Jean and Dave Fahey seeking ninth New Zealand Oaks title on Friday
Pictured: Opawa Susan is a winning hope in Friday night’s Group 1 New Zealand Oaks. Photo credit: Dave Robbie.
The lethal local Group race training partnership of Dave and Jean Fahey have mentored eight Rose & Thistle New Zealand Oaks title holders, and they signaled their intention to add a ninth New Zealand Oaks title to their collection after preparing two 520m heat winners from last Thursday’s heats.
Opawa Susan delivered the quickest heat time, when she scampered through her heat assignment in a tidy 29.94. The daughter of Fabregas and Our Anna jumped from the eight-trap on that occasion, and she will do likewise in the $50,000 Group 1 decider.
“Her draw isn’t the best, as she isn’t the quickest beginner. She was able to work her way around them in her heat. She is racing good at the moment,” said Dave Fahey.
Opawa Katrina settled handy to the pace in her heat, from where she extended nicely during the run home to claim her 30.27 win. She will be looking to emulate her mother Opawa Hop, who won the 2019 New Zealand Oaks final.
“I’m hoping she can get herself handy early. She was quite good last week, and she can finish strongly,” suggested Fahey.
The third Fahey trained finalist is this season’s Springston Hotel New Zealand Breeders Stakes winner Opawa Schofer, also meaning that breeder and owner Opawa Racing have three New Zealand Oaks contenders, after the Faheys have already prepared five previous Oaks winners for them.
Opawa Schofer finished resolutely for her 2.5 length heat second to Goldstar Mila. She will be sighted wearing the black racing vest in the final.
“She’s definitely up to this level – she just needs clear early racing room from out there. All three of our runners are all set to go,” confirmed Fahey.
Riley Evans presented the open class assessed Goldstar Mila to take out her heat in 30.30, after she effectively used her one-trap draw to set up the pace. She has to contend with trap-five on Friday.
“I’m really happy with the way she’s racing at the moment. She had a good hit-out in her heat, and she has improved her 520m PB from 30.80 down to 30.30. Her draw is a little bit niggly, so she absolutely needs to get out quickly,” said Evans.
The Goldstar Racing team will have their 8.25 length heat runner-up to Opawa Susan, Goldstar Remi, exiting from the ace-trap.
“She’s a good chance, although that depends on her beginning. I would have preferred her to have drawn wider as she tends to move out early, therefore I’m hoping she comes out humming. She will be hard to beat if she’s in the leading group rounding the first turn,” suggested Evans, who added, "Both of our runners are sound and ready to go.”
The nation’s leading conditioner Lisa Cole, who has prepared four previous New Zealand Oaks winners, is returning south with a pair of finalists. Included is the only Australian-bred runner in the field, Writ Large.
Writ Large, who is the only other C5 graded chaser in the final, handled her track debut task in style when she was sighted chasing after the freewheeling Opawa Susan, and she was cut out of second during the run home when she was hauled back in by a head.
“She receives a kind draw (2) for the final, where she can use her known early pace to feature for a long way. I believe she’s a place chance, and I expect natural improvement from her.
“This girl can run like the wind. She has blistering early sectionals; however, it’s the back end of 520m that is the worry. I’m more hopeful, then confident,” advised Brendon Cole from the kennels that commence Friday’s racing sitting on 699 training success winners for the current season, while also poised to rush through the $3 million stakes earning barrier.
Kennelmate Midnight Brockie stepped up to the mark, when delivering her bold three-length track debut heat third placing to Opawa Katrina, after setting the pace. She is a daughter of All About Space, whose progeny has been sighted kicking some impressive goals.
“It was her first race down there and she led for fun. She has plenty of early pace and she would have taken improvement from her heat. Both of them pulled up alright from the heats,” said Cole.
The Garry Cleeve-trained Tess belied her current C2 grading when she was sighted doing her best work at the business end of her heat, when she rushed home to finish three-quarters of a length behind Opawa Katrina.
“She had a wee bit of luck in her heat to qualify. She has always shown strength and she is likely to finish up racing over distances. Her closing sectional is as strong as others – it will depend on much ground she gives away early,” stated Cleeve.
The Group 1 $50,000 Rose & Thistle New Zealand Oaks is Race 8 at Addington on Friday night, and is timed to get underway at 7:57pm.
