim the prize in a stirring finish upsetting her more fancied rivals.
Velocity Lilly has shown that she will stay all day and ran a personal best 43.51 for the 731m journey in defeating Springvale Choix by a neck while San Tan Sam got home hard for third.
Velocity Lilly has now won 8 races with 25 placing’s from 53 starts and around $23,000 in prizemoney. She will represent SA at the National Championships to be held at Sandown Park in Victoria on Friday 24th August. She has drawn box 4 in the final in one of the hottest National Distance finals assembled in recent times and we wish her and her connections the best of luck.
CAIRNLEA KENNY MAKES IT TO THE NATIONALS THIS YEAR
After running a gutsy second last year in the State final of the Nationals behind star sprinter On Fire, Cairnlea Kenny for trainer Petar Jovanovic went one better last night at Angle Park and booked his spot in the Group 1 Crocmedia National final after a brilliant win.
Cairnlea Kenny was well supported last night in the market and exploded out of the boxes from box 7. He speared across his rivals to lead in a sizzling 4.44 to the winning post. Pure Ability for Neil Mann came across with Cairnlea Kenny and ran to second.
With crowding on the first turn race favorite Honcho Monelli was checked however moved to third and gave chase while kennel mate Nations copped the aftermath and fell put himself out of business.
As they raced down the back straight Cairnlea Kenny was off and gone and pinched a race winning break on his rivals. Pure Ability strongly fought out second place with Honcho Monelli just getting the better of him over the concluding stages to move to second. Cairnlea Kenny won by over 5 lengths in a blistering 29.73 over the 515m and after drawing box 1 in the Group 1 National Final in two weeks’ time looks a super chance for SA to claim another title as they did in 2016 when Worm Burner for Cameron Butcher won on home soil
Cairnlea Kenny has now won 18 races from 47 starts, with 17 minor placings and about $65,000 in prizemoney. We wish “Kenny” and connections the best of luck on the big stage in Victoria.
