Whistling Drive Cruising To Ballarat VBIS Distance Final
The Paul Bartolo trained Whistling Drive is the pre post favorite to take out the Greyhound Racing Victoria Distance Final at Ballarat on Wednesday night.
The Little River trained chaser posted the fastest heat winning time to advance to the final to be run over 650 metres.
Bartolo stepped Whistling Drive up to the staying distance for the first time last week.
His heat win was full of merit as his winning time was within three lengths of the track record for the distance.
“He got a check in running last week, but was still good enough to win his heat.” Bartolo said.
Whistling Drive is bred to stay as he is by Two Up Larry out of the dam Leprechaun Flee.
Bred by Bartolo and his wife Dianne, their son Ray makes it a family affair as the owner of the up and coming young chaser.
Whistling Drive has now won three of his nine race starts, and has drawn ideally in Box 3 for the final.
Bartolo said that Whistling Drive has been a bit injury prone, but hopefully that is all behind him now and he can go on to take out a big race.
“We have high expectations of him. If he can get a clear run in the final he should be hard to beat” he said.
In an open race Whistling Drive's main opposition should come from Bees Wax and Dr. Tarlia.
Bees Wax from the Rob Britton kennel is a seasoned performer who has won three of her last five starts.
She has drawn awkwardly in Box 6 for the final, but can race on the pace and with luck in running will be thereabouts.
Dr. Tarlia is lightly raced and was also stepped up in distance last week to record an all the way win over Limburg Luke.
The William McMahon trained Dr. Tarlia has drawn outside Whistling Drive in Box 4.
The inaugural distance series is being conducted at all provincial race tracks, and has a $5,000 to the winner first prize. The winning connections will also pocket a GOBIS incentive if their chaser is Victorian bred.