2024 Kingston Cup
Pictured: Chief Dribble was an impressive Kingston Cup heat winner last week. Photo credit: Dave Robbie.
Two 732m heats decided last Thursday finalised the field for the $20,000 Kingston Cup, which is an annual Group 2 staying event that recognises the immense input that numerous members of the Kingston family have contributed to not only Canterbury greyhound racing, but also at a national level.
The former Victorian chaser Chief Dribble has created a big impression since he crossed the Tasman and entered Matt Roberts kennels. In his heat, he stepped up to 732m racing with ease, as was be seen by his strong pace-making 43.09 win.
“I was really pleased with his heat run – the uncertainty was about if he could stick out the 732m and I was pleased with the effort he produced. I’m expecting improvement for Friday and he will strip a fitter dog.
“I’m hoping he can pinch an early break on them as he did when running his first 17.09 sectional in his heat. He has come through that run really good,” confirmed Roberts, who added that his charge will be supported his Melbourne owners’ representatives.
“Chief Dribble is owned by Mandy Haines, and her daughter Molly and partner James (Sheep) Shaw are coming over for the race. Sheep bred and reared Chief Dribble, so it will be good to catch up with them again,” explained Roberts, who attended Ashburton High School with Shaw.
Dave and Jean Fahey produced Opawa Gina to take out the other heat 43.51. She settled back in the field, then improved going down the back straight the second time, from where she brought it home strongly to win her heat by a 1.5 length margin.
“Opawa Gina is going pretty good for an old girl. Hopefully she can get herself into a handy early position, as she’s reasonably strong during the run home. She all good for the final,” advised Dave Fahey.
The dual Group 1 staying winner Grand Vue Ace finished powerfully for her 3.5 length heat second to Chief Dribble, and her mentor Bob Pringle will have her primed to deliver another power-packed race in the final.
“Grand Vue Ace is in far better condition than her trainer. On returning home from my recent North Island trip, I helped out on a farm, resulting in an accident that broke my left leg. The wee girl is in great shape, unlike me,” explained Pringle.
“My partner Raewyn has done a fantastic job in preparing Grand Vue Ace. I was happy with her heat effort, being beaten by a better dog on the night and she has pulled up in great condition. She has tightened up nicely after having not raced for 16 days.
“On Friday, I expect her to find a nice early spot on the rail from where she can do her own thing,” advised Pringle, who added, “My eyes are on the big prize in Auckland next month.”
Riley Evans produced Goldstar Opal to gamely lead the chase after the freewheeling Chief Dribble to ultimately finish up a five-length third to him.
“It’s good for us to have another stayer in a Group race. She’s a young stayer and I was happy with her heat run. Hopefully, she’ll keep on improving and I expect her to get stronger,” said Evans.
Garry Cleeve is a renowned conditioner of staying greyhounds, and his kennels will be represented by Know Valour, who races from trap-2, in this event. In his heat, he settled in the rear group, from where he gradually improved to strongly finish off his race, 1.5 lengths behind Opawa Gina.
“I was a bit surprised by his heat effort – it was a good, strong run. It’s not the best being slow early, especially with some speed stayers in the field. However, in saying that, it can work in his favour being slow, then getting an inside run and avoid any early trouble,” said Cleeve.
The Craig Roberts-trained Pryor Bale set up the pace in his heat, and it was only during the run home when he yielded to the strong finishing Opawa Gina, when he wound up a 2.5 length third to her.
“I was really happy with his heat run – I thought he raced bloody good. That was his first 700m race for a long time, and for him to lead for a long way was pleasing.
“Theoretically, he will improve from that effort. Look, he has to lead or at least be handy early – he has the draw (1) to do so. I’m just not sure if he can hold out Mattie’s dog (Chief Dribble), especially when you look at the first sectional he ran in his heat. He’s all good to go,” said Roberts.
Adding intrigue to the competitive field is the Dan Roberts-prepared pair of proven stayers Opawa Louise and Opawa Corban, who were the heat fourth placegetters.
Opawa Louise produced her usual resolute finish when winding up 5.1 lengths astern of Chief Dribble.
“I’m hoping she’ll get a nice early sit, from where she use her strength during the run home. I don’t think any of the others will finish stronger than her,” said Roberts.
Opawa Corban settled in the rear group in his heat, from where he finished stoutly 5.25 lengths behind Opawa Gina.
