For greyhound fans who like a little bit of everything in a race, the Group One Super Stayers at The Meadows on Saturday night could well be the race for you.
From the new graduates to distance racing, Lethal Three and Whodat Knockin’, to the grand old stager and defending champion Destini Fireball. Throw in the consummate professional Dyna Willow and the up-and-coming Dyna Kayla and there’s a veritable smorgasbord of chasing variety.
They will all vie for an alluring $100,000 over the lung-busting 725 metre journey, with plenty of genuine winning chances.
The Super Stayers is the sixth race on a stellar program and takes place at 8:42pm.
Let’s take a look at how they line up and what the connections think of their chances.
Comments: Peter Akathiotis (Trainer) – “She’s got enough pace to put herself in the race early and then she can finish it off, that’s the best thing about her. From the red, she’s got enough pace to lead, it just depends what the three (Whodat Knockin’) does. Even if we can land second or third I’ll be happy, then she can let go down the back.”
Comments: Norm Rinaldi (Trainer) –“He’s starting to hit a bit of form again so we are definitely in there with a chance. A few of the ones that were going to be there aren’t there but that’s what finals are all about, you’ve got to get through.He’s got box two which he has had before and he’s had a light week this week, it’s all going well. It depends how the others jump, there’s always pro’s and cons.”
Comments: Sam Bonaccurso (Trainer) – “He runs pretty straight so any box really suits him as long as he’s left alone for the first 10 or 20 metres. He doesn’t actually get out all that well from the boxes. A lot will depend on the dogs around him, Destini Fireball on his inside is a big dog so he won’t want to run into him and I think the four (Lethal Three) likes to get left a bit and look for the rails. So if he misses the start, they might take his run. The first fifty and the last fifty is where he will need the luck. This Saturday night being his second go over 700 metres is probably going to be more of a test for him.”
Comments: Kelly Bravo (Trainer) – “I thought when she had to work so hard to lead last week to lead that she might get tired at the end but she finished it off a little better than I expected actually with it being her first run. She loves the fence, so I’m just hoping she get get down to the rail. I actually think she is capable of running a little bit better time than she did last week if she doesn’t have to work too hard. She actually pulled up really well and wasn’t flat at all after the run which probably tells me that she got the trip well without it taking too much out of her. I just hope she can find her way to the front early.”
Comments: Michael Chilcott (Trainer) – “She’s still going as well as she ever has gone, she just needs a little bit of luck on the first turn I guess. Dyna Kayla took a step right early last week and Lethal Three wants the fence so we can only hope for a little but of room early and maybe they will bunch up. She went 5.01 to the first mark last week and her best is 4.96 so she is not far of going what she can run.”
Comments: Tom Dailly (Co-Trainer) – “She’s sort of stepping up into Group One racing very quickly, she’s got the ability she just needs to get out of her box.”
Comments: Tammy Collins (Kennel Representative) – “I think she is well boxed out there, she just needs a little bit of luck early and she will be right in the finish. She had to do it hard last week. She is not beginning as well as she can, but she is just using all her steam late which isn’t too bad, but she will need luck early.”
Comments: Len Jones (Trainer) – “I’d rather have the eight box than any other box, if you can’t have box one, you may as well have eight. She seems to go around the field so hopefully she won’t have the problems that she has had in some of her recent starts. She has been getting caught up and belted around a little bit and she has had to come from a long way back. Hopefully she doesn’t give them the sort of start she has been on Saturday night.”
Comments: Zippy beginner who was placed in the recent Zoom Top here. Would have to be considered a place chance if gaining a start.
Best The Meadows Times
Best
Last
Sect. Best
Sect. Last
NBT
43.18
4.98
5.14
There looks to be a ton of pace from the inside division in this race, with Hala Belle (1) and Whodat Knockin’ (3) capable of sizzling early. Destini Fireball (2) and Lethal Three (4) could also be thereabouts with a clean getaway.
Sweet It Is (8) may get some room early and find herself a little more prominent than she has in recent starts. Maddison Dee is another who may get a little bit of room early and land a little closer than she has been.
The two who look to get their big chance at Group One glory here are Dyna Kayla (6) and Dyna Willow (7). If Dyna Kayla can find the early pace she exhibited in her early staying races she could go very close.
Dyna willow is ultra consistent and can fly at The Meadows. She always manages to find a way to put herself in the race and has to be considered as one of the major players.
It should be an all-engrossing affair with every runner having their share of claims to etch their name into the Group One staying racing annuls.