With many of his rivals for the mantle heading to the breeding barn in recent weeks, King Cratos continues to press his claims for the title of the best greyhound in NSW, and will start favourite to add another Group victory to his resume next Friday at Richmond.
The Jason Magri-trained sprinter was dominant in winning his heat of the Richmond Derby on Friday night, his fifth win from his past six starts, and after drawing box seven for the $40,000 to the winner feature, he looks set to add another notch to his record next week.
King Cratos, carved out a slick 30.45s performance, the fastest he has gone in four starts at the Richmond circuit, and the best of the three Derby heats, and then drew a box he has never been beaten from in three starts.
Victorian Waging War ran home well without threatening the winner to grab second a length away, with My Bro’s Ethics third.
After some outstanding placings in group events, including a second to Feral Franky in the New Sensation last April at Wentworth Park and a third to the brilliant Sennachie in the Queensland Derby during the winter at Albion Park, King Cratos finally broke through for his Group success, beating Feral Franky in the final of the Group 1 Paws Of Thunder last month.
Then before the Richmond run, he headed to Melbourne and was a gallant second to Whiskey Riot in the Group 1 Temlee at The Meadows.
During the week fellow trainer Peter Lagogiane said Magri would win with a poodle at present such is the rich vein of form he is currently in, and while they didn’t win, he will have two kennelmates accompanying King Cratos in the final next week, with both Zipping Zeek and Roused through to the decider.
Roused was second to Dylan’s Magic in the opening heat, while Zipping Zeek was third to Tennessee Tiger in the final of three heats.
While he wasn’t one of the favourites, his form showed it should have been hard to dismiss Dylan’s Magic.
He had won four of his previous five starts, including two at Richmond, winning in a best of the night time of 30.59s two weeks ago, and Friday’s win took his record at the track to five wins and three seconds from eight starts.
In most of his winning performances he has come from back in the field so his supporters would have been smiling when he was just off the leader Roused heading up the back.
Dylan’s Magic was able to drive through and take the upper hand in the home straight, winning by half a length from Roused in 30.61s, with Knighthood battling on to run third.
The favourite, Victorian Aston Wizard, blew his chances when he walked out of the boxes.
“He’s a very good dog, and his future is over the distance but we thought we would throw him in and give him a crack,” Minnie Finn said of Dylan’s Magic.
The last heat looked a competitive event and it proved that way.
Queensland’s National Derby winner Oh Mickey was able to race to the lead, but was joined swinging for home by Mark Gatt’s Tennessee Tiger, one of the favourites in last week’s Group 2 Bulli Gold Cup Final.
The pair hit the line together, with Tennessee Tiger just getting home by a nose in 30.51s. Zipping Zeek was right behind the pair after walking out of the boxes, and with a cleaner jump next week, must be a threat in the final.
The win continued a great run in the pink for Gatt’s dog. He has now won five of seven starts when drawn in box 8.
The box draw for the final is: 1 Roused 2 Waging War 3 Tennessee Tiger 4 Zipping Zeek 5 Dylan’s Magic 6 My Broth’s Ethics 7 King Cratos 8 Oh Mickey 9 Knighthood 10 Good Juan.
