Leading trainer Jason MACKAY has not enjoyed fantastic luck with some of his kennel stars recently, but he finally was wearing a smile at Maitland on Thursday when his smart young sprinter Flying Bazza took out the TAB Million Dollar Chase Regional Final.
Flying Bazza was one of four winners - from five starters - MACKAY produced at Maitland on Thursday, but the one which counted was Flying Bazza, who stormed home to nab the leader Cee Jay’s Boy and post a 24.92s victory.
Ronny, and Maitland Gold Cup winner Black Forge were third and fourth and each now has a ticket to the Million Dollar Chase semi-finals at Wentworth Park on October 11.
The result was finally a swing in fortune for MACKAY, who last week, following injury, had to retired his brilliant bitch, the Golden Easter Egg winner Zipping Bailey, and then earlier this week was forced to scratch the speedy Flynn from the Maitland Final after being injured in last week’s heats.
Flying Bazza - already a Wentworth Park winner in 29.85s - improved his record to six wins and five placings from 12 starts with the Maitland victory.
“It’s no surprise the draw played a huge part in that,” MACKAY said. “They are quality races as all these regional finals and he just lacks that bit of initial speed, but he makes up for it at the end of the race and you could see how he powered along the fence there late and grabbed them.
“As soon as the one (No Rules) shifted a bit on the first corner and he found a way through on the rails, and he was only six off them - and that’s sounds silly, only six off the lead, but as soon as I saw that I knew he would get them because the last part of his race is so strong.
“The 450m, it’s a hard run, but he’s just warming up at the end of that, so the extra 70m when he gets to Wenty, if he can draw an inside lid, and get a bit of roll through, he’s a big chance.
MACKAY said he was likely to give Flying Bazza a run at Wentworth Park next Wednesday, a similar plan with Ron Marsden trainer of Cee Jay’s Boy.
“We just couldn’t hold off the winner, but he’s there and through (to the semis) that’s the main thing,” Marsden said. “I saw Flying Bazza a little too close and I knew we were in trouble.
“If he can draw an inside box he’ll go well at Wenty, and if you get to the lead, you might beat some of these good dogs.”
With the Maitland four moving through, just 16 more semi-finalists are to be found in the regional events, with four more advancing out of the Lismore (Friday), Wagga Wagga (Saturday), The Gardens (Saturday) and Goulburn (Sunday) finals, into the Wentworth Park semis on October 11.
Another eight dogs will make their way into the semi-finals out of the City Qualifiers which will be run at Wentworth Park on October 5.
