The time has come for the running of the 2014 edition of the Group 2 Dapto Puppy Classic. The race is scheduled to jump at 9:14pm (NSW time).
These runners went under the hammer at the 2013 Dapto Puppy Auction. At that particular auction, the top priced lot was for a Fabregas and I’m Exceptional puppy, which went for $14,000. That breeding doesn’t show up in any of the finalists but here is a look at the top price for each litter that features in this year’s final:
High Earner – Magic Capers: $12,000
Yahoo Omar – Bananarama: $8,100 Cosmic Rumble – Sky Fly High: $6,300
Spring Gun – Magic Fantasy: $4,600
Just The Best – Where’s Fancy: $3,400
Bekim Bale – La Pearl: $2,400
Cosmic Rumble – Dynamic Shiraz: $1,990
Bekim Bale – It’s Happy Hour: $1,400
The High Earner and Magic Capers litter was the second highest priced litter in the auction. Only one other litter above features in the top 20 lots sold on the day.
Magic Earner, who happens to be by High Earner and Magic Capers, is the fastest qualifier through to this year’s final courtesy of her 29.77 run last week.
Previous winners of this race include Electric Grace, Toll Security, Most Awesome, Bazwill, Miss Megastar, Here I Come, Adris Echo, Merciless Lu, Never Quoted, Jedd Lion, Vancouver Kiss, No Rules League (who was owned by Chris Bertinato, who has another finalist this year in Bertacious Bee), Magic Fantasy and last year’s winner, My Bella Rose.
Here’s a look at the chances of each of the finalists:
ARG Comments: Has surprised everyone by winning his heat and final at long odds both times. Has drawn the red box for the first time and based on last week’s run, loves the rail. He could very well be the surprise packet of the series.
Tom Tzouvelis (Trainer): “It’s a very even field and most have chances. I’m just hoping mine can handle the track better than she has in previous two runs and improve.”
Brett Margerison (Owner): “She’s a genuine 200/1 pop. Horrible draw outside Tommy’s wide running bitch. The best we can probably hope for is to tuck in behind the 1, 2 & 3 and hope the 3 causes carnage. She hasn’t got the class of the 2,6 or 8.
Amy Bennett (Trainer): “I have been in 5 of these finals and I think this one has the best quality and pups for years. It will come down to the jump. If she can get away cleanly with no interference she will have a chance to take it away. She will improve because of the limited work she has had going into the series.”
Chris Bertinato (Owner): “I think he’s well boxed, but think we are there to make up the numbers in the field. This is a very impressive field, the 2 dog has come all the way over from SA and wouldn’t come over for nothing if he knew he didn’t have a chance. The 8 dog, Rare Pearl, is all the rage but can see an upset happening. Amy Bennett deserves this race. If a local can win it will be great, but in saying all this if Bertacious Bee can sit near the leader going through the first turn he is in with a great chance as he is very strong.”
ARG Comment: Will gain a start due to the scratching of litter-mate Alderley Reform. She is yet to crack a win at Dapto from seven attempts so isn’t likely to loom as the winner. She does possess some early speed which she will need to use to give herself any chance.
ARG Comment: Finished third behind fastest qualifier Magic Earner last week. Is risky at box-rise but can show pace. He has won six races from 19 so he has proven he can win races. An each way chance if he gets a run.
Best Dapto Times
Best
Last
Sect. Best
Sect. Last
NBT
30.25
5.44
5.50
This is a pretty even race in terms of the mix of speed and strength in the race.
The likely favourite will be Rare Pearl (8) who is well-boxed out wide. He was impressive last week, getting through the field to run away with a 7 3/4 length win in a personal best time of 29.83. The only concern is the lack of early pace.
Magic Earner (6) will also be in the betting after her impressive all-the-way victory last week. It was the best she had stepped and she clocked 5.44 to the first mark. She had box two on the occasion and now moves out to the dreaded box six.
Spring Bonanza (3) showed pace last week but the Queensland based bitch is still struggling to adapt to the tight Dapto circuit. She also likes to use the track so this may cause some interference to the chasers boxed in the middle.
Lunar Sky (5) will have to ping the lids to overcome the predicted interference. She is capable of a 5.42 first split and last week showed she had a bit of heart to stave off the strong finishing Bertacious Bee. It would be lovely to see the Bennett family finally get a winner in this race after making the final on so many occasions.
Bertacious Bee (7) handled the outside well last week and only missed out on winning his semi-final by 1/2 a length. With a touch of luck he could give trainer George Micallef his second Dapto Puppy Classic winner.
Much has been made of the fact that Stilton Lucky (1) has won at long odds his last two starts. He has the rails alley for the first time in his career and is aiming for a hat-trick of wins. He only broke his maiden two starts back so it would be a huge feat for him if he was able to pull this off.
Magic Rama (9) gets a run after the scratching of Alderley Reform (2). She has only won two from 17 and is yet to win at the track so she doesn’t look a realistic chance.
Tonight Tonight (4) is the maiden of the field and has not been done any favours by the box-draw. Her dedicated owners deserve a big win as they have invested heavily in the sport but they will need a lot of luck on their side.
