Trainer Steve White has mixed feelings regarding Tommy Brislane’s box six draw in Saturday night’s Group 2 Bob Payne Spring Sprint but believes the wide alley has not necessarily dented his Dapto Megastar winner’s prospects.
In Saturday night’s Bob Payne heats Tommy Brislane (pictured, white rug) posted a personal best and near record 5.31 first split before easily holding out Evil Punk to win in 29.64.
Given the impressive win, White was not too bothered by the box draw for the final.
"I would have preferred to see Tommy Brislane in an odd numbered box because when he is in the first line that little extra time seems to make him begin better," he said.
“But you can’t have everything and at least he has Hayden Hair, who is a stayer, outside him in box seven. When there were boxes five and seven left at the draw I didn’t want Yogi Blue to get the seven and be drawn outside Tommy Brislane because he might have cut my dog off at the start.
"Thankfully for me Yogi Blue drew five while I’m also pleased my dog is a fair way from Asia’s Babe, who has box one and is a very wide runner."
Fastest qualifier was Victoria’s Allen Deed, from the Dailly kennels, who overcame a slow start to be third at the pen and second on the back straight before scoring in 29.43.
Allen Deed ran home in a sensational 11.50 but while he was perfectly positioned in box eight in his heat he has drawn poorly in box four in the final.
Upbeat about the draw was Jimmy Coyle, whose gallant warrior Evil Punk drew box three.
"The closer to the rails he is, the better he likes it," Coyle said on Saturday night.
"Evil Punk had to be scratched from his previous Wentworth Park engagement due to a mild case of acidosis but he trialled well before the heats and I was delighted with his run tonight."
Third fastest heat winner was Ritza Hattie (pictured, green rug), who led throughout to beat Rue De Kahn in 29.75. She has box eight for the Bob Payne final.
She handled box six well in her heat and has had a win and a placing in three starts while carrying the pink rug.
Box draw for the Bob Payne Spring Sprint final is: 1. Asia’s Babe 2. Rue De Kahn 3. Evil Punk 4. Allen Deed 5. Yogi Blue 6. Tommy Brislane 7. Hayden Hair 8. Ritza Hattie 9. Crackerjack Dak 10. Maximum Lil.
In other results on Saturday night, Dusty Moonshine scored her fourth win under 42 seconds when she took out the Bohemia Crystal Stakes (720m).
Dusty Moonshine, revelling in her wide box six draw, trailed Queenslander Hougenie until near the home turn before racing away to win in 41.86, her personal best figures.
Dusty Moonshine will now be aimed at heats of the Group 3 Sydney Cup on October 4.
"I was thinking of taking her to Sandown for a low grade 715m race but I’ll put that off and concentrate on the Sydney Cup," Dusty Moonshine’s trainer Denice Warren said after Saturday’s race.
"Tonight Dusty Moonshine showed how much she appreciates the extra room she gets when she is drawn wide."
Trainer Peter Rueschi was not disappointed with Hougenie’s tiring second behind Dusty Moonshine and he too will be back in NSW for the Sydney Cup heats.
"It’s hard to get long distance races for my bitch in Queensland so she’ll only get better," Rueschi said.
Flaming Frenzy will be taken to Melbourne to trial at Sandown following her win in Saturday night’s $8,000 to the winner wentworthpark.com.au Final.
"The Melbourne Cup preludes are just around the corner so this week I’ll give Flaming Frenzy and Miss Sueko, who finished second tonight, a trial around the Cup course at Sandown," trainer Justin King said on Saturday.
ZIPPING Weston’s box manners are trainer Anthony Azzopardi’s sole concern as he aims the dog for the heats of the Group 1 Vic Peters Classic at Wentworth Park on October 18.
Despite having box one, ZIPPING Weston jumped poorly before running down tearaway leader Hilda’s Boy in Saturday night’s Sammy Noodle Cup.
He drew away to win in a slick 29.81 and as an April 2012 whelping, ZIPPING Weston will be among the most senior starters in the puppy age Vic Peters Classic.
"He is obviously the ideal age for the Vic Peters but his box manners have got me extremely frustrated," Azzopardi said after Saturday’s race.
Hilda’s Boy, who recorded first and second splits of 5.34 and 13.81 before finishing second to ZIPPING Weston, is eight weeks too old for the Vic Peters.
But trainer Mario Abela was pleased with the best Wentworth Park performance yet by Hilda’s Boy, the winner of the recent Bankstown City Cup at Potts Park.
"Hilda’s Boy once clocked 24.27 in a post-to-post hand-slip at Wentworth Park but before tonight had put in a couple of ordinary runs among his three placings from six races there," Abela said.
"Tonight’s run was far and away his best performance at Wenty as he clocked 29.91 getting beaten, so I can’t be disappointed with that."
See you next week!
