A 12-race program – with starts at 297m, 520m and 600m - kicks off at 6:58pm on Thursday, November 16 at Dapto.
Two Heats of the Ladbrokes Middle Distance Championship headline a big night of chasing. Here’s our preview of the card.
LADBROKES BEST BET
R9 - #6 Cawbourne Smithy Could be deep in the red by the time this preview goes up but Cawbourne Smithy looks the obvious after producing a 29.85 performance at the track and trip at the back end of October. He went 5.37 to the first mark that night and if we see a repeat of that effort, you may as well start lining up to collect. The dog he beat home by four lengths that night, Zipping Spartan, has since been to Goulburn and won so the form has been franked. Two starts back he won at Goulburn in good time as well, nosing out Zipping Fenoli who has also saluted since. Still only lightly raced with just the four starts but is owned by the same syndicate who race Cawbourne Magic so they have an eye for talent.
Taking on the favourite here despite Fred Flint clocking a superb 16.94 romp last start over the track and trip and acknowledging he could be hard to beat. Instead we’re banking on Little Hyped getting the job done at what I imagine will be a far better price. Little Hyped has a good record over the Dapto 297m (6: 3-1-2), has won three of her last five at the venue, and has enough early pace to be on speed into the first bend. Would you prefer a better draw for our hope but the speed map may help her out. The dog in Box 1, Takahi Tiger, can use a Little bit of the track and if it pushes up onto Fred Flint, the race might setup for the likes of Little Hyped to swoop down around the outside.
To fill a void in middle distance racing, GRNSW introduced the Dapto Middle Distance Championship in 2019.
The 600m event, worth $25,000-to-the-winnr, was won by Cawbourne Magic last year and the Lord kennel will have another strong hand in the 2023 edition of the race.
One Hot Bandit (4) has always looked like 600m would suit and now we get to find out. Has never raced over the middle-distance and is coming out of the Goulburn Cup series over 440m and MDC Final over 520m (and throw in the washed-out meeting seven days ago) so it would be a good training effort to have him cherry ripe this Thursday. Unbeaten from Box 4 in two starts and with a vacant lid to his outside, he should find room to move early. Trialled the absolute house down in preparation so let’s see what he can do in race conditions. Sandstorm Rico (2) is drawn to jump and run and if there’s any commotion in behind, this bold front runner could sneak away with it on a tight turning Dapto track. Good Box 2 record (10: 3-2-2-), brings winning form after claiming a middle distance at The Gardens on November 4 and the kennel has never been going better. Father Rick (6) arrives back at Dapto for the first time since June but has extensive race experience at the track and trip (9: 2-2-1). Will be fifth up from a couple of months off the track and has not raced over the middle distance since May, but he’s a tough old dog with a scorching Dapto 600m PB of 34.07. And Has Ability (3) has developed into a beauty for Stu Hazlett and has won back-to-back middle-distance events at The Gardens and Dapto in recent weeks. Ran 34.62 a week ago and after making the recent MDC Final, qualifying here would be another feather in his cap.
Punter’s Bandit (8) hasn’t won since July and only has one race win in eight goes at Dapto but she has been racing in top company for basically the last 12 months. Has had a couple of goes over the 600m trip at Dapto in recent weeks for runs of 34.81 and then 34.72 so she’s trending in the right direction. Lands in Box 8 after the redraw where she’s only won twice from nine starts but is capable of going low 34’s on her day. Lady Stomp (1) was one of the big winners out of last week’s washed out meeting and now draws the prized Box 1 alley (5: 3-0-1). She owns the fastest track and trip PB in the race of 34.38 and can certainly lead from the inside on a the Dapto bend start. Formerly with Andy Lord, she is a litter sister to Doonan and Tiger Jack and is now racing for Craig Sheridan. Tiggerlong Amy (2) was a wonderful winner of The Ladbrokes Bidgee Cup last Friday night at Wagga Wagga and now gets to come here on the quick back up and in red hot form. Finished in the quinella in her last five runs and has had a few goes at the Dapto 600 in recent months with runs a best of 34.47 good enough to feature here. And Cumbria Kid (4) has had four starts over 600m at Dapto for a win and two placings with a low mark of 34.67. That effort came two weeks ago behind Has Ability and Lady Stomp but there was only 0.75 of a length between the trio. Has speed to his inside and outside now but he did run second in the MDC final three back.
