A 12-race program – with starts at 297m, 520m and 600m - kicks off at 6:37pm on Thursday, June 29 at Dapto. The Sportsbet Dapto Silver Collar is the highlight of the meeting, here’s our preview of the card.
Holtorf Bale burst onto the South Coast scene earlier this year with three wins from his first four starts at the track. His trifecta of victories in April were all in great time too, with the son of Dyna Villa running 16.78, 16.79 and 16.84.
The success has dried up a little since then though, with his last eight runs only garnering the one win (which came last week in a time of 17.08). A repeat of that effort may still be good enough to win this mixed fourth/fifth grade event, with the biggest threats coming from the kennelmates boxed either side of him.
Holtorf Bale owns the quickest average first section time of the race as well (5.42) and is the pick of the bunch for trainer Simon Rhodes.
“Holtorf Bale is probably the quickest of my four in the race and if he jumps and goes 5.20 odd over the first section, I don’t think there’s anything in the field that can go with him. He was pinging the lids there for a while but he’s not jumping as well at the moment. Purnia Bale is a harder chaser and will run through a brick wall if she has to so that race might be between them,” Rhodes said.
This guy has been immense in 2023, with 11 starts over the Dapto 297m resulting in eight wins and two minor placings.
Was beaten fair and square seven days ago by the red hot Quantifiable (who ran 16.73) but did lead the race for a fair while before being overpowered by the litter sister of Mortified.
His first section time last week of 5.21 was the quickest he has ever gone at Dapto (average time of 5.31) so it was no surprise to see him tire over the last 50m or so.
Meets Oboya Bale (Box 7) again after being bloused by it late in the above-mentioned race, but with a clean getaway and even luck, the current Dapto Greyhound Of The Year leader should be hard to beat.
Race 7 | Sportsbet Dapto Silver Collar | 520m She’s A Pearl headlines a fantastic field of eight runners vying for the $10,000 cheque on offer in this year’s Silver Collar final.
The Andy Lord-trained superstar will likely start favourite for the event but will be having her first go at the Dapto circuit in career outing 61. She’s come up with a Box 8 draw which actually looks perfect on paper with her six starts in pink all resulting in victory. She’s in form with four wins from her last six starts and has only gone under twice since April 19 to a pair of Group 1 winners in Simply Limelight and Embrace.
She's A Pearl is undefeated in six career starts from Box 8
Yuko Girl in Box 6 looms as a potential fly in the ointment for Pearl, with the 2022 Group 1 Sportsbet Dapto Megastar placegetter known for being one of the best beginners in the state. She has gone as low as 29.73 at Dapto but has only had the one run since finishing down the track in The Ambrosoli back in April. Sam Sultana threw her in The Thunderbolt heats at Richmond three weeks ago but she didn’t look too comfortable and should now appreciate the step back up in trip.
The Craig Chappelow-trained I’m Loving It will jump from Box 7 and has emerged as a serious greyhound in 2023. He’s been a finalist in the Ultra Sense, the Brother Fox and the Chief Havoc Cup in recent months and although he draws a sticky spot between the two best starters in the contest, he’s already won eight times this year.
He’s Grand is back to defend the title he captured easily last year when he ran 29.83 to win by 5.75 lengths over Asiram. His track and trip PB of 29.72 would be competitive in this field but it does have a stack more depth to it than last year’s race. Important to note the son of Fernando Bale is yet to win a race in 2023.
2022 Dapto Sportsbet Silver Collar winner He's Grand with Team O'Brien
Father Rick would probably prefer to be drawn on the other side of the track but he has won twice from Box 1 in five attempts. He’s also a veteran at Dapto (although most of those runs have come over the middle distance) where he’s had a dozen starts for three wins. Will probably get up the track in the early stages but could be suited if he gets a safe rails run through the catching pen.
Elle Yeah (Box 2) was in the Easter Egg decider just a few months ago but may find it tough, Energizer Miss (Box 4) is yet to break 30.00 over the Dapto 520m and would prefer further, while Modern Swinger is a litter brother to track specialist Mortified and has won eight of 16 starts. He may find Box 5 a bit tricky though in a pretty sharp field.
Lakis Michael is striking at 37.5% through his last eight starts and has Always Done going around in Race 3 on the program on Thursday night. The daughter of Zambora Brockie has drawn Box 1 in a fifth-grade race over 297m and will be looking to replicate the winning run she had at the track and trip back on May 25 in a time of 17.23. Does own a PB of 17.08 over the shorts at Dapto and has claimed three cheques in four starts at the venue.
Cliffy Bell has enjoyed some recent success at Dapto with four wins in his last 15 outings at the circuit. Lightning Rocket and Zambora Nut go around in Race 9 on the card over 297m and both greyhounds have won at Dapto in the last month. Lightning Rocket clocked a time of 17.10 while winning seven days ago and Zambora Nut took out a fifth grade race back on June 8. Lightning Rocket will jump from Box 8 but is yet to win from the pink in seven starts. Zambora Nut goes from Box 6 and has three wins and four minors from nine goes at the track.
And James White has won with two of his last four with Tangible Asset who will go around in Race 5 on the program. Both those wins came at Wentworth Park over 520m, with the most recent in a good time of 29.94. The son of Kinloch Brae has raced three times over the Dapto 520m for two wins and a third, and has a great record from the red with three wins from five starts out of Box 1.
