Recently crowned National Sprint Champion PREMIUM Share will launch his assault on the TAB Million Dollar Chase at Bulli on Monday night, in what are the hottest heats of the series so far.
The West Australian ran down NSW’s representative Good Odds Harada in the final of the Nationals at Cannington in Perth two weeks ago, and on Thursday arrived at the kennel of leading Victorian trainers Jeff Britton and Angela Langton for his Eastern States campaign.
Britton’s sister Linda is the partner of PREMIUM Share’s regular trainer in Perth Chris Halse, and Langton and Linda Britton bred the dog.
“There were thoughts about taking him to Richmond, but I think Jeff’s plan was to bring them up to Bulli early days and if they didn’t qualify there (for the semi-finals), we would probably go to Richmond,” Langton said.
“If you leave everything to the last minute, and everyone does the same thing it gets a bit crazy trying to qualify. It’s better to get them in and qualified early if you can.
“It’s always hard to know which way to go and which track to go to, but Bulli is a nice big horseshoe and I think it will suit our dogs.
“It was pretty impressive for a young dog like PREMIUM Share to win the Nationals. He’s a super dog and while it always helps on your home track, he’s getting better and better with racing and age, and he really is a superstar
“But they are pretty hot fields at Bulli.”
Two heats have been drawn and both are bulging with quality.
The opening heat has Victorians Whiskey Riot, Shima Shine, Slingshot Hammer, Immediate, the Britton pair Western Envoy and Lady Danger, and talented local Global Impact.
Shima Shine, is a winner six of his seven starts, and last start broke the Ballarat track record with a stunning 24.75s performance.
In the second heat PREMIUM Share will clash with Victorians Weblec Ace, Dyna Patty, and She’s Gifted plus locals Pindari Express, Bland Purr and Seven Hour Park.
“Gee that’s a nice field,” Langton said. “You’ve only got to run in the first four, so hopefully they all do enough to get through.
“Weblec Ace won a Group 3 race, the Cranbourne Puppy Classic very impressively recently. He is a very, very smart pup as well and it wouldn’t surprise me if he can win a Group 1 down the track because he’s probably one of the best pups we have in the kennel. He really is a very fast pup.
“As a maiden he broke 30s easily at The Meadows and his very first look at Sandown as a pup he went 29.50s and pups don’t run that sort of time.
“Western Envoy is a brother to PREMIUM Share and he’s been in a few Group finals himself, and Lady Danger goes well too.
“They are only young but they are probably good enough to compete in this race, and look, you run first four you are into the final, then first four and you’re into the semis.
“If you sit at home and you don’t have a go, you’re never going to know. I think you’ve got to have a go in races like these.”
* Photo courtesy of Mulder Photography
