Smooth Plane’s blazing run secures Cup Night Sprint victory
Smooth Plane delivered a stunning upset in the Listed Cup Night Sprint (515m) at Sandown Park on Saturday night, showcasing blistering early speed to capture the $15,000 winner’s prize in a commanding display.
The Thomas Dailly-trained chaser clocked an impressive 29.24 seconds, holding off a late charge from Grand Tourer to win by 1.25 lengths.
Breaking sharply from a middle draw, Smooth Plane defied expectations with a lightning-quick first sectional of 4.95 seconds with the assistance of an open box on his inside.
Smooth Plane surged to the front early, leaving highly fancied $2.50 BlondeBet favourite Excavation caught in traffic and unable to recover.
As the field entered the home stretch, Grand Tourer emerged as a serious challenger but couldn’t match the strength and momentum of the leader.
Excavation battled on for third, 4.5 lengths behind the winner.
The victory marked a return to form for Smooth Plane, a seasoned campaigner with a reputation for running on strongly from midfield.
Cup Night Sprint Race Replay – Smooth Plane (29.24)
Smooth Plane, a son of Volturi and Smooth Bourbski, has been a consistent performer throughout his career, with this victory marking his 21st win from 60 starts.
The $7.50 shot with leading greyhound bookmakers demonstrated his versatility and ability to adapt to high-pressure races, a trait that has made him a standout in Dailly’s kennel, alongside the Bold Trease winner Ethanol Water.
For the connections of runner-up Grand Tourer, the wide draw proved advantageous as he tracked the leader throughout but couldn’t close the gap.
Meanwhile, Excavation, despite being heavily backed at Neds, he struggled to find clear running and had to settle for third.
With this win, Smooth Plane not only adds another accolade to his impressive career but boosts his prize money to $275,635.
Cup Night Sprint 2024 Results – Sandown Park
2024 Cup Night Sprint ResultsSandown Park 515m LISTED $15,000 to-the-winner Saturday, November 30 2024
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| 1st |
5 Smooth Plane
T: Thomas Dailly
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| 2nd |
7 Grand Tourer
T: Kelly Bravo
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| 3rd |
2 Excavation
T: Jason Thompson
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| 4th |
3 Orli Bale
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| 5th |
6 Vincent Bale
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6th |
1 Mepunga Tully
T: Jeffrey Britton
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| 7th |
9 Deadly Avenger
T: George Borg
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