While the TAB Million Dollar Chase will be the highlight at Wentworth Park on Friday week, October 16, there may be some future stars also going around on the night, who, in 12 months’ time, could even be in the main event.
A new event has been added to the program in 2020, the $15,000 to the winner Million Dollar Chase Maiden, and judging by some of the performances on Wednesday night at headquarters, the event will be yet another intriguing feature on MDC Grand Final night.
Five heats of the series were run on Wednesday night, with a number of well bred youngsters advancing to the decider.
In the opening heat, Zipping Moose - a half-brother to the brilliant Zipping Zeek - did as much wrong as he possibly could, but still managed to get it right at the right time and scored in 30.22s.
Drawn out in box six, the Luke Adams-trained youngster, was desperate to find the fence, tried unsuccessfully to crash across in the run to the post. He eventually found the rail and trailed leader Teddy The Bear up the back.
Swinging for home nobody was sure which way Zipping Moose would go, but he pulled to the outside ran by the leader, then cut back to the fence to score an impressive, albeit a bit erratic, victory.
Teddy The Bear held on for second and his 30.45s was fast enough to get through to the final.
Ice Cream Story also exited the six box in her heat, but she showed great burn to charge across the field and lead easily into the first turn, clocking 5.54s for the first sectional, and she was then off and gone, eventually winning by 7¼ lengths in 30.09s, the fastest of the five heats.
The David Smith-trained bitch is by Fernando Bale out of the first litter of National Futurity placegetter Sheez My Chicki, and is a littermate of Teddy The Bear.
There was plenty of hype around the Mark Gatt-trained Ritza Tommy - by Ritza Lenny out of Ritza Millie – and he didn’t disappoint, pushing under the leader Zipping Hewitt on the first corner, opening up down the back and racing away to win easily in 30.03s.
Zipping Hewiit was 6½ lengths away in second, but his 30.48s time was fast enough to gain one of the three fastest second placegetter spots for the final.
The time was not flash but the performance of Aussie Swiper in winning heat four of the maiden strong.
Last to jump, he got the run through on the first turn, btu was then badly checked, and was giving the leader Justifiable six lengths up the back.
The Troy Vella-trained pup - having his ninth race start on Wednesday - was still three or four off the leader on the home turn but rattled late to grab the lead and the win in 30.48s.
Peter Lagogiane won the big one two years ago with Mystic Riot, and apart from having three semi-finalists in this year’s main event, he also has a finalist in the Million Dollar Chase Maiden as Kia Herrera produced a strong all the way win in her heat.
Taking full advantage of the one box, Kia Herrera held the lead around the first turn, but was pressured all the way up the back straight by the JODIE Lord-trained Lucky Ace.
But swinging for home Kia Herrera shook off his rival and raced away to score well in 30.28s.
The Hank Vanderburg-trained Crispy Chicken ran home strongly to grab second in 30.43s, also securing the final berth in the Maiden Final.
