She won’t be alone when the night arrives on October 12, but Queenslander Snug collected the honour of being the first interstate greyhound to qualify for the semi-finals of the GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase after scoring a narrow victory in the Regional Final at Lismore on Tuesday night.
Trained just across the border at Innisplain by Darren Russell, Snug overcame a slower than usual start, to lead from the first turn, and then stave off a strong challenge from local bitch Raven Izmir, to win in 29.98s.
While Rohan Hill and Double Up Dee upset the favourites on Monday night at Bathurst, the punters were smiling at Lismore with the first and second in the market finishing in that order.
Snug wasn’t the first out of the boxes, and it looked like as if both Raven Izmir and Final Chalice would cross her and battle for the lead heading towards the first turn.
But the visitor knuckled down to her task, push up under the other pair and took up the running going down the back straight.
Fellow Queenslander Big Bad Bob, expected to be among the candidates when they hit the home straight, was checked while making a run heading into the back straight and his chances disappeared at that point.
Last week’s other heat winner Jonesy, got into third place up the back, and with his customary strong finish, he looked a good chance to grab a qualifying spot, but he couldn’t catch the two out on front.
The win continued Snug’s amazing record out of the red box. She has now had six starts for box one and has now recorded six wins.
“When she didn’t come out there were a few anxious moments. I thought she would just come out and go straight to the front and win easily,” Russell said. “But it never goes to plan half the time does it?
“I don’t know what it was. She just didn’t seem to come out. She came out a lot better last week.
“When she got through to lead I thought she’d run one-two, but they were closing up the back … but we got there and that was the main thing.
“It was all about coming here – because she is a bad traveller - and getting this box ticked here and into the semis. When they come around I’ll break the trip up and maybe head down (to Sydney) a day or two earlier.”
For 69-year-old Ken Staines, the second placing, and the semi-final berth was just what he wanted.
Staines had been concerned about the draw as his bitch goes much better when she is drawn near the rails, but not only did she acquit herself well, and qualify for the semis, she gave the odds-on favourite one hell of a fright.
While Russell now has one greyhound into the semi-finals of the series, he will be looking to add a few more, and has two leading chances in the final at Maitland on Thursday night, Precious Sal and Yeah Okay.
