SA oaks and SA Derby Previews
Tuesday 1st September 2015
2015 COFFEX COFFEE OAKS – HEATS
Spring racing really heats up on Thursday night with four heats of the Coffex Coffee Oaks with some of the best young female chasers in the country competing to make it through to the Group 3 final next week.
Last year the series was dominated by the interstate raiders with 20 of the 32 greyhounds coming from across the border. This year SA holds the upper hand with 16 of the 29 greyhounds nominated however they have come from all over Australia to try and claim the SA Oaks.
The first heat on Thursday night is race 3 on the card due to jump at 7.25pm (SA time) and features the well credentialed Elfen Bale from the powerful Victorian kennel of Andrea Dailly. She has won 13 races from 39 starts with prizemoney over $100,000 and her feature performances include victory in the Group 3 Ladies Bracelet at Wentworth Park in May and 3rd placing behind super star Fernando Bale in the Group 1 Peter Mossman Classic in June. She is full of class and looks very hard to beat. Camden Valleyway for NSW trainer Douglas Rogers has exceptional form to her name winning 9 of her 13 lifetime starts including a handy 30.09 win at Wentworth Park back in July and a slick 29.63 win at Gosford in May. She topped of her preparation with a solid trial at Angle Park a few weeks back running 30.12 for the 515m journey. Mepunga Treasure from the Jeff Britton kennel is much better than her form suggests and Louisiana Lil for Jessica Sharp has good Victorian form to her name and both have eachway chances. The locals might find this heat a little tough however both Nit Noi for Lauren Harris and Quite Contrary for Paula Hearnden are last start winners while Aston Magic for June Sharpe is returning from a short stint in WA.
The second heat which is race 4 on card features plenty of early dash with local Lady Xanthe for Bill Wudarczyk looking to make it three wins on the trot. She possesses blistering early speed so from box 3 she should be right near the pointy end early. She has won 9 of her 19 lifetime starts and looks like she is right back to her best for this series.
Victorian trained greyhounds Miss Suzie Que for Michael Fearnley and Rowdy Rhonda for Keith Hellmuth look hardest to beat with Rowdy Rhonda returning to her best last start at Cranbourne with a slick 30.18 win and Miss Suzie Que winning at Sandown 4 starts back in a flying 29.84.
Jamaica The Fun for WA trainer Lexie Isaac has made the long journey across the Nullarbor and have been rewarded with box 1. She has really nice early speed and will be hard to catch if she can punch through from the red box. Sacramento Sal for Jessica Sharp has very solid Victorian form while locals French Assassin and In A Bottle will hope luck is on their side as they take on open company for the first time.
In heat 3 local SA fans will get to see star Victorian sprinter Angie Rocks for trainer Mario Briganti up close and personal as she has drawn perfectly in box 1 and looks set to take all before her in the Oaks series. She won the Group 1 Sapphire Crown at Sandown in May and has matched it with the best Free For All sprinters in her home state. She has won 10 of her 23 starts with almost $100,000 in prizemoney and looks very hard to beat. Mepunga Rosie for Jeff Britton and Headline for Keith Hellmuth have very handy Victorian form and will look to fight out the minor placings. Local Scarp Missile for trainer Trevor Jessup could be the surprise packet of the heat with her brilliant early speed, she could easily lead and prove hard to catch. Girl From Alice, Blu Light Banjo and newcomer to the Terry Cahalan kennel Milldean Focus from NSW all look to have the job ahead of them to qualify for next weeks final.
Race 6 on the card due to jump at 8.28pm (SA time) is the fourth and final SA Oaks heat and looks the most even on paper. Local fans will be hoping Mrs Bubbles for Matthew Payne continues on her winning ways which saw her win the Gawler Produce Final back in July in brilliant fashion. She has won 15 of her 34 starts and after a slight injury setback last start she looks the best chance for SA in the series. Victorians Cosmic Owl for Jeff Britton and Ivy Bale for Andrea Dailly both look hardest to beat with strong interstate form to their name. NSW newcomer to the Terry Cahalan kennel Flash Focus has strong form to her name including a solid 30.14 win at Wentworth Park three starts ago while Chandelar for Karen Wittholz had no luck first up from Tasmania on Monday night but don’t underestimate her qualities. Locals Rhynstone Ashley, Aston Eclipse and Black Battenbugh have shown plenty of ability and a placing at this level would not surprise.
The first two from each heat will qualify for next weeks final with the two fastest third placegetters declared reserves. We will conduct the box draw on track Thursday night after the running of race eight.
Next Thursday night’s Coffex Coffee Oaks Final carries a total purse of $35,000, with the winner to receive $25,000 in the Group Three event.
2015 BGC INDUSTRIAL CLEANING SUPPLIES SA DERBY - PREVIEW
Local fans on Thursday night will be in for a treat with outstanding greyhounds racing and trialling in a lead up to the Group 3 BGC Industrial Cleaning Supplies SA Derby series starting on Thursday 10th September.
Victorian trainer Andrea Dailly not only has a strong hand in the Oaks heats but she is also racing two of her greyhounds in a lead up to the SA Derby series. In race 7 on Thursday night (8.52pm) outstanding sprinter Dyna Double One will start a very short priced favourite at his final hit out before the Derby series. He is a winner of over $230,000 in prizemoney with 17 wins and 12 placings from just 32 starts. He won the Group 1 Winter Cup at Albion Park and was placed in the Group 1 Maturity at the Meadows along with the Group 1 Peter Mossman Classic at Wentworth Park. He also won the Perth Cup Consolation and was placed in the WA Derby behind WA star Fun Boss. Whilst Dyna Double One is at the peak of his powers Marley Bale is just starting out. He is engaged in race 9 due to start at 9.35pm (SA time) however the kennel seems to have a good opinion of him with only having 4 starts to his name. He has won two and placed on the other two occasions and ran a brilliant 29.45 at Sandown to win his maiden. He looks a greyhound of the future.
On Thursday afternoon due to flight arrangements the highly promising Blazin’ Bomber will trial at Angle Park trained by Darren Pattinson. He is a winner of 10 of his 12 starts and was brilliant last start in defeating an outstanding field in the Cranbourne Puppy Classic which included the likes of Kayda Shae and Dyna Double One. He has a 29.28 win to his name at Sandown and a 29.60 win at the Meadows. It will be very interesting to see what sort of time he can post.
On Thursday night during the meeting WA star chaser Fun Boss for trainer Lexie Isaac will also trial. He has won over $100,000 in prizemoney with 15 wins from 28 starts. He won the Group 2 WA Derby and started favourite in the WA final of the National Sprint Championships. He also is in preparation for the Derby which is shaping up to be one of the best seen on the Angle Park loam in recent years.