The Victorians certainly made their presence felt, but it was the performances of a couple of NSW greyhounds that shone in the heats of the world’s richest distance event, The Ladbrokes 715 on Saturday night.
Oh Oh Range set the time standard in the six heats at LADBROKES GARDENS, the fastest qualifier leading all the way in 41.42s just 0.02s outside the track record. Second quickest was Jack Smith’s Miss Ezmae (pictured) who looked great leading through to win in 41.73s.
That pair and the JODIE Lord-trained Cawbourne Magic were the three NSW heat winners on the night, with the Victorians claiming the other three heats, but by virtue of the two fastest second placegetters, NSW will also have five representatives in next week’s final where the winner walks away with $500,000.
“On the bunny they are a different dog,” trainer Dave Irwin said of Oh Oh Range and his brother Pocket money who failed in an early heat. “They try to sidestep shadows when they get behind. They Chase good but they are just inexperienced.
“I brought him here and gave him a 600m. He hadn’t seen the place, and only ran 0.02s outside the 600m record then I brought him back here last week and he didn’t get to the front and he got on the outside of a couple of dogs, and his run was alright behind Cawbourne Magic last week.
“I don’t think he can go much better than what he did Tonight. That was pretty much perfect for him. He began beautifully, got on the bunny where he had to be, and went to the line good. I don’t think there is much improvement, he just needs a lot of luck.”
Having just her second run over 715m since returning from a spell – the first was a weaking performance last week - Miss Ezmae charged to the front and unlike last week, she showed no signs of stopping, winning by 6¾ lengths in 41.73s.
“He’d be very excited and very happy sitting at home,” Jack Smith’s wife Maree said of her husband. “We’re very excited with the win and to be in the race next week and who wouldn’t be to be in a $500,000 race. It beats getting $150 at FORBES a few years back, the industry is going ahead in leaps and bounds.
The opening two heats of the series produced nail biting finishes with just a half head separating Cawbourne Magic and Sound Of Silence in heat one, then a head the margin between Jarick Bale and Line Of Quality in heat two. Both runners-up went fast enough to secure the berths in the final.
In the opener Sound Of Silence worked his way to the lead as the field ran down the home straight the first time but Cawbourne Magic was able to work onto his back, and as the pair swung for home, the JODIE Lord-trained stayer made his move, ranging up alongside Sound Of Silence and in a stirring finishing he was just able to get his nose in front for the win in 41.81s.
“He went well here last week which was his first look at the track and Tonight he’s gone a little bit better,” kennel representative Ray Dickson said. “When Sound Of Silence led I thought we were in trouble but he kept coming.”
The Lord kennel will be chasing that incredible double of the three richest races in NSW next week, having already won the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg and the TAB Million Dollar Chase with She’s A Pearl in April and May.
While Sound of Silence was just unable to, Victorian Jarick Bale was able to stave off the late challenge of Line Of Quality winning in 41.84s.
“I did want to come here last week but he pulled up a little sore after the Sandown Cup final, so he’s had a couple of weeks off and has freshened up and he should go better next week with that run under his belt,” trainer Mark Delbridge said.
Leading Victorian trainer Andrea Dailly qualified two runners for the final, Drako Bale and Gyspy WYONG.
Drako Bale flew out of the boxes and gave nothing else a chance winning by 5¾ lengths in 41.87s.
“He’s always just a little bit off the best dogs but Tonight, with two vacant boxes on his inside, and then the inside dogs jammed so he got a slingshot across and got three or four lengths in front going past the 500m boxes, and they never got any closer than that,” kennel rep Brad Keel said.
“You want to be leading it doesn’t matter what race it is, you want to be leading.
“At Sandown last week he ran 41.90s on a very slow track so Andrea and Tom decided to send him up as a travelling companion for Gypsy WYONG and it’s worked out well.”
Track record holder Cool Bourbski was the one to the beat in the heat but after being moderately away and checked early, her chances were gone.
Drako Bale’s companion did just as well, winning her heat after trouble early for leading chances Super Estrella and Sandown Cup winner Untapped, ended the hopes of those two greyhounds.
“Last week on paper it looked a terrible run (when 6th to Sounds Of Silence at this track) but she just never ever got a chance last week to let rip or make any moves,” Keel said. “Any time she did, she got chopped out.
“Tonight she was pushing hard across and when I saw dogs that got into trouble, I was looking for her, and next minute I saw she somehow got through - I’d say she caused a lot of it - but when she lobbed second I thought gee she’d be very hard to beat now.
“The runs she couldn’t get last week, she got this week by being able to move the dogs out of the way.”
Gypsy WYONG clocked the slowest of the heat wins in 42.10s.
