Trainer Noelene Holloway will fly Queen Marina to WA on Thursday and trial her at Perth’s Cannington track 48 hours later in preparation for her tilt at the National Distance Championship on August 23.
Queen Marina had not won in six Wentworth Park 720m starts before she ran her rivals off their legs in Saturday night’s state final, covering the 720m in a slick 42.29.
Pumped Up Zarr missed the jump from box one and came from fourth at the first turn to finish second while long odds-on favourite Dusty Moonshine was never a real threat after getting on the heels of Cyclone Simone when in third spot at the first corner.
“Queen Marina’s dam Fascinate Marina had 80 starts at Wentworth Park for seven wins and 25 placings and this is her first litter,’’ Holloway (pictured with Queen Marina post-race) said.
Doreen Drynan’s dog Mister Britain represented NSW in Sandi’s Me Mum’s National Sprint Championship at Cannington in 1989 and the Llandilo trainer gets the chance to go one better with Chica Destacada in this year’s final on August 23.
In Chica Destacada’s favour is that she knows her way around Cannington, having finished second in a heat of the WA Oaks there on June 28.
Chica Destacada has now won seven of 14 Wentworth Park starts and will be among the favourites for the Sprint.
While Queen Marina was a $21 chance when she won her state final, her ability to be the pacemaker puts her in the Perth run-off with a great show.
Queen Charlie earned her weekly box of six chicken nuggets from McDonald’s with her second successive win at Wenty on Saturday night.
“It is a ritual for her that I stop at a McDonald’s on the Great Western Highway on the way home to buy her a pack of chicken nuggets," trainer Leo Vanderburg said.
“Even if she is asleep, as soon as we get near Macca’s she is up on her feet with her nose pressed against the window of the car waiting for her post-race treat.’’
Zipping Willow must be early favourite for the 2014 NSW Greyhound of the Year award after scoring her eighth win in as many starts for the year on Friday night at Wentworth Park.
Zipping Willow dwelt at the start and was behind powerful finisher Cawbourne Whip approaching the first turn before wresting the lead from pacemaker Magic Display at the half way mark and then holding off ‘’Whip’s’’ late challenge to retain her unbeaten 2014 Wentworth Park record.
“Zipping Willow has had 13 starts this year for 12 wins and a second with her only defeat being when she went amiss in the straight and was run down in the Richmond Oaks final," trainer Jason MACKAY said.
“She tore a ligament in a leg that night and it blew up like a balloon when she cooled off.’’
Lani Banarni’s 29.72 was easily fastest time of Saturday’s AAA Radiator Specialists Sprint Heats at Wentworth Park but while she exited box seven in her runaway win trainer Charlie Gatt is hoping for an inside draw in this week ‘s final.
“Her early pace got her home tonight but Lani Banarni is really better of drawn inside,’’ Charlie said after Saturday’s race.
“This is the first stayer we have trained since Awesome Berger was winning at Wentworth Park in 2005,’’ Ron Fisher exclaimed after the impressive win by wife Judy’s Sneaky Bonanza over 720m on Saturday night.
Sneaky Bonanza had been a desperately unlucky fifth at his Wentworth Park debut on Auugst 1 but on Saturday trailed Joane to the back straight before dashing clear coming to the home bend and winning by seven lengths in a tidy 42.59.
“Sneaky Bonanza is improving bit by bit and for a stayer is a remarkably good chaser,’’ Ron Fisher said after Saturday’s race.
“His run was good tonight because he had to mark time for a while when trying to get underneath Joane on the back straight.’’
See you next week!
