The Casino RSM Beef Week Cup final will be run and won on Friday night in the Northern Rivers. Here’s our preview of the final, including The Hounds tip to claim the $10,000 prize:
Price: $23 (all prices are with Kooringa Rafael still in the field)
Will start as the rank outsider of the field after running fourth in her heat, 4.75 lengths behind Runaway Babe. Zambora Girl was the slowest qualifier of the eight finalists and even though she gets the gun Box 1 draw, she has only claimed one race from a dozen starts in the red.
The daughter of Zambora Brockie x Mitcharlie Mia has only had the one win over 484m in her career which came back in 2022, and only has the one race victory (over 411m at Casino) since July of 2023.
Zambora Girl has started in double or triple figures in her last six outings and she’d need a lot of luck to claim this feature final over some pretty talented types.
Masani Girl’s heat run was massive after she found trouble in the run to the first bend and was shuffled back through the pack of six. She managed to regather herself and find a nice stalking spot on the rail behind Unquenchable, and once the leader drifted off the fence in the latter stages, she powered through the gap to claim a tough win (replay below).
The time (27.98) was just average for her standards and considering nine of her last eleven starts over the track and trip have been faster runs, she will be a big improver in Friday’s final.
Her Casino record is fantastic, her Box 2 statistics are almost perfect and she is drawn to get one of the runs of the race considering the two dogs boxed outside her don’t possess blinding early speed. Baby of the field but will jump as a likely favourite now that Kooringa Rafael is out.
The first of the Ross runners was a distant last not long after box rise in the heats but mustered pretty well to run third behind Runaway Babe in a time of 28.12.
That was several lengths outside her best time at the track and trip which was set at Casino just under a year ago. She has been racing over much further for most of her career so it was no surprise to see her hit the line well, especially considering she raced over 700m at Albion Park at the end of her last preparation (albeit in 2023).
Jimary Willow is fourth up from an extended break so should be reaching peak fitness and although she will likely be one of the slower beginners, she will be hitting the line hard if she finds clear air.
Jimary Indiana started a $4 chance in last week’s heats but much like her kennelmate, she was the slowest away in her field of five.
She clocked a first section of 2.84 to the first mark (which was her second slowest recorded in nine starts at the track), and as such, was caught off the track for much of the 484m journey.
The daughter of Barcia Bale x Clover Cottage eventually found the fence as the group rounded for home and rattled her way to the line to only go under by 0.75 of a length.
She run 28.04 in the heats but when you look at her runs two and three back (27.57 and 27.84), she could threaten with a bit of luck. Best roughie.
Flew the lids in the heats from the widest alley and that set up her race. She landed in a great spot alongside the leader (Toad’s Turnpike) and as the race unfolded, short priced favourite Kooringa Rafael was forced to try and muscle his way through a gap that didn’t really exist.
He checked off heels and Runaway Babe pinched a break before clinging on for a deserved win (replay below). The time of 27.97 was only two lengths outside her best ever effort and you’d think she will need to produce another 2.71 first section if she’s to be a hope from a tricky Box 5 draw.
Runaway Babe does have the benefit of two slower beginners to her inside and the early favourite for the Cup, Kooringa Rafael, won’t take his place in the final field (Box 6) which should make things easier as well.
Has won four of her last five so is in great form but 484m will see her just about out of petrol so she’ll need to lead and shoot a few lengths clear to win.
Blazing Bob gets the call up for Kooringa Rafael and his record over the Casino 484m is pretty elite. 11 starts for six wins and two placings includes a personal best of 27.45, which is the third fastest of any dog in the final behind Masani Girl and Gypsy Joker.
The Michael Landrigan-prepared runner has been in free for all or non-graded company for over 12 months and he is a hardened race dog who ran third in this event behind Rapid Ripple in 2023.
Couple of statistics to think about though. He has missed the frame in his last three starts and that hasn’t happened since July 2022. He only has the one win over the 484m in the last six months. And Masani Girl has beaten him by a combined 21 lengths the last three times they’ve met.
A girl with plenty of ability and word on the street suggests Robert Cooke is quietly confident ahead of the final.
She speared across from Box 7 in her heat and bumped Masani Girl out of the way with ease before being headed by Unquenchable. If she did get to the front, I reckon it was curtains but she was forced to sit one off the fence throughout the race and once Masani Girl found a nice spot underneath her and on the tail of Unquenchable, the leading duo always looked vulnerable.
The heat run was Gypsy Joker’s first 484m effort since January so you’d think she may improve with a bit of extra fitness under her belt and I don’t think she minds the wide draws. She’s one of the favourites and with a first section best of 2.67, she could blow them away in the early stages.
Led them for a long way in the heats after jumping beautifully from Box 1 before being run down by the fast-finishing Masani Girl.
He’s a pretty bulletproof beginner with only one of his last seven first section times at Casino clocked at 2.80 or slower and that would put him right in this race if it wasn’t for the box draw.
Box 8 with a speedy customer like Gypsy Joker drawn right underneath him makes it almost impossible to cross and if there’s one track you don’t want to be caught wide on in NSW, it’s the Casino circle.
Will start at bigger odds and will need a tow in to the race on the back of Gypsy Joker if he’s to feature at all in the finish.
The Casino RSM Beef Week Cup final, worth $10,000 to the winner, will go off in Race 9 on Friday afternoon’s program at the Casino Greyhound Racing Club.
