The Clinton Hobby-owned and Michelle Sultana-trained visitor cementing his status as one of the hottest prospects in Australian greyhound racing with a comfortable 1.25 length victory over some of the best dogs in the country.
“Oh my god, I was watching him from behind, I didn’t think he was going to cross them and when he did, he just pushed his way through, then I was just cheering him home,” Sultana said.
“I’ve ran second in a Black Top, I haven’t won one, even though Kristy beat me last time [with Flying Ricciardo in 2020]…I’m so happy, even for the Hobby’s…for them to give me the dog and have a go…this was his chance to get into the MDC and he’s done it now, and he’s won $40K to add to it.”
A smiling Michelle Sultana with Sunset Frazier after securing the Group 2 Sires On Ice Black Top
Sunset Frazier didn’t begin like the winner, slightly missing the start from Box 7 and giving ground to all but Boston Banner and You Never Lose.
The son of Sunset Spitfire x Sunset Octavia soon showcasing his customary pickup speed though, slicing his way around the field and exploding to the front through the catching pen.
From there he was always going to be hard to run down, eventually finishing 1.25 lengths ahead of the fast-finishing Boston Banner in a time of 29.31.
The win handing Sultana a maiden triumph in the Group 2 Hunter Valley feature.
“He hadn’t had a lot of work since [racing in] QLD so we sort of couldn’t give him as much as we needed to for a 500m…so we were going in short of a run but he’s handled it enormous and he’s handled our work at home, I can’t complain,” Sultana added.
The win was the 13th of Sunset Frazier's career and take's his career earnings to over $270,000.
Boston Banner (Barry Gibbons) and third-placed runner You Never Lose (Michelle Sultana) also qualify for the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase semi-finals on October 12 at Wentworth Park.
In the night’s other features, ALI TANGO took out ‘The Macca’ for Joe McFadyen in a scorching time of 29.13
The former Victorian flew out of Box 3 and found the front with ease courtesy of a 4.91 first section.
From there, it just a matter of holding on with the strong Heidi Mcgraw (Dennis Barnes) emerging late to mount a serious challenge.
ALI TANGO had enough in the tank though, gripping on to win by 0.25 of a length.
“Really nice, he’s a nice dog. Very much a dog that likes a fast surface and he’s been struggling a little bit down at Wentworth Park but he loves it here [The Gardens], I think he’s had six starts for five wins now and a placing,” McFadyen said.
“There was no better bloke in greyhound racing than John McDermott, you know a mark of a man when nobody ever speaks ill of someone, you never heard him say a bad word about anybody and you never heard anybody say something bad about him, so it’s Really nice to win this.”
Take On Will finished third for Wayne Atwill with ‘The Macca’ named after one of the true icons of greyhound racing in the Hunter Valley, the late race caller John McDermott.
ALI TANGO with trainer Joe McFadyen (centre) and connections
Earlier in the evening, Nangar Gypsy also claimed the Sonia Hornery Sprint for Dennis Barnes in a time of 29.64.
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