Wide representation set for Leigh Rogers series
Heats of the Leigh Rogers will take centre stage on Thursday night at Angle Park, with many trainers setting their eyes on the grade 6 series.
Five heats will be run, which means that the five winners and three fastest seconds will make their way through to the $10,000 to the winner final next week.
A real feature on the South Australian greyhound racing calendar, it is often well supported and brings together some strong chasers, with this year being no exception.
Last year's winner of the event was South Australian Victa Damian, who ran down Spring Honour in 30.81.
This year we will see some interstate representation of sorts, with former South Australian trainer Vadim Roz making his way over to SA for a crack at the race, with his quickly improving chaser Who Knows Gus.
Having shown some ability at Angle Park previously, Who Knows Gus has found some strong form in recent starts with a couple of very good placings, which includes a third in 30.27 at Wentworth Park, followed by a second in a quick 29.87 at Dubbo. The good form and an eye to the Group 3 Brian Johnstone in a few weeks is part of the reason that Roz has ventured over to South Australia with Who Knows Gus.
“Well, I tried to have a go at the Gawler Cup with Victa Tony, but the box draw wasn’t favourable.” Roz said.
“I had also lined up (Who Knows) Gus for the Leigh Rogers, he hasn’t been at Angle Park since he was there as a maiden and he just really struggled running the 530m distance.
“What he’s doing now at Dubbo and Wentworth Park, it’s two different dogs so I just hope that he’s improved since he’s been there (Angle Park) last. I thought this would be a nice grade 6 for him with good prize money and hopefully he makes the final, because it will give him two looks at Angle Park as a refresher, then into the Brian Johnstone which is the target, this is the lead up.” said Roz
Who Knows Gus has drawn well on Thursday night, with box two likely to help his chances. Whilst there is a bit of early speed in the race, Roz will be hoping that he can get some luck in running and qualify for the final. Who Knows Gus will go into the race off the back of a fast trial at Dubbo last week.
“I did a three-dog trial with him last Saturday at Dubbo and he went 29.61, which is his personal best and that’s flying.” Roz said.
“I think Robyn (McKellar)’s dog (Get Up Jimmy) flies out, Chegia’s dog (Terrific Bobby) looks like it has ability, and the one dog (Cadillac Patch) can run and is drawn perfectly.
“The key to Gus’s race will be to just come out and hold his position through the corner, he will need to go past the one and if he goes past it, then he should make it through the corner. I don’t see him leading the race, because his first section is only a 5.40 first split, but he does muster quickly, and I reckon box two is not too bad.
“He will have to tuck in behind the speed and hopefully there is a clear passage for him down the back, because I think he will run on, it’s just whether there will be an opening for him somewhere down the back.”
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Thursday will also see Mount Gambier representation at Angle Park, with Captain Abbott making the rare trip down to the city circuit.
His kennel star Top Cadillac will be his main chance in the heats, with the Feral Franky x Establish January 22’ whelping quickly proving himself to a rising star, having really shown his quality in Mount Gambier.
Having won 6 out of his first 11 races, he has already shown the ability to match it with the ‘big guns’, winning a FFA race two starts ago over the 512m distance in a fast 29.64.
Last week, Abbott brought Top Cadillac and a couple of kennel mates for their first look at the track, with Top Cadillac finding plenty of trouble in his grade 6 race. It was a run that Abbott was slightly disappointed with, but he is expected to make improvement this week going into the heats.
“I was unsure about whether to take him back this week, he’s a funny sort of dog and he probably needs a couple of looks at the track. Once he got into the straight he ran home alright. He’s a pretty good pup, he’s probably the best pup I’ve had in 20 years,” Abbott said.
“He’s only 21 months and had 10 or so starts, he’s already won an open class race at Mount Gambier.”
Top Cadillac wasn’t initially going to enter into the Leigh Rogers series, instead having planned to trial at Sandown Park last week, but the idea to come to Angle Park came to Abbott thanks to some influence from trainer Dave Peckham.
“I was actually going to go to Sandown last Friday and trial him, but Dave Peckham got into Kerry’s (Hawker) ear and said go to Angle Park for the grade 6 race, so we thought we will try that. Then they had the meeting on (last Friday) so we thought we would take the three of them for that, they had never been to the track. The other two went alright.” said Abbott
Top Cadillac has drawn a tad awkwardly with box six, but he has arguably found one of the weaker heats and Abbott will be hoping that he can get a clear run into the first turn and be close enough to the lead, in order to give himself a chance of winning.
“If he just gets out with them and doesn’t get into any trouble and gets around the first turn. If he’s out wide then he will stay out wide, he won’t try and cut down unless there's a clear passage to the fence,” Abbott said.
“If he can get around the turn alright and get a look at the lure, then he will go alright. If he got to the front then that would be the end of it, he’s going to run 700m that dog, he’s a half-brother to Sir Truculent. The further the distance the better he will go, I’ll wait til he’s two and then step him up in distance.”
Racing will get underway at 6:40pm local time.
Best Bet: Unholy Reign (Race 8, Number 3)
Value Bet: Jilliby Jeff (Race 9, Number 3)