Following her powerful win in Saturday night’s Group 3 Bohemia Crystal Sydney Cup (720m), staying queen Sweet It Is will take a well-earned rest to be primed for the Group 1 Bold Trease Cup heats at Sandown on November 13.
Sweet It Is was better out of the boxes than she has been in recent weeks, settling mid-field before powering over the top of rivals with her trademark turn of foot to win by 3 1/2 lengths in 41.84.
Trainer Darren McDonald said right after the race that she would now have a break before the Group 1 feature in Victoria.
“She has competed for six meetings in six weeks so I’ll give her a fortnight off to get her ready for the Bold Trease," McDonald said.
“Sweet It Is was back to her best tonight but she handled box six well and proved that she is better suited when drawn away from the rails."
Chairman’s Cup winner ZIPPING Maggie was a gallant second after making all the running to the home turn.
“It didn’t help my bitch when Space Star ranged alongside her for most of the race,’’ ZIPPING Maggie’s trainer Peter Dapiran said later.
“Space Star pushed ZIPPING Maggie too hard and she had nothing left in the tank when Sweet it Is started her run.’’
Space Star, who has won 11 of 18 races for central coast trainer Dawn Garrett, held on for third but will do his future racing in Victoria.
The dog was transferred after the race to the kennels of Robbie Britton, who has a reputation as being an expert at conditioning stayers.
My Asuncion was scratched from the Sydney Cup after coming in season.
“Hopefully she is going to become a mum and will be mated with Superman,’’ trainer Adele Powell said at Wentworth Park.
“My Asuncion was no world beater but has done a great job and earned $40,000 prize-money.’’
Connections of Hilda’s Boy were grateful that Saturday night’s Wentworth Park nominations were extended after their dog broke through for his first city win in 10 attempts in the bohemia.com.au Stakes.
“I was disappointed with Hilda’s Boy’s run when he finished fourth at Wentworth Park on October 4 so decided to keep him away from that track for a while,’’ trainer Mario Abela said on Saturday night.
“I entered him for Richmond but he didn’t get a draw so when the nominations for Wenty were extended I threw him back in there rather than have him sitting at home in the kennels.’’
Hilda’s Boy collected $4,350 with an outstanding win, taking the lead at the catching pen despite being last to leave the starting boxes.
“He had box two when he disappointed me a week earlier and box eight definitely suited him better tonight,’’ Abela said.
“Hilda’s Boy doesn’t like dogs crowding him from the outside so he prefers a wide draw.
“But I think box seven would suit him even better than the eight because he jumps better when he goes from an odd numbered draw and has more time to settle in the boxes.’’
Hersi, who scored his seventh WP win in only 17 starts at the Glebe track on Saturday night, has deliberately been lightly raced according to trainer Peter Lagogiane.
“Although he turns three in December I have not over-raced Hersi because he is a little, lightly-framed greyhound, so I had to look after him,’’ Lagogiane said.
“A lot of people think he must have had injuries but the only serious setback he has had was when he had to have 13 stitches in split webbing after he finished second to Double Twist on May 23 at Wentworth Park.’’
Hello Good Bye’s upset win in Saturday’s Thank You Bohemia Stakes almost certainly gave the dog a reprieve from being repatriated to his Victorian owner Paul Galea.
The 2013 Queensland Derby winner is four years old and trainer Charlie Gatt revealed that he had phoned the owner on Saturday morning suggesting the dog might be better off back in Melbourne.
“I told Paul that Hello Good Bye had been disappointing at his past two Wentworth Park starts and that if he didn’t do something tonight I would send him home,’’ Gatt said.
“Hello Good Bye is not the dog he was, due to injuries and age, but while he had a lot of luck in his win tonight at least he chased keenly so that’s encouraging.’’
Gunning trainer Jodie Lord landed the first four in Saturday’s opening event when Magic Earner flashed along the rails to win by a head from Cawbourne Cobra, with pacemaker Cawbourne Kayono a half head away third.
Gotta Plan, another from Lord’s kennel, snared fourth spot but after the race Jodie Lord said she had trained first fours previously, both at Wentworth Park and on country tracks.
Boom puppy Avondale Al’s winning streak came to an end at Wentworth Park on Friday night when the Gosford record holder finished fourth at his city debut.
Avondale Al, box four, lost all chance at the start when Mr Emgrand, box five, ran in and collided with the $1.20 favourite, and from there he was never in the hunt.
Avondale Al speared off the track at the first turn and came from last in the middle stages to beat all but the placegetters in the petsnacks.com.au Stakes.
