Father time may be undefeated in sport, but evergreen Chaser Father Rick showed he still has plenty more to give after a wonderful all-the-way win in the heats of the Ladbrokes Dapto Middle Distance Championship on Thursday evening.
The Ray and Sharron Webster-prepared runner winding back the clock and almost rewriting the record books in a stunning 34.03 display, beating home rising star One Hot Bandit by two lengths, and qualifying fastest for next week’s $25,000 decider.
The time just 0.04 outside Bandit Jane’s 600m track record – which coincidentally was also set in the heats of this race last year.
“I was happy with the time (30.2) that went up on the semaphore board initially, then when they changed it, I was stoked,” RayWebster said cheerfully on Friday morning.
“It was a fantastic run, he went better than I thought he would and he certainly made us all proud last night. I was concerned he was a bit underdone but someone told me last night he ran a record over the first two sections so he must have been feeling good.”
Sharron Webster alongside Father Rick who has now won over $130,000 in career prizemoney
Father Rick now a 23-time winner across 72 race starts, with last night’s victory coming just a few weeks out from his fourth birthday.
The son of Fernando Bale out of the Webster’s former race bitch Lagoon Prissy jumping at near double figure odds despite having a previous low mark of 34.13 at the track and trip.
“I had $50 on him at $21 but a mate of mine got him at $26. He won’t be that price in the final I can assure you,” Webster laughed.
In the night’s second heat, the Andy Lord-trained Punter’s Bandit greeted the judge first in a time of 34.35, beating home former Lord runner Lady Stomp (34.51), Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase placegetter Cumbria Kid (34.71) and kennelmate We Don’t Share (34.84).
Punter's Bandit through to her second successive Ladbrokes Dapto Middle Distance final where she will try and win back-to-back races for the Lord camp.
Meanwhile, the Cawdor-based Webster will be hoping 'Rick' can improve on his fourth-place finish in the 2022 finale.
“I told you Cawbourne Magic would win the race last year and this year I think One Hot Bandit deserves favouritism. He will be improved by the run and Andy knows how to prepare a dog for a final. That was his first 600m under race conditions, so we’re certainly weary of him and he’s drawn Box 1.”
“[Father] Rick has Box 2 but I prefer him out wider where he can roll down off the track’s camber. He’s a good Chaser but not to the point where he’ll knock another dog out of the way to get an advantage, so he needs a clear run to be at his best.”
“Unfortunately our city track doesn’t have a 600m start but GRNSW have done a good job putting this race on in the last few years and the big race out at Dubbo (Country Classic) is worth a lot more money too so they are great initiatives for middle distance dogs.
