Winsome Mission set the time standard of 29.62 in Saturday night’s National Derby heats but it was the near record first split posted by Fernando Bale before his 29.65 win that turned heads.
Fernando Bale exploded from box six to clock a first section on 5.29, just 0.05 outside short course specialist Greenock Girl’s record figures.
And Fernando Bale’s third split of 17.79 compared well with ZIPPING Willow’s record of 17.60.
Fernando Bale had been among the unlucky runners in the Ladbrokes Paws Of Thunder heats on January 10 when he knuckled over at the start and came from midfield to finish third to final winner Dyna Villa.
"That jump wasn’t like him, he has always been capable of pinging the lids," Tom Dailly, whose wife Andrea trains Fernando Bale, said.
When Winsome Prince was getting the rave reviews early in his career trainer Melinda Finn always insisted his litter brother Winsome Mission was a "better race dog" and her judgment was vindicated on Saturday night.
Highly rated Tasmanian Prescribe outpaced Winsome Mission for the first 250m but Finn’s dog swept around him just before the home turn to win by just on four lengths in a scorching 29.62.
Most excited Derby heat winner was hobby trainer David Taylor, whose $16 outsider Seven Jacks led throughout and just lasted to beat Dyna Tiber and Winsome Prince.
Seven Jacks clocked a slick first split of 5.38 before stopping the clock at 30.03, 0.01sec outside his personal best Wentworrth Park time.
"Seven Jack is the first Derby starter I have had and for him to win is just unbelievable," Taylor said after the race.
"If he goes no further in the series it doesn’t matter because he has just given me the thrill of a lifetime.
"Seven Jacks is a real trier, he has good early pace and is a keen chaser and he was well drawn tonight near the rails in box two."
Trainer Jason MACKAY was enthusiastic about the 29.78 heat win by ZIPPING Carter but was also encouraged by Zipping Oscar’s 29.90sec victory.
"ZIPPING Carter is a real race dog," MACKAY said on Saturday.
“He is tractable in a field, unlike his kennelmate ZIPPING Saxon who can run the hands off the clock in solo trials but has let me down in his Wentworth Park races.
"ZIPPING Oscar did well to win because three weeks ago he was on a drip after suffering a kidney complaint.
"Before tonight he had lots of free galloping and three trials but he lacked race fitness and he can only improve."
Fernando Bale’s Tom Dailly, on duty at Wentworth Park last Friday and Saturday while twin brother George holidays in Finland, produced the two fastest National Futurity qualifiers.
Paws Of Thunder minor placegetter Kerrigan Bale led throughout in 29.81 while kennelmate Spring Leaf scored in 29.91.
Unlucky runner in Spring Leaf’s race was the Jeff Britton-trained Oakvale Flyer, who was skittled when about to take what looked set to be a winning lead on the back straight.
Oakvale Flyer’s litter sister and kennelmate Oakvale Destiny had overcome a severe check to win the previous heat in 30.34.
"Oakvale Destiny won the Sapphire Crown and was beaten a lip in the Cranbourne Cup so when she bounced off the back of another dog coming to the home turn and still got up to win, I wasn’t surprised," Britton said later.
"Oakvale Destiny is a tenacious chaser who never gives up while her sister Oakvale Flyer has a stack of ability but when she gets a bad bump, as she did tonight, she is inclined to drop right out."
Other impressive Futurity heat winners were the syndicate-owned Megan Keeping, a new addition to Jason MACKAY’s kennels, and ZIPPING Abby, trained by retired butcher Ron Seymour.
See you next week!
