Sin Rap Explodes Into Cup Contention

By Jeff Collerson
Sin Rap Explode will be set for the group 1 Association Cup at the Golden Easter Egg carnival following her brilliant all-the-way winning romp over 720m at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.

Heats of the Cup will be run at Wentworth Park on April 6 with the $75,000 to the winner final a week later.

On Saturday Sin Rap Explode, who set a new Richmond 722m record on January 17, jumped in front and ran her rivals off their legs, winning by eight lengths in a nippy 42.20.

After the race owner-trainer Shaun Parnis, who manages a South Coast bowling club and trains greyhounds as a hobby, said: "Because it is hard to get runs for stayers I took Sin Rap Explode to Brisbane for heats of a big race at Albion Park on January 25.

"She made the pace but got a bit lost and wound up finishing fourth.

"I probably made the mistake of not trialling her there before she raced but finding time to get away was a problem.''

Sin Rap Explode has a bright future because she is just two years old, extremely youthful for a front-running stayer.


Mortified (pictured) found her box manners again in Saturday's Free-For-All, jumping in front from box one to lead all the way by five lengths in a flying 29.57.

Mortified's best Wentworth Park time is scintillating 29.37 but considering she turns four in October her figures on Saturday were most impressive.

Before the race trainer Chris O'Brien said he was hoping Mortified's move to her favourite draw - box one - would see her jump cleanly again and she did just that.

Her win on Saturday took Mortified's tally wearing the red rug to seven wins from 10 appearances.


National Derby runner-up You Never Lose posted his personal best Wentworth Park figures of 29.71 on Saturday when he led throughout from box five for trainer Michelle Sultana.

You Never Lose, who had box eight in the Derby, carved out brilliant splits of 5.39, 13.71 and 17.81 on Saturday night but Michelle Sultana's partner Darryl Thomas insists the dog is winning despite, not because of his wide draws.

"He is desperate for the rails but has never drawn box one or two,'' Thomas said.

"You Never Lose was a bit of a head case early in his career and we are still working him out but he is improving all the time.''

You Never Lose is part-owned by champion jockey Brenton Avdulla, who is currently riding in Hong Kong where he recently rode his first group one winner in the former British colony.


Cambridge King, whose grand-dam came from England, scored his second Wentworth Park 520m win for trainer Greg Hore in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday, clocking a personal best 29.88.

"Cambridge King has a good turn of pace but scratches at the lids of the boxes,'' Hore said later.

"He had box three tonight but I prefer him drawn in an even numbered box when he goes in later and gets more time to settle down.

"But he nailed the start tonight and his early pace did the rest.

"Cambridge King's dam Sue Zooki was out a bitch imported from England and Sue Zooki could run like the wind but turned her head early in her career so went to New Zealand where she won 10 races.''

Gunnedah trainer Jamie Bush made one of his rare visits to Sydney on Saturday night and was rewarded when his kennelmates Franky Bear and Jeanie Cargo ran the quinella in a 30.18 fifth grade.

Before the race Bush explained that Franky Bear, who had previously won 17 of 35 mostly shorter distance events, was suited over 520m but had trouble finding suitable races over that trip on country tracks.

Franky Bear maintained his impressive strike rate by narrowly defeating his kennelmate Jeanie Cargo on Saturday in a handy 30.18.