Queenslander I’m Explosive lived up to her name as the box lids rose at Dapto on Thursday night and from there she simply refused to be run down, leading throughout to win the $25,000 Sportsbet Dapto Middle Distance Championship final.
Having begun her career in NSW, I’m Explosive was purchased and moved to the Glass House Mountains kennels of Robert Ayres after her career was 10-starts old, earlier this year. Since then she has been runner-up behind Louis Rumble in the Ipswich Young Guns Final, placed in the Ipswich Futurity Final and runner-up again in the Group 3 Darwin Cup Final.
Finally she got her big race win having been sent south for the series to Dapto, clocking a smart time of 34.31s.
Ayres sent I’m Explosive for her Dapto Middle Distance campaign to Newcastle trainer Troy Robinson, whose late father John was a close friend of Ayers.
“I wish he was here tonight,” an emotional Robinson said of his father when asked about his friendship with Ayres.
“Last week (in the heats) she came down and she was a bit jaded by the travel and got into fourth and made it through (to the final).
“I’m really happy with what she has done tonight.
“I just appreciate the opportunity to handle her and look after her for the week. It’s been an experience and I’m really grateful.”
Most of the pre-race talk was about where the favoured runners, Zipping Niseko, Prim And Proper and Ice Cream Story would be early. Most expected Prim And Proper to be in front, Zipping Niseko to be camped behind her, and Ice Cream Story to be charging forward.
All pre-race predictions were wrong however as I’m Explosive - who carried some handy bets and firmed from as much as $26 to start at $6.50 - flew from the boxes to lead, with Prim And Proper checked soon after jumping.
Zipping Niseko was fairly away and worked into a good position going up the back, only to be dragged down, losing all chance, while Ice Cream Story was midfield early and ran home well without threatening the winner, finishing 2½ lengths behind the winner, with Smart Fernando a further 2½ lengths back in third.
Earlier in the night, the $10,000 GRNSW Maiden Final was taken out by the Neville Brown-trained War Weapon who came with a storming finish to run down tearaway leader Forever Thankful, scoring in 29.95s.
“I was happy with the win. He did what I thought he could do,” Brown said of War Weapon who won his heat in 30.36s last week.
“Last week he pulled up with a little bit of a stomach muscle problem which I worked on all week, and I was confident I had it right tonight.
“That injury last week caused him to be off the track a little bit and I knew he would come back to the fence once I had it right.
“Going up the back I knew he was going to be in the finish but I was a bit worried the leader was too far in front.”
War Weapon finished so swiftly he had 1¼ lengths to spare on the line, the pair streeting their rivals, with Midnight Oil a further 7½ lengths back in third.
