Wheeler Family Look Set To Steal DDC Launching Pad Back To NSW
New South Wales raider Dentax Bale caught the eye of the locals when taking out his heat of the Group 3 Dandenong Dry Clean Launching Pad at Sandown Park tonight.
On his Victorian debut, the Brendan Wheeler trained youngster began only moderately from box 8 before proving too strong in the run to the line and defeat the locals by 3.25 lengths in 29.98.
The win maintained the bridle chaser's unbeaten record, however he will need an ounce of luck in the final after drawing box 6.
Dentax Bale is in the care of master trainer Graeme Bate during his Victorian campaign, and Bate secured his own finalist when Kinka Bale took out the final heat in 29.88. Bate's hopes of a first DDC Launching Pad improved when Kinka Bale drew the cherished box 1.
Manna Keato was the night's fastest heat winner, stopping the clock in a slick 29.82. Manna Keato led through the first turn and was never threatened, racing to a comfortable 3.25 length win for Longford based trainer Ray Keating.
Jason Thompson's dazzling run of Group race success looks set to continue after Aston Vantage blitzed his rivals by 6.25 lengths in 29.83. The noted wide runner was slow to the first turn but did enough to take the lead, and will be hard to run down in next week's final after drawing ideally in box 8.
Tina Womann's superbly bred Shiver Inside took out the night's opening heat in 29.90, and will be joined by Dawbilows Heaven and Book Of Music – both of which ran 29.98 – and Bald Head Champ who prevailed in a rough house heat in 30.23.
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Group 3 2009 DDC Launching Pad Final Box Draw
- Box 1 Kinka Bale Graeme Bate
- Box 2 Shiver Inside Tina Womann
- Box 3 Manna Keato Ray Keating
- Box 4 Bald Head Champ Samantha McKay
- Box 5 Dawbilows Heaven Gary Ennis
- Box 6 Dentax Bale Brendan Wheeler
- Box 7 Book Of Music Anglea Langton
- Box 8 Aston Vantage Jason Thompson
- Box 9 Arvo's Cobra (1st Res) Kali Arvanitis
- Box 10 Firefly Bale (2nd Res) Andrea Dailly
$25,000 To The Final Winner, Sandown Park, Vic.
The final of the $36,250 Group 3 final will be run on Thursday 26 February at Sandown Park.
Since its inception in 2003, the DDC Launching Pad series (515m) has quickly established itself as a stamping ground for rising stars of the sport. Among the greyhounds on its burgeoning honour roll are multiple Group race finalists Bounty Lass (2003), Traction Control (2005), Path To Power (2006) and Teaman Titch (2008).
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Group 3 DDC Launching Pad Honour Roll
- 2003 Bounty Lass Des Carlson Bx7 29.80
- 2004 Legends Kel Greenough Bx4 29.80
- 2005 Traction Control Rob Crawford Bx1 29.80
- 2006 Path To Power Darren McDonald Bx8 29.69
- 2007 Boris Reigns Jennifer Gieschen Bx6 29.80
- 2009 Teaman Titch Dave Burnett Bx6 29.90