Some of the most promising young greyhounds in NSW will go head-to-head in tonight's Northern Rivers Vet K9 Reproductions Maiden Classic at Lismore.
Trainer Frank Hancock seemingly has a stranglehold on the $20,000-to-the-winner event, with three of his greyhounds qualifying – Ilika, Laverne and Lady Abigail.
While Laverne was the fastest heat qualifier with a 24.03 win last week, Hancock believes Ilika is the pick of his three finalists
“Ilika has the best draw of my trio (in box eight),” Hancock said.
“Lady Abigail is a wide runner and is desperate for box eight so she has drawn poorly in box three while Laverne has box five.”
Hancock’s feat in getting three siblings into the final of one of Australia’s biggest maiden races is remarkable considering their mother, Pretty Malaika, was unwanted as a puppy.
“In January 2008, Hannalore (Pretty Malaika’s mother) whelped a litter to Primo Uno but after advertising them for sale I didn’t receive a single enquiry,’’ Hancock said.
“I was forced to keep them and several were outstanding on the track with Pretty Malaika winning 45 from 104 races and becoming the dam of Ilika, Laverne, Lady Abigail and Breathing Fire.’’
The shunned Pretty Malaika earned $84,000, an astonishing amount considering her trainer refused to make the trip from his base in Spring Grove, between Casino and Lismore, to Sydney in quest of the big Wentworth Park prizemoney.
Among the other runners competing on Tuesday is Forward Pass who is trained by Queensland’s Ron Ball. Ball conceded he was surprised by Forward Pass’ heat win.
Ball, 73, who has been associated with greyhounds for 55 years, had rated Swift Pirate and Chatsworthy as the pick of his five Lismore semi-finalists.
“They had no luck but Forward Pass’s win was excellent as he copped it at the start, then got a slight check, and in the straight tried to rail underneath the pacemaker Metro Man before having to jump over its back to win,’’ Ball said.
“I train Forward Pass for three brothers and a brother-in-law who own my local IGA Supermarket at Lowood. Early in his career Forward Pass didn’t want to chase keenly and I advised the owners the dog might be better off being sent to Townsville where the competition is weaker.
“But I altered his preparation to let him do his own thing and suddenly Forward Pass switched on, his whole attitude changed and he came good on the track. Unfortunately Forward Pass has box six in the final which isn’t much help.”
Meanwhile, trainer Steve Kavanagh has Indiana Rumble in box two in Tuesday’s Lismore final.
“The draw is good but I’m not sure if she has enough early toe to match it with some of these speedsters over 420 metres,” Kavanagh said.
“Indiana Rumble went off the boil a couple of months back so I gave her a spell and she has just returned to racing. I was working her back up to 500 metres plus when this race fell in our lap so I decided to nominate her and here she is in the final.”
