Springvale Bray Hoping To Spring A Surprise In Bayroad Queen Final
A fantastic final of the Bayround Queen Stayers over 730m awaits this Thursday night at Angle Park, following two high quality heats last week.
The two heat winners last week both came out of box eight, with Zipping Neutron (42.85) and Springvale Bray (43.05) both putting together strong performances to win their respective heats.
The win of Springvale Bray, trained by Michael Giniotis, was an improved performance, showing that he is becoming a hardened ‘700m’ dog. After stepping cleanly in his heat, he barged his way over to the lead, before setting up a healthy margin midrace. Despite getting tired late, he did more than enough to hold on and win in good time, with Giniotis not overly surprised by the win.
“It was a field that didn’t have a recognised leader in it and he has just come up from 520m and 600m racing. I looked at the field and thought he was half a chance, because he had been running against dogs like Dashing Deb who was drawn inside of him every time. It was one of those fields that I thought he could whip around.” said Giniotis on the win.
The box draw in the final has not made it easy for Springvale Bray, drawing box six for the $10,000 to the winner feature, with Giniotis conceding that Springvale Bray must get to the front, if he is to have any chance of winning the race.
“This week I have freshened him up.”
“My only hope this week is if he reproduces last week's effort and goes straight to the front and crosses. I see (Springvale) Rex as having the most pace in the race, so I have to lead him and he (Springvale Bray) would have to come out quick to do that.”
“So the danger of course is the eight (Zipping Neutron) and Troy Intention, both their last sections are very good, they're coming home in 13.20, whereas (Springvale) Bray is coming home in 13.60. He hasn’t improved his run home time, he actually went out harder (in his heat) and came home in the same time, so he isn’t really getting stronger, he just got in front and stretched out, he ran a good back section. For him to win, he’s got to lead and the others need to get backed up behind (Springvale) Rex.
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One of the hottest young chasers in the state will step out again, with One Last Kiss aiming to make it a perfect three from three, to start his career.
Trained by Bill Wudarczyk, the Hooked On Scotch x Gwydion Oct 21’ whelping has been simply excellent in his first two starts, showing fantastic speed and strength. Last start he won by leading all the way with a 5.29 first split, before running home in an equally impressive 12.63, to stop the clock 30.45 which is a top class time.
The start to his career has come as a little surprise for Wudarczyk, however he had been showing some ability in his early trials.
“He has been quite impressive, I didn't think he was that good, honestly! Even though he was trialling 30.70 on trial mornings.” said Wudarczyk
“At his first trial over 530m, he broke the ‘31’, he ran 30.80 and his run home was really strong, then I thought he might be a grade 5 dog. That’s all I thought at that stage.”
Since his first two career wins, he has had two weeks off and will go into the grade 6 heat on Thursday as a red hot favourite.
“I nominated him for a Juvenile last Thursday, their was one programmed but they didn’t have enough nominations. He’s going into the race just galloping on the straight track, nothing else.” said Wudarczyk
“Well I am just hoping that he continues the ride.”
“This week, I don’t think it’s a strong heat, but we will see how he begins.”
The comparisons may eventually come for Wudarczyk’s last star chaser who was Alfieri, a strong dog that ran sizzling times over the old 515m at Angle Park. Wudarczyk is yet to put One Last Kiss in the same category as Alfieri, conceding that it’s all very early.
“It’s early days, he’s just had two starts and Alfieri was over 515m, I’m not sure what the 530m times are yet to be honest. He’s not as good as Alfieri yet, put it that way. There's a long way to go, I’m just hoping. I am not sure what he will do if he’s led, that’s the interesting thing.”
Racing will start at 6:35pm local time on Thursday.
Best Bet: Tara Tears (Race 4, Number 6)
Value Bet: Hoogley (Race 9, Number 1)