Cabao Opal takes SA Sprint Championship in dominant display
Cabao Opal delivered a stunning performance to claim the 2025 Listed SA Sprint Championship at Angle Park, securing her first feature win on Thursday night.
Trained by Kim Johnstone, the black daughter of Beast Unleashed and Cabao Opal proved too strong over the 530m journey, crossing the line in 30.55 seconds as an $8.50 outsdier with top Australian bookmakers.
Breaking sharply from box two, Cabao Opal quickly found the lead in the early stages, fending off a field that included strong contenders like Pet Detective and Fear The Dragon.
As the field jostled for position, Cabao Opal capitalised on her early advantage, opening a commanding three-length lead as she rounded the final turn.
Pet Detective and Fear The Dragon battled gamely but were unable to reel in the leader, finishing second and third, respectively.
SA Sprint Championship final replay – Cabao Opal (30.55)
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This victory marked Cabao Opal’s third consecutive win in four starts and her most significant achievement to date, boosting her career earnings to over $64,000.
The win also underscored her affinity for the Angle Park track, where she has a track record of 19: 6-5-3 since joining Johnstone’s kennel.
Pet Detective, trained by Ben Rawlings, showed his class with a solid second-place finish, while kennelmate Fear The Dragon claimed third after a strong run.
The highly regarded Peaky Boo, another Rawlings runner and the pre-race Picklebet favourite, endured traffic early and could not recover, finishing further back in the field.
With this win, Cabao Opal cements her position as a leading contender for upcoming feature races in 2025.
SA Sprint Championship Final 2025 Results – Angle Park
2025 SA Sprint Championship Final ResultsAngle Park 530m Listed $15,000 to-the-winner Thursday, January 16, 2025
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| 1st |
2 Cabao Opal
T: Kim JohnstoneTime: 30.55Margin:
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| 2nd |
8 Pet Detective
T: Ben RawlingsTime: 30.79Margin: 3.5 Lengths
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| 3rd |
7 Fear The Dragon
T: Ben RawlingsTime: 30.88Margin: 4.75 Lengths
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| 4th |
4 Hunker Down
T: Don GordonTime: 31.06Margin: 7.25 Lengths
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| 5th |
5 Fantastic Spike
T: Liz ChegiaTime: 31.09Margin: 7.75 Lengths
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6th |
3 Zinfandel Trace
T: Gavin HarrisTime: 31.20Margin: 9.25 Lengths
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| 7th |
1 Aunty Meeka
T: Tamica DunnTime: 31.27Margin: 10.25 Lengths
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| 8th |
6 Peaky Boo
T: Ben RawlingsTime:31.57Margin: 14.50 Lengths
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