Zipping Remus And Nangar Lucy G1 Winners

By Jeff Collerson
Zipping Remus and Nangar Lucy smashed the race records when they took out Saturday night's group one Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic for dogs and the bitches' Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Opal at Wentworth Park.

On a lightning fast track, Zipping Remus began only fairly from box one but zoomed along the rails to lead clearly around the first turn before scoring by eight lengths from Tarawi Tiger and Al's Entity in 29.33.

Those figures shaved .14sec off the race record set by the Andy Lord-trained Bandit Ned in 2021 and easily eclipsed the 29.94 posted by Gatlin, like Zipping Remus from the John Finn kennel, in 2022.

Minnie Finn after Zipping Remus took out the G1 Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic Final


Nangar Lucy came out running from box three to win the Peter Mosman Opal, in 29.59, well inside the previous record of 29.75 recorded by Lilly Banner in 2020.

After the race Nangar Lucy's trainer Dennis Barnes said: "I've always had a big opinion of her but must admit I was disappointed with her second behind Bella Una in her heat a week ago.

"But when she pinged the lids tonight I knew she was going to be hard to beat.

"Nangar Lucy had jumped fast in a couple of her earlier races but in those she had wide draws and wasn't able to get across to the lead.

"That didn't happen tonight because she was drawn near the fence in box three.''

Dennis Barnes and his grandchildren celebrate Nangar Lucy's win in the G1 Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Opal


Zipping Remus now boasts the remarkable Wentworth Park tally of seven wins and two placings from nine starts, and after posting a personal best of 29.45 on May 24 he clocked 29.49 to win his Vic Peters heat before slashing those figures to a record-busting 29.33 on Saturday night.

She's A Pearl's career is winding down but she is still in sensational form and on Saturday night Andy Lord's marvellous bitch came from second early to win the 520m Free-For-All in 29.47, not far outside the quickest of her 25 Wentworth Park victories.

The great She's A Pearl

Andy Lord said She's A Pearl would continue racing but would be off to the breeding barn as soon as she comes in season.

Shian Lani's all-the-way $9.50 win in a personal best 29.83 at Wentworth Park on Saturday did not surprise trainer Sam Simonetta.

"She was flying until a few starts back when she hit her head on the starting boxes as she jumped and because of that mishap she has since been missing the jump,'' Simonetta said.

"I've been doing a bit of box work with her and although she ran last at Wentworth Park on Wednesday, it was in a far harder race than she was in tonight and she still clocked a respectable 30.36.

"So when she began sweetly tonight and produced a first split of 5.36 she was always going to be hard to catch.''

Carter O'Brien caused a boilover in Saturday's opening event, leading throughout as a $23 outsider and stopping the clock at a slick 29.88.

Trainer Caroline Hughes said later: "He has been trialling really well and I expected him to come good soon.

"Carter O'Brien has been slow to mature, he is a funny dog, he has always seemed unsure of himself, but when I loaded him in the car to go to Wenty tonight I could hardly hold him, he really wanted to go.

"Carter O'Brien's litter brother Archer O'Brien won over 622m at Richmond on Friday night and I'm pretty excited because I bred them from China O'Brien.''