The clash of litter sisters Blanco Caliente and Really Unreal, looms as one of the highlights after the four semi-finals of the Group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden were drawn on Monday.
The pair, out of the highly-publicised Barcia Bale-Chica Destacada litter, both produced outstanding performances in the Heats last Wednesday at Wentworth Park, and both will have their supporters in semi-final number one on Wednesday night.
Blanco Caliente (pictured) was the fastest qualifier from the Heats and the only greyhound to break the 30s barrier, with her 29.96s performance, leading all the way from the one box. She has drawn the six on Wednesday.
Really Unreal, while only posting 30.35s in finishing second to Scorched (30.12s) in her Heat, was one of the better runs of the night, being squeezed soon after the jump, then checked at the first turn, before powering home to finish 3¼ lengths behind the winner. She has drawn box eight.
Also in the semi is Heat winner Midnight Magpie, who despite winning off the eight last week, is much better boxed in the three on Wednesday for Ruth King.
Semi-final number two also sees a pair of Heat winners, Ruth King’s Blinken Billy and John Finn’s Dreamin’ Is Free, another from the Barcia Bale-Chica Destacada litter.
Blinken Billy was highly impressive, powering to the front as they entered the back straight and racing away for a 9¼ length win in the second quickest time of the Heats, 30.00s.
Despite winning from the seven, like his kennelmate, Ruth believes he is better boxed inside, however he will have to deal with the six box in the semis.
Dreamin’ Is Free looked good finishing off her Heat in style although her time of 30.44s was several lengths slower than Blinken Billy. She has drawn the three box on Wednesday.
Semi-final three sees Heat winners Gina Spaghetti, Funky Ethics and Blue Summer Sky all engaged.
Blue Summer Sky - another Chica Destacada pup - produced an incredible effort to win, albeit in a slow time of 30.74s. He has drawn the four on Wednesday while his litter brother Toca Madera will start from the three in semi number three.
Gina Spaghetti from the Mark Bell kennel, led most of the way off the seven box in 30.30s, while Funky Ethics was very impressive leading throughout from the three, in 30.00s. Gina Spaghetti has the eight and Funky Ethics will come out of the seven in semi-final number three.
And in the final semi-final, Silver Heels, a Heat winner in 30.63s will line-up with fellow Heat winners Scorched (30.12s) and Joker Poker (30.26s).
Jason Magri’s Scorched was one of the standouts of the Heats, leading all the way off the two on debut, off the back of some smart trial performances. He will have to overcome the six draw on Wednesday.
Also engaged in the semi are Chica Destacada littermates Timeless Moment and Making A Memory.
Five Heats of the Group 3 New Sensation will also be run on Wednesday with some promising young dogs engaged.
Heat one sees Fantastic Yankee (5) and Cee Jay’s Boy (6) in the race, Heat two will see Nangar Jay – a 30.08s Wenty winner two runs back racing, while Heat three sees Mark Gatt’s talented Ritza Vonnie – a winner of three of her four starts – likely to start favourite despite drawing the five.
In the fourth Heat, Nangar Diva, who fell in a Heat of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg on Saturday, recovered and expected to be hard to beat off the eight draw, while the last Heat see a strong line-up with Miley Nismo (1), Freaky Franky (2), King Cratos (3), Goods Odds Harada (5) Jimmy Casey (6), and star West Australian Campini – who trialled at Wenty in 29.51s, was fourth in the recent Perth Cup and was unlucky in Saturday’s Easter Egg Heats, out in the eight.
