Action Girl leads Peach triple threat into Geelong Cannonball Sprint final
Action Girl will defend her 2022 Cannonball Sprint title after taking out her heat of the 2023 contest at Geelong on Friday night.
Trained by Gary Peach, the Action Girl lined up in the 400m heat as the +180 favourite and rewarded backers with an all the way win.
Jumping from box one, she got out to lead with a run-through on the rail and dictated terms for the entire trip.
As the field turned into the home straight, Petzel Bale moved up to throw down the challenge in the shadows of the post.
Action Girl held off the challenge and took the win beating Petzel Bale by 0.13 lengths in 22.51.
2023 Geelong Cannonball Sprint Heat 3 – Action Girl (22.51) T: Gary Peach
Action Girl's personal best over the track and trip is a blistering 22.21, with the record at the track at a clean 22.00, set by Unleash Collinda on May 27.
From 71 career starts, the Aston Dee Bee x Weeping Lass bitch has 44 wins and 16 placings and has banked $166,125 in prizemoney for connections.
Last year, she won her heat of the Cannonball Sprint in 22.30, before backing up a week later and winning the $10,000-to-the-winner final in 22.25, beating home Matt's Hope.
She now has the chance to go back-to-back, but in her way is a quality field led by kennelmates Mr Beets (22.52) and Silver Brute, the latter coming away with the fastest heat time.
Jumping from box four as the +140 favourite, Silver Brute got out to lead and dictate terms into the home straight.
Federal Outlaw carved across from the wide alley onto the rail, throwing down a challenge, but it proved too little too late, with Silver Brute winning by 1.93 lengths in a speedy 22.35.
2023 Geelong Cannonball Sprint Heat 4 – Silver Brute (22.35) T: Gary Peach
2023 Geelong Cannonball Sprint Heat 1 – Mr Beets (22.52) T: Gary Peach
Heading into next week's final, Silver Brute should start as the race favourite while armed with the personal best time of 22.15, clocked on December 23.
The son of Aston Dee Bee and Weeping Lass is the most successful chaser throughout Peach's training career, with 50 victories and 14 placings from 78 starts while banking $209,805 in race winnings.
The Peach-trained trio will be joined in the final by the other heat winner, Lektra Heckler, and the runner-up placegetters Orli Bale, Nicholson Bale, Petzel Bale, and Federal Outlaw.