“Drawing out in eight is a disaster for him. Hopefully he can push forward enough early on and get himself into a good position. He can make his presence felt, providing he gets a clean racing passage. Both of my stayers are all good for Friday,” confirmed Roberts.
2024 Trevor Wilkes Memorial Cup
Trevor Wilkes would have thoroughly enjoyed commentating a classy greyhound like He’s All Go. The legendary commentator always acknowledged class, and this Lisa Cole-mentored chasing star simply oozes total class.
Trevor was the resident greyhound commentator at Addington Raceway for 43 years, and he was deservedly inducted into the GRNZ Hall Of Fame during the 2022 Annual GRNZ Awards Night, and Trevor is remembered with the running of the $15,000 Trevor Wilkes Memorial Cup.
The Lisa Cole-mentored He’s All Go was all the rage in his 520m heat last week, leading throughout to post 29.93, the quickest 520m time for the evening. The hot favourite for the decider will be loaded away into the one-trap for the first time in his career.
“He did something that I’ve never seen him do before when moving out to the middle of the track from the start (from trap-2), so hopefully he goes straight ahead in the final.
“He didn’t look confident on the track during the race. Look, from where he was in the running, he should have gone quicker. He’s capable of running a 29.50/60 520m down there, as he’s a real high-speed dog,” commented Brendon Cole.
Claws In Zorro resumes his battle with He’s All Go, following his recent deserved Invercargill Cup victory. He made a successful return to Addington Raceway, where he led all-the-way when posting his stylish 29.99 heat win.
“The draw (3) hasn’t really panned out that good for him. His race will depend on what happens early. I’m hoping he can get clear early racing room, so he can deliver his quick early sectionals.
“He has come through his heat really good, and he will be better for that run, as he got a wee bit tired late,” said Roberts.
Dave and Jean Fahey qualified two runners, with Opawa Linny delivering a solid 1.25 length second to Claws in Zorro, while Wolf Blast West finished another length behind his kennelmate.
“Yes, they both went quite good, although their draws aren’t the best, so a placing looks best for them. Opawa Linny is better early and is stronger. Wolf Blast West came home solidly in his heat," said Dave Fahey.
Craig Roberts will be loading away his charge Angie’s Kiwi Boy into the four-trap for the decider. He was bold in the manner that he stuck to his task for his 5.5 length heat third to He’s All Go.
“Yes, he did good to qualify, although to be realistic, he’s a rough place chance in that field. He has to make a quick beginning and get himself handy during the early rush. He has come through his heat in good style,” said Roberts.
Garry Cleeve provides the stylish 1.5 length heat runner-up to He’s All Go, Who’s Jealous, who has drawn handily in trap-two.
“I would have preferred him to be drawn out where Charley Horse is. Good dogs find ways to win, although I can’t see him turning the tables on He’s All Go. He can be in it with a clean racing passage,” said Cleeve.
Cleeve also prepared both of the heat fourth placegetters, with Know Defence and Charley Horse being allocated the outside two traps in seven and eight respectively.
Know Defence settled just worse than midfield, from where he finished stoutly, six lengths behind He’s All Go. Charley Horse produced a similar heat effort, when finishing solidly from the rear group 5.25 lengths astern of Claws In Zorro.
“Both of them produced good heat runs to qualify. My worry is the pace drawn inside them, as it’s hard to come from behind in a field like that,” explained Cleeve, who added, “I’m more than happy with the whole team we have going into Friday.”
Strong Undercard
As usual, the support card for the premier evening of racing offers tremendous depth. Included are the pair of 295m Sprint Finals, with both fields being decided by heats last week.
Opawa Superstar blasted through his heat assignment in a swift 16.88 for Dave and Jean Fahey. The Springston Hotel Sprint feature (Race 10) is stacked full of straight-out speed merchants.
And the girls will provide slick action in The Homekill Guys Ltd Sprint Feature (Race 11), with the Tony Hart and Dylan Voyce prepared Pick And Go bringing in the quickest 17.01 heat time.
And how about the outstanding field that has been assembled for the Selwyn Rakaia Vets C5 520m event (Race 7), which is littered with Group 1 winners!
The 645m stayers will contest the Red Snapper Seafood Summer Distance Feature (Race 3) that contains a proven field of competitive stayers.
Bring it on!
By Peter Fenemor
